Description:
The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) is Europe’s largest academic-based group delivering railway science and education. With over 130 academics, researchers and professional support staff, BCRRE provides world class research and thought leadership within railways and offers an expanding portfolio of high-quality education programmes. BCRRE is the lead partner in the £92m UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) and the University of Birmingham is also home to one of UKRRIN’s four Centres of Excellence, the Centre of Excellence in Digital Systems (CEDS). More information can be found on our website: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/railway/index.aspx
The post holder will work within a specified research grant and projects within the specialism of the West Midlands Digital Twin (WMDT) project with Network Rail, and contribute to writing bids. They will analyse and interpret research findings and results and contribute to generating funding. They will also contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP) and public understanding of the discipline.
Main Duties
The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below:
- Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
- Contribute to writing bids for research funding
- Analyse and interpret data
- Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
- Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
- Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
- Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
- Undertake management/administration arising from research
- Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
- Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
- Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
- Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
- Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
- Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
- Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture
- To undertake other such duties as may be reasonably requested, and that are commensurate within the nature and grade of the post
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications And Experience
- Hold, or close to completion of, a PhD in a subject relevant to BCRRE’s research area, or equivalent qualifications/research experience
- Demonstrably high level analytical capability
- Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
- Demonstrable ability to communicate complex information clearly
- Demonstrable ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
- Demonstrable understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/ administration processes
- Demonstrable ability to contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
- Demonstrable ability to co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort