Research Fellow in Sensing Wastewater

Organisation/Company CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY Research Field Biological sciences Environmental science Geosciences Researcher Profile Leading Researcher (R4) First Stage Researcher (R1) Country United Kingdom Final date to receive applications 3 Feb 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Type of Contract Other Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Organisation: Cranfield University
Faculty or Department:Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Based at:Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
Hours of work:37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.
Contract type:Fixed term contract
Fixed Term Period:For 24 months
Salary:Full time starting salary (if PhD close to completion) is normally in the range of £34,450 per annum;
Full time starting salary (if PhD obtained) is normally in the range of £37,337 per annum
Apply by:03/02/2026

Role Description

We welcome applications from a Research Fellow with a strong passion for and experience in biosensing, microfluidics and microbiology. The successful candidate will join our Advanced Sensors team and contribute to the 5-year Leverhulme Research Leadership Award project, Sensing Wastewater for Real-time Public Health.

About the Role

The postholder’s primary responsibility is to conduct cutting‑edge research on a new class of biochemical sensor development for wastewater, especially on the single‑cell and single‑molecule detection, utilising state‑of‑the‑art facilities in the Advanced Sensors Laboratory at Cranfield University.

Cranfield University has a proud reputation for its research on the science, engineering and management of water, and we have been driving innovation for over 40 years. You will contribute to the delivery of Cranfield University’s research portfolio in the Advanced Sensors Laboratory for Water‑Environment‑Health, led by Professor Zhugen Yang. The group’s pioneering work on wastewater sensing, especially on origami‑paper microfluidics sensors, has garnered significant national and international recognition, including features in Science and prominent media outlets such as BBC.

The origami‑paper device is currently featured at the London Science Museum. The project also involved partnership from world‑leading institutions, such as Harvard University on droplets technology, and industrial sectors.

About You

You will hold a doctoral degree (or close to completion) in biosensing, microfluidics, environmental science, microbiology, or a related discipline. You will have demonstrable experience with experimental skillsets, including sensor development, wastewater surveillance, or reverse inference modelling for source tracking. You will bring laboratory expertise in designing experiments, handling advanced instruments, and troubleshooting. Collaboration and mentoring within interdisciplinary teams are also desirable.

About Us

As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world‑class expertise, large‑scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.

The group has received national and international acclaim, including coverage in Science, BBC News, and The Washington Post, for its research on wastewater monitoring and origami‑based paper sensors.

Our Values and Commitments

Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do:
Ambition;
Impact;
Respect; and Community. Find out more here.

We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family‑friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families.

Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here.

Working Arrangements

Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on‑site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.

How to apply

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Professor Zhugen Yang, Professor of Biosensing and Environmental Health, on (T): or (E):

Closing date for receipt of applications:3 February 2026

Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.