Heriot-Watt University
Research Associate in Smart Building Materials Policy
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Role Title: Research Associate in Smart Building Materials Policy
Grade and Salary: Grade 7, £37,694 - £47,389 per annum
FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35hrs per week) Fixed-term (60 months)
Reward and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days 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.
About our Team
The School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS) is one of the UK’s leading institutions for multidisciplinary research and teaching in areas critical to economic development and societal equity. We aim to attain excellence in the teaching of the core disciplines that contribute to a sustainable, resource and energy efficient society and are committed to undertaking high value, high impact research and knowledge transfer in topics of relevance to global challenges.
The School of EGIS enjoys facilities consistent with its location in modern, purpose-built accommodation across global campuses and is well equipped in respect of laboratories for materials, structures, engineering, building services and hydraulics research and teaching. Our research and teaching facilities in Dubai and Malaysia are contained within purpose-built campuses in Dubai Knowledge Park and Putrajaya, respectively.
The School is one of the leading research centres in the UK. It has sustained a high reputation for the international standing of its research over two decades. The School of EGIS is a leader in fundamental and applied research and directly aligns with addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our research institutes facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations and the delivery of large consortium projects to provide impact solutions. Environmental science and sustainability are areas for which we have a long history and are integral to the research strategy of the School going forward.
https://www.hw.ac.uk/schools/energy-geoscience-infrastructure-society/research.htm
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences (ILES)
- The Urban Institute (TUI)
- Institute of Geoenergy Engineering (IGE)
- Institute of Sustainable Built Environment (ISBE)
- Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE)
All academic staff based on our campuses contribute to the research activities of one (or more) of our Institutes. These Institutes support a wide range of research activities of relevance to a sustainable, resource and energy efficient society. Institute staff undertake research funded by research councils, charitable foundations, local and national government. Research outcomes are published in leading international and national journals and key findings are widely disseminated through other media and forms of output. Staff in the School are embedded with HWU Global Research Institutes (e.g., the Lyell Centre Global Research Institute as well as the soon to be formed Net-Zero Global Research Institute).
Purpose of Role
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join the flagship SmartChar programme, a five-year, EPSRC funded research programme. The postholder will focus on developing actionable policy and regulatory frameworks to support the uptake of biochar-concrete as a climate-positive, smart material.
This work is a part of the SmartChar: Enabling Smart, Circular, and Climate-Positive Construction in the UK programme led by Aston University, Birmingham. The outputs of this research will support the development of smart, low-carbon concrete for applications in housing, commercial buildings, transport, and critical infrastructure. Benefits include reduced GHG emissions, extended lifespan of concrete structures, lower maintenance costs, and enhanced safety through real-time monitoring. The work will inform policy, stimulate new markets for sustainable construction products, and help achieve national Net Zero and resilience targets. It also creates opportunities for skills development, supply chain innovation, and international leadership in sustainable construction.
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The work will be managed within the School of EGIS in close collaboration with Aston University Birmingham and University of Edinburgh. The Urban Energy Research Group within ISBE comprises a team of experienced researchers in the field of energy and buildings, with a long track record in industry and research council funding. The individual will therefore be part of, and be expected to contribute to, a successful research team.
The appointee will be working within the Institute for Sustainable Built Environment (ISBE) which undertakes cutting-edge research to deliver technological advances and inform government policy on topics relevant to the global challenges of climate change; sustainable development; infrastructure deterioration; and personal and national security. Our research includes the specialist themes of water management; ultra-speed railways; systems, sustainability and society; construction materials and geo-mechanics; and structures. Particular areas of expertise include building energy systems, acoustics, water and drainage, building simulation, low carbon innovations, construction informatics, building conservation, construction management, circular economy approaches, as well as innovation in built environment education. Our work aims to provide new insights into the current technical, social and management challenges facing the building industry. Our research outcomes help with informing policy makers and providing the knowledge and tools required by building professionals. Our work ranges from multi-million-pound research council projects, such as the Flood Risk Management Research Consortium, to individual PhD studentships on topics as diverse as numerical modelling of wave propagation in soil, to the impact of psychological states on situational awareness in transport domains.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
The appointee will be expected to undertake the following:
Research responsibilities
- Map stakeholders and apply qualitative approaches to carefully design surveys, workshops, and policy labs with regulators, industry, community groups, and academics
- Apply an integrative multi-stakeholder approach to co-create qualitative and quantitative indicators to express, holistically, the value of biochar in buildings
- Organize thematic roundtables on smart infrastructure and climate-positive construction, generating shared recommendations and certification pathways
- Explore how procurement frameworks, housing standards, and building regulations can integrate smart low-carbon materials to support decarbonization and resilience in buildings
- Co-create credible, scalable routes to market through engagement with key industry players, standard bodies and policy stakeholders
- Develop Policy Brief on barriers/enablers to biochar-concrete adoption and guidance documents for industry and government, including housing-specific case studies
Collaboration and Project Support
- Carry out research tasks independently and within an interdisciplinary team
- Work collaboratively with academic staff, researchers, and industrial partners across the SmartChar programme.
- Contribute to project meetings, reporting, and coordination activities.
- Support the supervision of PhD students and junior researchers where appropriate.
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Dissemination and Impact
- Publish research findings in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.
- Present at national and international conferences.
- Contribute to industry engagement, knowledge transfer, and potential commercialisation activities.
Additional responsibilities
- Engage in continuous personal and professional development in line with the demands of the role, including undertaking relevant training and development activities to develop themselves and support the development of others.
- Ensure and promote the personal health, safety and wellbeing of staff and students.
- Carry out duties in a way which promotes fairness in all matters, and which engenders trust.
- Promote equality of opportunity and support diversity and inclusion as well as working to support the University’s environmental sustainability agenda and practices. Identify appropriate sources of funding and help prepare research proposals for funding bodies
Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve.
Person Specification
These are the criteria on which the short-listing and recruitment selection will be made.
Essential
Qualifications
- A PhD (or forthcoming PhD) in construction related discipline
Experience
- Strong background in policy evaluation– (identification of policy gaps and opportunities)
- Experience of turning technical findings into policy recommendations
- Experience of undertaking, writing up and disseminating policy-oriented research
- Knowledge of regulatory and governance frameworks
- Experience of stakeholder engagement and consultation
Competencies, Skills and Knowledge
- Excellent IT and communication skills and high attention to detail
- Evidence of a developing publication record
- Evidence of self-motivation and the ability to work independently
- Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent time management skills including the ability to prioritise workload
- Good team player with good interpersonal skills
Desirable
- Experience of working as part of an interdisciplinary team
- Experience of undertaking, writing up and disseminating policy-oriented research in low carbon materials
- Familiarity with consensus-building tools such as the Delphi methodology
- Evidence of delivering on externally funded research projects
How to Apply
Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system
- Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post
- Full CV
For further information about the position, please contact: Dr Mehreen Gul (m.gul@hw.ac.uk)
Applications can be submitted until 23:55 on Tuesday 28th July 2026.
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.
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