Heriot-Watt University
Post Doctoral Research Associate in Wind Energy Control
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Role: Post Doctoral Research Associate in Wind Energy Control
Contract Type: Full time (35 hours per week), Fixed Term for 3 years
Grade and Salary: Grade 7 - £37,694 - £47,389 per annum
Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)
Purpose of Role
The successful candidate will work with Dr Stock and his team at Heriot-Watt University (HWU) in the CONFORMABLE (Control for Main Bearing Lifetime Extension) project. This project will characterise and quantify control impacts on main bearing lives in order to develop novel wind turbine and wind farm controllers that extend main bearing lifetimes and reduce Levelised Cost of Energy.
Our specific aims are:
- To provide a detailed quantification of impacts of partial wakes (and similar asymmetric inflow phenomena) on MB loads, fatigue life, wear and maintenance for offshore wind turbines in large wind farms and, hence, quantify impacts on LCOE.
- To develop wind turbine controllers that improve MB loads, fatigue life, wear-rate and maintenance requirements in partial wakes and other asymmetric inflow conditions.
- To develop wind farm controllers that optimise LCOE impacts of wake impingement by extending the current paradigm to include the cost implications of MB failures.
Whilst the HWU role will focus on the second and third aims, this project will be highly collaborative and inter-disciplinary, and the ability to work across both themes of main bearing science and control will be necessary.
The project has diverse project partners, including SKF, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR, formerly NREL). It is expected that the chosen candidate will be a key contact with these partners.
Communication of project outputs is critical, and the successful candidate will be expected to write journal papers on technical topics, present work at both academic and industrial conferences, and run webinars, workshops and a hackathon across the lifetime of the project.
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Description of Duties
- Conduct and disseminate original research aligned with the project and in collaboration with the team
- Work closely with the project team to ensure timely completion of deliverables in line with the project plan.
- Work as part of the broader team, including collaborators at University of Strathclyde and industrial partners, to shape the research work as needed
- Contribute to outreach and impact engagement activities of the project (including workshops, webinars and a hackathon)
- Prepare, write and submit academic publications based on the research work.
- Demonstrate initiative in making routine decisions in order to manage and achieve project deliverables and deadlines
- Participate in, and develop, networks and collaborations both internally and externally to the project team.
- Any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post
Essential Criteria
Qualifications
- PhD in relevant discipline
- 1st class undergraduate degree (preferably in Physics)
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Experience researching renewable energy technologies
- Experience in the fields of optimisation and control of renewable energy devices
- Experience of working within a larger project team on funded research projects
- Evidence of good project management skills
- Evidence of self-motivation and the ability to work independently
- Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excels and enjoys applying physics and engineering theory in an inter-disciplinary manner
Desirable Criteria
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Excellent inter-personal skills
- Experience in supporting teaching activities
- Experience in programming languages including Python and MATLAB
How to Apply
Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Monday 12th of October 2026.
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Please submit your CV via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system.
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/.
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.
About Heriot-Watt University
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.
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