Assistant Professor in Marine Energy

Description

Role: Assistant Professor in Marine Energy

Grade and Salary: Grade 7 (£37,694 - £47,389)

FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35 hours per week), Open-Ended

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

This is a unique opportunity to work alongside partners in a community at the center of marine energy development. More wave and tidal energy devices have been tested in Orkney than anywhere else globally. Orkney is now set to become a key hub for the expanding offshore wind sector. You will also be part of a global university with 5 campus locations across UK, Dubai and Malaysia, over 3,000 staff and 30,000 students.

The UK and Scottish governments have committed to energy transition and have set ambitious targets for achieving net zero carbon. The transition to sustainable marine energy (wind, wave and tide) is full of challenges. Heriot-Watt University (HWU) is at the forefront of education and research in energy systems to achieve net zero carbon while improving social and environmental wellbeing.

This post is ideally suited to a candidate with an engineering or physics background, prepared to collaborate with multidisciplinary partners. We are interested in hearing from candidates with research interests in offshore wind, wave, or tidal technologies. This includes, but is not limited to,

• Hydrodynamics and resource assessment
• Understanding marine energy array and device interaction
• Application of robotics to marine renewables
• Environmental engineering – to minimize environmental and social impact

The candidate will be expected to collaborate with academics from the wider University participating in our Global Research Institutes (GRIs). Our GRI’s are intended to draw together academics from across the university to work on specific challenges. The GRI iNZ+ and GRI National Robotarium are of particular significance.

The successful candidate will contribute to our masters teaching programs. Our MSc programmes in Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Transition (RESET), are delivered from the Orkney Campus and online. MRE covers technical ecological and economic aspects of marine energy and is designed to help students from a variety of backgrounds to find work in the sector. The successful candidate will be expected to take a key role in teaching, and developing the curriculum, in marine energy technologies and resource assessment.

The post is located in Orkney working from a purpose-built building on the Orkney Innovation and Research Campus in the town of Stromness. The Campus is shared with other businesses working in energy related science and technology. Stromness is home to a thriving community of researchers and professionals working in the fields of marine science and renewable energy. In addition to professional life, Orkney has excellent sports facilities and a thriving arts culture.

Orkney has repeatedly been identified as one of the best places to live in the UK, and in some rankings THE best. All interests are well catered for and families will find good schools at all levels. The islands are home to several internationally famous festivals including the St Magnus Music and Arts Festival in the summer and the Science Festival in the autumn.

We recommend looking at  which provides information about Orkney and its economy, housing, leisure, education, health, and environment.

The successful applicant will be expected to make positive and sustainable contributions to the areas below. However, you will be measured against the essential criteria, not by the key duties and responsibilities.

Research:

• To develop a research profile in marine energy technology of internationally recognised importance and quality that will make a significant contribution to the University’s submission to future Research Excellence Framework exercises, enhance the international profile of the University and contribute to the development of its own communities of research;
• Disseminate research through high-quality journal publications and papers,…