"Senior Research Associate in Short-Fibre Composite Shells"

The role

The purpose of the role is to support the PI (Dr Rainer Groh) in the delivery of an ambitious research programme funded through a UK Research & Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship. By combining state-of-the-art computational design and automated manufacturing, the goal is to create free-form shell structures comprising recycled, short-fibre composites that rival the load-carrying capacity of virgin, continuous fibre composites. A unique feature of the role will be close collaboration with two spin-out companies from the University of Bristol.

The role holder will be an experienced researchers and specialist in the areas of composite materials, structural mechanics, optimisation and finite element analysis. Apart from computational expertise, the role holder will also be comfortable in manufacturing and conducting experimental tests on prototypes. Previous experience with tow-steered composites and/or short-fibre composites is desirable but not essential. A unique feature of the project is a detailed consideration of the interaction between structural form and manufacturing quality in designing the most high-performing composite structure.

The role holder is expected to contribute their own ideas and/or enhancement of methodologies to guarantee the successful delivery of the larger research project. The outcomes of the research are to be communicated by the role holder in premier journals and conferences in the field of composite materials, structural mechanics and engineering science.

In addition to the research, the role holder may, where practical, contribute to teaching, through co-supervision of PhD students and teaching support of the PI’s final-year unit Mechanics of Lightweight and Composite Structures. In addition to academic and pastoral support within the School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering, training in effective communication, leadership and entrepreneurship will be available through a bespoke training programme of the PI’s Future Leadership Fellowship, in order to prepare the role holder to take on more responsibilities in the future.

What will you be doing?

The role holder will:

• Implement bespoke, or use off-the-shelf, finite element models on variable geometry and variable stiffness composites
• Implement bespoke optimization algorithms combining shell geometry and fibre distribution accounting for nonlinearity and uncertainty
• Conduct optimization studies and oversee the manufacture of free-form shell structures with tailored fibre distributions
• Interface with other researchers on the project and the manufacturing team to improve manufacturing quality
• Prepare and conduct structural tests to validate simulations and demonstrate the performance of the designed structures
• Disseminate the results of the research to relevant stakeholders, partners and the wider academic community through publications and conference presentations
• Co-supervise PhD students working on the wider project

You should apply if

You are passionate about sustainability and specifically recycled composite materials. You have a strong background in structural mechanics, ideally in relation to composite materials. You have experience with and enjoy advanced computational modelling and optimisation of lightweight structures. You are proficient with scripting languages (e.g. Matlab, Python, Julia) and have advanced skills in finite element modelling. You are excited by working at the interface of structural mechanics and automated manufacturing. You have a desire to explore real-world impact of your research.

Additional information

For informal queries please contact: Rainer Groh (rainer.groh@bristol.ac.uk)

Contract type: Open ended with fixed funding until 30/11/2029