Overview
Description
Role: Research Assistant/ Postdoctoral Research Associate in Sustainable Business and Finance
Grade and Salary: Grade 6 (£31,236 - £36,636) / Grade 7 (£37,694 - £47,389) per annum
Contract Type: Full Time (1FTE), Fixed Term for 1.5 years (With potential to extend)
Location: Edinburgh Campus
Rewards and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday) for all full time staff. Use our total rewards calculator to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns, including part-time working and job share options.
The Role: We are looking to appoint up to two exceptional researchers to join our UKRI Ayrton Challenge Programme project “Sustainable Cooling Infrastructure for Fisheries in Indonesia (SCI-FI)”. SCI-FI is an interdisciplinary initiative that aims to create a deployment blueprint for sustainable cooling infrastructure that expands cold chain access at affordable costs, while enabling a just and inclusive energy transition in small-scale fishing communities. The project brings together researchers from University of Birmingham, Heriot-Watt University (HWU), Durham University, and partner universities in Indonesia including Politeknik Negeri Bali, Universitas Indonesia, and Universitas Pattimura. At Edinburgh Business School, HWU, we are looking for highly motivated researchers to conduct pioneering work at the intersection of sustainable business, finance, and infrastructure innovation. This role offers a unique opportunity to work within an international, interdisciplinary team tackling real-world sustainability challenges.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Research
* Collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data from sources such as surveys, interviews, and secondary datasets.
* Apply advanced analytical techniques (econometrics models; AI tools; MCDA; cognitive mapping) to generate robust, actionable insights.
* Design innovative financing channels and business models to advance sustainable cooling infrastructure.
* Develop decision-supporting tools to evaluate sustainability outcomes, promote equitable risk-sharing, and profit distribution.
* Produce high-quality outputs, including academic publications, industry reports, and white papers focusing on sustainable business models, investment behaviours, and financial strategies for sustainable cooling.
* Collaborate with academic and industrial partners, contributing to project visits, workshops, and cross-consortium coordination.
* Engage with diverse stakeholders, including Indonesian government agencies and international policymakers, to enhance knowledge exchange and policy impact.
General and administrative
* Collaborate effectively with administrative and academic staff in the School and across the University.
* Engage in professional development through training programs aligned with project needs and personal aspirations.
* Engage with industrial and non-academic stakeholders to determine system requirements and address barriers to implementation.
* Assist with the supervision of student project work and provide day-to-day support to other researchers.
* Support the delivery of teaching as required.
* Undertake additional duties as reasonably requested by project leaders, commensurate with the nature and grade of the post.
* Regularly report research progress through formal and informal reports and communications.
* Attend and contribute to project meetings and stakeholder engagement events.
* Assist in developing research proposals and grant applications for follow-on project funding.
Education, Qualifications & Experience
Essential Criteria
1. Academic Qualification
o A PhD (or near completion) in relevant discipline such as Finance; Economics; Business Analytics; Sustainability or related discipline.
2. Subject Matter Expertise
o Strong knowledge of sustainable Finance, green business, decision support.
o Understanding of the net zero and/or circular economy.
3. Research Excellence
o Proven strong track record of high-quality publications.
o Ability to work independently and conduct high quality research, familiar with tools and techniques for analysing complex systems, qualitative (interviews, surveys) and quantitative data analysis.
4. Technical Proficiency
o Familiarity with relevant tools, methods, and techniques used in sustainability research and finance.
5. Team Collaboration
o Experience working effectively in diverse, interdisciplinary teams.
Desirable Criteria
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
* Evidence of attracting research grants/external funding and delivering on externally funded research projects.
* Evidence or knowledge to support international collaborations.
* Awareness of the regulatory frameworks.
How to Apply
Submit via the Heriot-Watt online recruitment system: include (1) Cover letter describing interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV. Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Thursday 02 October 2025.
Informal enquiries can be made to Prof. Bing Xu: b.xu@hw.ac.uk
About Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University is committed to equality of opportunity in employment and to creating an environment where individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the basis of relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are about maximizing potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. We welcome applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our equality and diversity page and Disability Inclusive Science Careers information.
Use our total rewards calculator to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
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