Knowledge Transfer Associate: Ace Aquatec

**The Post** KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PARTNERSHIPS**

**Ace Aquatec and University of Stirling**

The Faculty of Natural Sciences is seeking a Knowledge Transfer Associate to work in conjunction with industry partner Ace Aquatec.

Ace Aquatec are based in Dundee and currently have a blended working policy where time is divided between the Dundee office, home, and roam. This role provides a unique opportunity for career development. The post-holder will receive personalised support through KTP mentoring and coaching, and have access to a wide range of training and development modules to enhance your skills.

Benefits include:

- Training budget with 10% of your working time dedicated to personal development.
- A unique and challenging career opportunity, working with both industry and academia.
- The successful applicant will develop a wide range of industrial and research skills for their future career, utilising the skills and knowledge of company supervisors, as well as benefitting from continuous academic support.
- The opportunity to manage and lead on a project early on in your career.
- Specific KTP residential training.

**Description of Duties**
This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of data science, remote sensing, and environmental management, contributing to the sustainability and success of the aquaculture industry. The primary objective is to develop an advanced forecasting tool that predicts harmful algae blooms and changes in water quality, both of which pose significant risks to fish farms. By integrating high-resolution satellite data with on-site water testing, this tool will provide fish farmers with a real-time warning system, helping them to minimize risk and optimize the locations for fish growth.

The role presents a unique technical challenge, as the Associate will be responsible for identifying and interpreting satellite sensor data from several space missions and combining this with ground truth measurements to validate and optimise prediction models. These data will then be integrated into our existing customer portal, creating a user-friendly system that offers live updates on algae bloom risks. Managing this complex data integration process while ensuring scientific accuracy and practical usability will be crucial.

In addition to technical expertise, the Associate will need strong project management and communication skills to engage with stakeholders and align the tool’s development with customer needs. Building and maintaining relationships with fish farmers will be essential to ensure the system meets their operational requirements. Balancing the demands of transferring knowledge gained to Ace Aquatec and bringing a product to market efficiently with the academic rigor required for a robust, reliable system will be a key challenge in this role.
**Essential Criteria**
- MSc (preferably PhD) in data science, Artificial Intelligence, remote sensing, or closely-related fields
- Experience in data analytics/management. Demonstrable proficiency in programming in one or more languages like Python, Java, C/C++ or Matlab and an ability to self-learn new technical skills
- Experience in the use of AI/ML approaches
- Expertise in software development, design and documentation best practices
- Problem solving skills

**Desirable Criteria**
- Familiarity with Earth observation methodologies
- Good knowledge of working in international and business/industrial sectors
- Experience building operational, highly automated processing chains for near-real time data production
- Experience with the visualisation and dissemination of data to end-users (e.g., webGIS)

**Additional Information**
Full time: 35 hours per week

**Salary**: £40,000 - £45,000 p.a.
Duration: 36 months
Location: Dundee

Interviews are expected to take place on Monday 10 March 2025.

There is an expectation that work will be undertaken in the UK.

For the purposes of sponsorship, this is a postdoctoral role under SOC code 2119.

**Behaviours and Competencies**
The role holder will be required to evidence that they can meet the qualities associated with the following behavioural competencies, as detailed within the AUA Competency Framework.
- **Managing self and personal skills**
Being aware of your own behaviour and mindful of how it impacts on others, enhancing personal skills to adapt professional practice accordingly.
- **Delivering excellent service**
Providing the best quality service to external and internal clients. Building genuine and open long-term relationships in order to drive up service standards.
- **Finding solutions**
Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and to develop workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.
- **Embracing change**
Being open to and engaging with new ideas and ways of working. Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, shifting demands and changing roles.
- **Using resources effectively**
Identifying and making the most