"Research Fellow in Resilient Health Systems and Infrastructure"

University of Leeds - Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences - School of Civil Engineering

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for a career defining challenge? Do you have experience in modelling real systems and complex processes? Are you involved in impact-carrying research focused on climate resilience, digital twins, health infrastructure and the Global South? Do you want to further your career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive Universities?

We seek a motivated and versatile Research Fellow to help us deliver a novel simulation framework and practical digital tools to better understand and safeguard critical health facilities responding to weather extremes and associated compound hazards. You will be working as part of an interdisciplinary international consortium with a wide range of research and impact partners, spanning a wide range between engineering, health and social sciences. The role will be of critical importance for delivering the modelling/engineering-specific work package of a recently awarded high-calibre NIHR project on health systems, extreme weather, and business continuity. The project has a primary focus on low- and middle-income countries, with partners and stakeholders in Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Vietnam.

Working, among others, with Dr Nikolaos Nikitas, Professor in Structural Dynamics and Engineering, Dr Raffaele De Risi, Associate Professor in Civil Engineering, Dr Evangelos Pournaras, Professor in the School of Computer Science and Dr Paul Hutchings, Associate Professor in Water, Sanitation and Health, you will be conducting novel research and international impact activities across the project partner countries.

These will include designing and delivering simulation studies of health facilities/systems, coordinating data-collection surveys, engaging with stakeholders, and supporting the establishment of an international learning partnership to share experiences and knowledge to enhance the relevant resilience agenda. The key contribution will focus on leading the development of novel digital twins simulating healthcare systems under extreme weather stressors, with the primary task of predicting and measuring the evolving system's resilience to help tailor appropriate interventions. Organising and attending international workshops will be part of the role.

With a PhD (or have submitted your thesis before taking up the role) in an engineering/computer-science/modelling related-area, you will have demonstrated strong theoretical understanding and skills to apply advanced modelling approaches within the context of resilience and complex socio-technical systems.

This role will be based on the University campus, with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Dr Nikolaos Nikitas, Professor in Structural Dynamics and Engineering
Email: N.Nikitas@leeds.ac.uk

Dr Raffaele De Risi, Associate Professor in Civil Engineering
Email: Raffaele.Derisi@bristol.ac.uk

Dr Evangelos Pournaras, Professor of Trustworthy Distributed Intelligence
Email: E.Pournaras@leeds.ac.uk

Dr Paul Hutchings, Associate Professor in Water, Sanitation and Health
Email: P.Hutchings@leeds.ac.uk