Royal College of Art
Postdoctoral Researcher
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POST: Grade 7 Postdoctoral Researcher
Circular Design Toolbox Project
Centre for Materials Science & Culture, RCA
Location: Battersea/Hybrid (minimum 3 days on campus)
Circular Design Toolbox Project - Proof of Concept
Would you like to be part of a major research initiative working at the Centre for Materials Science & Culture to help transform our Circular Design Toolbox (CDT) into a commercially available product ready for licensing, pilots and seed investment?
The Circular Design Toolbox (CDT) project is funded by the UKRI Translation: Proof of Concept 2026 scheme. The Toolbox was developed from the research of the Textiles Circularity Centre into circular design strategies including:
- Materials Circularity to innovate circular bio-based textiles (resulting in the Circular Materials Design Toolkit and the Maintaining Materials Toolkit);
- Consumer Experience to position these materials in circular experiences that slow down consumption by satiating human wellbeing needs (resulting in the Circular Experience Toolkit); and
- Circular Supply Chains which put these strategies into a relationship in the form of a local supply chain design (resulting in the Circular System Toolkit).
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The overarching objectives will be to:
- Develop and evaluate one pilot programme with our partners Two Lives London and their supply chain partners.
- Produce a set of case studies that would enable the Centre to identify and specify a full commercialisation proposition including an IP licensing framework.
- Develop a minimum viable digital platform prototype to demonstrate scalable CDT delivery.
Qualifications
The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate at least one of the following:
- A PhD degree related to circular design innovation in the circular economy, preferably in the area of apparel/textiles; or
- Equivalent experience in a different sector; or
- A Masters degree and significant experience in research projects.
Subject Knowledge
- Core knowledge in design (industrial, apparel, product); in addition to knowledge in apparel-textiles; circular design innovation and strategies; systems design and related strategies.
- Experience with circular design approaches related to apparel or product design.
- Experience of working in research and research projects, either academic or commercial/industrial in a topic directly related to this area of research.
- Experience with development and facilitation of studies and workshops applying design methods and high levels of interpersonal skills for a range of users (industry, society/consumers, researchers, designers, stakeholders).
- Communications and graphic design skills.
- Evidence of producing at least two outputs in peer reviewed academic journals or one research output independent of PhD supervisor, in a topic related to this area of research.
- Demonstrable understanding of good practice in research conduct (including in research ethics, research integrity and handling research data).
- Evidenced flexibility and confidence to tackle a wide range of tasks, with an open, proactive, creative, and problem-solving approach.
- Evidenced excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills, able to adopt an appropriate style for a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- Evidenced strong interpersonal and team-working skills.
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Closing for applications at 2pm on Wednesday 30 September 2026
Interviews are expected to take place on 12 October 2026
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