The University of Manchester is recruiting for a PDRA in Nuclear Fuel Performance. This position will use mathematical modelling skills to understand how novel multi-phase nuclear fuels will develop during service in some of the most extreme environments in the planet. Working with Rolls-Royce, your skills and expertise will support engineers working on fascinating real-world problems, including submarine propulsion, reactors powering space exploration and novel micro-reactors to decarbonise remote sites. Because of the nature of the work, we are only able to consider British Nationals for this post, but you do not need existing nuclear experience or expertise to succeed just a strong mathematical modelling and/or problem-solving background and a willingness to get stuck in to problems.
This three-year post-doctoral research will develop data and methodologies for fuel performance modelling of multi-phase fuels, which will link with a wider fuels programme led by Prof Turner at The University of Manchester. Knowledge Exchange into Rolls-Royce will form a key component of the role, and the Research Associate (PDRA) will be responsible for support and informal supervision of PhD students in this area as well as dissemination of key findings into relevant teams at Rolls-Royce. They will be responsible for understanding how best to model these complex systems, and measuring key properties to underpin these models, based on representative samples of fuel material.
This is made possible by the Nuclear Fuel Centre of Excellence housed in the Henry Royce Hub (Manchester) which comprises over £20M of experimental equipment dedicated for nuclear fuels research. It allows for the manufacture, characterisation and testing of nuclear fuel samples on the pellet scale, and includes state-of-the-art equipment including novel manufacturing routes, SEM/FIB/TEM and thermophysical analysis instrumentation.
Given the nature of the research, an essential requirement of the role is that the PDRA must be a UK national and will be required to undergo security clearance. They will need to maintain this clearance for the duration of the position.
The Research Associate will be part of the nuclear fuels group at Manchester (~30 PhD/PDRA/Fellows), provide leadership, training and support to PhD students as needed and seek to develop their own research ideas in the field. They will be expected to approach this research using both experimental and modelling approaches, and so the work may include (for example) an experimental study of the variability of key fuel properties in order to inform the fuel performance model produced.
The findings of both the project research will be disseminated into Rolls-Royce as key a deliverable for the overall project as well as engaging with other external stakeholders as needed.
What you will get in return:
* Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
* Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
* Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
* Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
* Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers
As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.
Our University is positive about flexible working you can find out more here
Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.
Please be aware that due to the number of applications we are unfortunately not able to provide individual feedback on your application.
Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.
Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment@manchester.ac.uk .
Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.
Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:
Name: Professor Joel Turner
Email: joel.turner@manchester.ac.uk
General enquiries:
Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk
Technical support:
0161 850 2004
This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.
Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.