University of Birmingham
Research Fellow (Sustainability for AI) - School of Mechanical Engineering - 107758 - Grade 7
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Position Details
School of Mechanical Engineering
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
Full-time starting salary: Normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822
Grade: 7
Part-time: 0.5 FTE (18.75 hours per week)
Contract: Fixed Term up to September 2029
Closing date: 9th August 2026
UK Travel: May be required for this role
Background
The Collaborative AI for Manufacturing Sustainability (Co-AIMS) Hub is an £11 million EPSRC-funded research initiative led by the University of Birmingham. It aims to revolutionize UK manufacturing by developing AI-powered, people-centric, and regenerative systems that cut waste, boost productivity, and improve sustainability across sectors like automotive, aerospace, and energy. The hub concentrates on AI applications to reduce waste, enhance autonomy, and empower workers in the food & drink, aerospace, and automotive industries.
The Sustainable Manufacturing Group at the University of Birmingham leads research in developing innovative solutions to support a greener and more sustainable future. As the sustainability lead for Co-AIMS, we aim to demonstrate that the hub operation, activities undertaken, and outcomes generated all consider the environmental consequences and, where possible, help to mitigate any impact.
The position will be based within the School of Engineering at the University of Birmingham where you will be both part of the Sustainable Manufacturing Group and the Co-AIMS hub.
Role Summary
This position will support the recently awarded Co-AIMS Hub in developing, establishing, and measuring the environmental impact of Artificial Intelligence usage in manufacturing. The role will have a dual focus in supporting the operational activities of the Hub and its research agenda.
The role will:
- Establish and manage a reporting framework for the project overall sustainability metrics and performance
- Identify a set of sustainability metrics which reflect the aims and ideals of the Co-AIMS Hub
- Operate within the area of specialism
- Contribute to establishing the carbon footprint of various AI models to help inform decision makers and users
- Analyze data to identify trends, assess process efficiency, and evaluate energy performance
- Contribute to generating funding
- Contribute to licensing or spin-out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar
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Main Duties
The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.
- Establish and manage a reporting framework for the project overall sustainability metrics and performance
- Identify a set of sustainability metrics which reflect the aims and ideals of the Co-AIMS Hub
- Contribute to establishing the carbon footprint of various AI models to help inform decision makers and users
- Analyze data to identify trends, assess process efficiency, and evaluate energy performance
- Prepare technical documentation, project reports, and research publications
- Support the supervision and mentoring of undergraduate students
- Collaborate with academic colleagues within the Sustainable Manufacturing Group and the Co-AIMS Hub to advance shared research goals
- Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with the assistance of a mentor if required
- Contribute to writing bids for research funding
- Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
- Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars, etc.
- Contribute to developing new models, techniques, and methods
- Undertake management/administration arising from research
- Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
- Contribute to enterprise, business development, and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under the supervision of a project leader
- Foster a fair and equitable workplace for all staff
- Identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant university policies and procedures
- Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity duties document
Person Specification
- A PhD or Master’s degree in Sustainability, computer science, or a closely related field with relevant working experience
- High-level analytical capability
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly
- Fluency in relevant models, techniques, or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
- Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
- Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
- Contribute to the planning and organizing of the research programme and/or specific research project
- Coordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
- Strong understanding and knowledge of sustainability principles and approaches for improving resource efficiency
- Analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to accuracy and detail
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of technical reports and publications
- Capacity to work collaboratively within a research group and contribute to joint project objectives
- Knowledge of the protected characteristics and duties under the Equality Act 2010. Including fostering good relations and advancing the university’s Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
- Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity knowledge, skills, and experience document
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Informal Enquiries
Informal enquiries to David Butler, email: d.l.butler@bham.ac.uk
Use of AI in Applications
We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of the University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter, and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/equality-diversity-inclusion.
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