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Job title Research Associate

Department Mechanical Engineering

Salary Starting from £38,784, rising to £46,049

Grade Grade 7

Contract Type Full Time, Fixed Term

Placed on Tuesday 10 February 2026

Closing date Tuesday 17 February 2026

Interview date Tuesday 24 February 2026

Reference KP13403

Guidance for International Applicants

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Research Associate

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Research Associate to join us developing new manufacturing methods for non-standard fibre angle composites from simulation and testing perspectives.

The research will include studies of formability, deposition, consolidation and infusion as aspects of design-for-manufacture. Materials testing and bonded joint analysis are additional topics within the research scope.

About the candidate

The successful candidate will work alongside other researchers in assessing analytical and design aspects of non-standard fibre angle composites, as well as associated PhD students. Significant collaboration with the industrial partners is expected.

Applicants should possess a first degree in an Engineering or Engineering-related subject and a PhD with appropriate content, as well as proven experience of FEA modelling, design and manufacture of composite structures. 

Experience in some of the following areas will be a distinct advantage: 

  • Mechanical testing
  • Joining technologies
  • Mechanical/thermal simulation
  • Process development
  • Process optimisation 

Candidates should be self-motivated and possess project management and technical communication skills.

Further Information

This role is offered on a full time (36.5 hours per week) fixed term until 31 July 2027

For an informal conversation about the role please contact David Williams on dpw40@bath.ac.uk or HaNa Yu on hy539@bath.ac.uk

As a member of Research Staff at the University of Bath, you will be encouraged to take up a minimum of 10 days professional development pro rata per year

A lower grade offer may be made (Grade 6) with comparable reduction in responsibilities and amendment in job title to Research Assistant, if a suitable applicant cannot be found to fill the Grade 7 position. Applicants will need to be within six months of their course completion date and will be promoted to Research Associate once their PhD has been awarded. 

We consider ourselves to be a university where difference is celebrated, respected and encouraged. We have an excellent international reputation with staff from over 60 different nations and have made a positive commitment towards gender equality and intersectionality receiving a Silver Athena SWAN award. We truly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our employees and students and encourage applications from all genders, backgrounds, and communities, particularly from under-represented groups, and value the positive impact that will have on the university. We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community by reinforcing our Safer Recruitment commitment.

We're very proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. an accredited Disability Confident Leader; autism friendly university, committed to building disability confidence and supporting disabled staff

What we can offer you

We're continually expanding our benefits package to better support you and enhance your experience with us and the below is just an example of some of the many great benefits we offer:

  • Free counselling services through Health Assured
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
  • Staff discount at Team Bath gym
  • Staff discounts on postgraduate tuition fees
  • Staff discount on language courses
  • Generous employer contributory pension schemes
  • Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days so that you can enjoy a positive work life balance
  • A wide range of personal and professional development opportunities including Apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning and more
  • Free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
  • Local discounts and more
  • A family-friendly workplace 
  • An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce
  • Relocation allowance
  • Visa reimbursement and Interest-Free Loan to help with the cost of some immigration expenses

Find out more about our benefits and watch the video to hear from our staff about what makes the University of Bath a great place to work as well as following us X and LinkedIn.

 


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Further details:

Terms and Conditions of Employment


Right to Work in the UK: We do not assess immigration or right to work status until offer stage. Being invited to interview does not guarantee you are eligible for visa sponsorship and all offers are conditional on meeting right to work requirements. Further information is available on our application support webpage.

Anonymous shortlisting: We are constantly seeking to reduce the unconscious bias that enters any assessment process, with the goal of creating an inclusive and equal assessment process. To support this, personal details such as your name, may be removed from application forms at the initial shortlisting stage.