One Research Assistant/Associate position is available as part of the BuildZero project (https://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/news/study-explore-if-circular-economy-can-meet-needs-uks-buildings).
BuildZero is a five-year project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UKRI) and will undertake transformative research on the UK’s building sector, aiming to work towards zero material extraction, zero carbon, and zero waste. The UK has one of the oldest and least efficient building stocks. Yet, little is known about the existing building stock and what interventions will be required to provide our future building needs while meeting our climate targets.
The successful candidate will develop new modelling tools and approaches to characterise the existing building stock in the UK. This should combine a physical characterisation of buildings, including material composition and retrofit requirements, with their patterns of use and energy performance. These modelling approaches should enable the identification of pathways for material circularity and climate change mitigation for UK buildings. By the end of the project, the role-holder will have identified and prioritised key interventions in the UK building sector and its supply chain that lead to a faster reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and material demand.
We seek to appoint one candidate with a PhD (or close to obtain) in Engineering or other relevant technical field, and who are motivated to contribute to the impact of the BuildZero research output on climate change mitigation and material circularity. Modelling and analytical skills, and experience working with tools of Industrial Ecology will be beneficial. The candidates should be able to work effectively in interdisciplinary environments, and both with industrial and academic partners.
The successful candidate will be working directly with Dr André Cabrera Serrenho and Prof Jonathan Cullen, and will be based in the Department of Engineering of the University of Cambridge. They will participate fully in the activities of BuildZero. This will imply a close collaboration with all other researchers in this project in the Universities of Sheffield, Bath, Cardiff, and Manchester.
This post is full-time and is being offered for one and a half years in the first instance, but with a possibility of extension until the end of the five-year BuildZero project. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview, which is expected to take place in August 2025. Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will be appointed at Research Assistant level, which will be amended to Research Associate once the PhD has been awarded.
Informal enquires about this post can be made to Dr André Cabrera Serrenho (ag806@cam.ac.uk).
Full details can be found here: https://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51651/