Research Associate: Rolls Royce Fuels Performance

The University of Manchester hosts a Rolls-Royce a University Technology Centre (UTC) in the field of Nuclear Science and Engineering. Recently this UTC has significantly expanded to support developments in robust nuclear fuels, under a Rolls-Royce Chair position which is held by Prof Turner. This programme is based on the development of dispersion fuel technologies, which comprise a fissile uranium phase consisting of kernels of uranic material, dispersed within an inert matrix. These fuels are of interest for some of the key national challenges in the UK, including meeting Net Zero targets, defence (through the nuclear submarine programme) and space exploration.

In the frame of this collaboration, Rolls-Royce have agreed to fund a three-year post-doctoral research to develop data and methodologies for fuel performance modelling of dispersion fuels, which will link with the wider fuels programme. Knowledge Exchange into Rolls-Royce Submarines will form a key component of the role, and the Research Associate (PDRA) will be responsible for support and informal supervision of PhD students funded by Rolls-Royce in this area, and the dissemination of key findings into relevant teams at Rolls-Royce Submarines. They will be responsible for understanding how best to model these complex systems, and measuring key properties to underpin these models, based on representative samples of fuel material.

This is made possible by the Nuclear Fuel Centre of Excellence housed in the Henry Royce Hub (Manchester) which comprises over £20M of experimental equipment dedicated for nuclear fuels research. It allows for the manufacture, characterisation and testing of nuclear fuel samples on the pellet scale, and includes state-of-the-art equipment including novel manufacturing routes, SEM/FIB/TEM and thermophysical analysis instrumentation.

Given the nature of the research, an essential requirement of the role is that the PDRA must be a UK national, and will be required to undergo security clearance. They will need to maintain this clearance for the duration of the position.

The Research Associate will interact closely with the DoRN team and wider nuclear fuels group at Manchester (~30 PhD/PDRA/Fellows), provide leadership, training and support to PhD students as needed and seek to develop their own research ideas in the field. They will be expected to approach this research using both experimental and modelling approaches, and so the work may include (for example) an experimental study of the variability of key fuel properties in order to inform the fuel performance model produced.

The findings of both the project research will be disseminated into Rolls-Royce as key a deliverable for the overall project as well as engaging with other external stakeholders as needed.

What you will get in return:

- Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
- Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
- Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
- Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
- Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

**Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews**:
Name: Professor Joel Turner

**General enquiries**:
**Technical support**:
**Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.