Directorate: The School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS)

Grade: Grade 6 (£30,805 - £36,130)

Contract Type: Full Time (1FTE), Fixed Term (Until January 2026)

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: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University

Purpose of the Role

This position of PDRA – DEMOs for Net Zero drives the research innovation, impact, demonstration and acceleration of the Transition Engineering Lab Shift Projects through design, build and test of cyber infrastructure for co-investigation with decision makers and stakeholder engagement activities within the Islands Centre for Net Zero (ICNZ).  The ICNZ comprises a partnership with EMEC, Aquatera, Community Energy Scotland and the Islands Councils of Orkney, Shetland and Outer Hebrides. It is focused on developing theoretical, process, technical, operational and policy interventions that will deliver the UKs net zero ambition by 2030. This position is temporary but may be extended if funding becomes available.

The ICNZ Transition Engineering Lab action research programme is currently a small group with 4 PhD students, 1 post doctoral researcher under the directorship of Professor Susan Krumdieck, and involving 5 academics at the Orkney campus, a dedicated Research Coordinator, and a number of collaborators in the International Net Zero Research Centre (iNetZ+) across Heriot-Watt University. Its international reach is represented by relationships with colleagues in Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand, USA and Africa. In the next year the research group will grow by 3 more PhD students, a full professor, an assistant professor, and a project assistant.

Detailed Description

The appointment is full time (100% FTE) for 24 months until 9 June 2026. The PDRA – DEMOs for Net Zero will be based in the International Centre for Islands Technology (ICIT) campus, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS) at Heriot-Watt University Orkney campus in Stromness with direct collaboration and administration from HWU Edinburgh.

The ICNZ is directly funded by the UK and Scottish Governments through the Islands Growth Deal. Within the ICNZ programme the Transition Lab research workstream is interrelated with four other workstreams for Community Engagement, Data Exchange, Demonstration and Testing, and Acceleration, all with timelines of 5 years to engage at least 50% of all activities in net zero transitions. In addition, the ICNZ has a Project Management Team and Communications Team. The Transition Lab has six research projects which are interrelated and designed to collectively deliver net zero shift projects for housing, public buildings, personal transport, freight transport, industry and primary production. The successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating all the projects and will report directly to the Principal Investigator Professor Susan Krumdieck.

The PDRA will liaise with Transition Lab research teams and the Research Coordinator to ensure the Shift Projects portfolio generated in the HWU Transition Engineering Lab are developed and tested, involving action research with a wide range of stakeholders. The ultimate purpose after successful development is to generate and verify impact from ICNZ. The role also demands engagement with a range of tasks in communication, financial administration, data management and proposal development. The ICNZ operates in the rural setting of the Scottish Islands, and the Research Assistant will be involved in working with stakeholders in the communities and companies on applications through action research and demonstrations.

The role would suit a candidate with experience within an action research environment, commercial development and stakeholder engagement. It will be necessary to be actively involved in the research and to build engagement with a range of academic and industrial stakeholders, building trust and capacity throughout the network, making networking experience an advantage.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Responsible for participating in the Transition Engineering Labs research sprints and ideation.

Responsible for carrying out excellent research into technical and human factors involved with data, perception, serious games, simulation, AI, Machine Learning, sensors, decision-making, and to communicate this expertise to the Transition Engineering Lab colleagues, and employ the cutting edge knowledge in design and building of DEMOs for specific shift projects.

Responsible for the design and development of a range of DEMOs for specific shift projects across a range of activity ecosystems, including oil production, housing markets, personal transport, freight and food supply chains, fishing, energy poverty.

Responsible for the day-to-day management of development of DEMO implementation in the range of shift projects on behalf of the University and ICNZ, including working with the research team and ICNZ project managers to build specific ICNZ Data Exchanges, plan DEMO demonstration projects, prepare timelines, identifying key milestones and project work plans, and ensure that deadlines and deliverables are achieved.

Proactively manage close working links with key internal and external stakeholders in the projects.

Identify and resolve of a wide variety of complex issues using specialist knowledge and a high degree of initiative.

Monitor and produce collated design, implementation, demonstration and testing reports for the Transition Engineering Lab work package and externally funded projects, anticipating and documenting project risks and delays to minimise adverse impacts.

Ensure effective communications are in place with all stakeholders including consultation and management of expectations.

Develop and regularly review performance against the project’s KPIs and to be responsible for management of risk and issue management.

Manage the project’s stakeholder network engagement activities within the framework of the project.

Prepare and deliver written and oral reports on finances and project outcomes for the Executive, Advisory and Steering Committees and other stakeholders as required.

Line and matrix manage staff working on project activities as required.

Liaise with the University’s Finance, IS and other internal administration unit.

Education, Qualifications & Experience

Essential

Doctoral Degree and research experience in software engineering and data systems, high demonstrated skills in modelling, visualisation, and human factors.

Experience working in a research environment

Research experience demonstrated through intellectual contributions and publications

Excellent interpersonal, influencing and presentation skills, able to understand and communicate complex issues effectively

Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment

Ability to research, analyse and present complex information effectively with good attention to detail

High level organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment

Demonstrable professional and proactive approach

Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team

Desirable

Transition Engineering qualification (e.g. MSc RED/ReSET)

Experience of working with key external stakeholders such as local council, energy industry, the Connected Places Catapult, department for Transport or Transport Scotland, government agencies overseeing net zero policy.

This job description is intended as a flexible framework which outlines the key general areas of activity in your position. Other activities may be required which are not outlined above but which are appropriate to the position and grade. Your personal objectives (Forward Job Plan) will also set out specific tasks and objectives for you to achieve, including objectives to help your career development.

How to Apply

Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing their interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV

Applications can be submitted until  midnight on Friday 14th March 2025.

For more details please contact Prof. Susan Krumdieck, [email protected]

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.