Research Fellow Transportation Group

Location: Boldrewood Campus

Salary:  £29,301 to £36,001 - the appointment will usually be made at the bottom of the scale, rising in annual increments

Full Time - Fixed Term until 31/03/2019

Closing Date:  Friday 25 November 2016

Interview Date:  To be confirmed

Reference: 689416AT-R-R

Faculty of Engineering and the Environment

Considering the introduction of autonomous vehicles and vehicle communication systems, the exploitation of multiple traffic data sources for developing a new self-adapting vehicle control system plays a significant role in improving traffic network performance. The successful candidate for this post will develop a simulation model for estimating the traffic state of road networks using multiple independent sources of data (e.g., roadside sensors, vehicle probe sensors). This fundamental research will seek to answer questions such as how the dynamics of the transport network will be modified by interconnected and autonomous vehicles alongside conventional vehicles and what network level and vehicle level control strategies maybe employed to improve network performance.

This research post is part of a £2M EPSRC funded project on “Green Adaptive Control for Future Interconnected Vehicles” in collaboration with automotive control researchers, human factors researchers atthe University of Southampton and Imperial College London. Theindustrial partner of this project is Jaguar Land Roverwill provide experimental data to support the development and calibration of new models in this project. The successful candidate is expected to interact and collaborate with automotive control researchers, human factors researchers and the industrial partner.

The post will be in the Transportation Research Group (TRG) in the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment at its new Boldrewood Innovation Campus in Southampton. The TRG is a multi-disciplinary group founded in 1967 and recognised worldwide as a leading University centre for engineering-related transportation research. The successful candidate will have access to world-class experimental facilities and data-sets provided by the project partners and work with a team of engineers with diverse expertise and skills. The Transportation Research Group provides a strong environment for personal and career development. 

Applicants will be expected to have, or be nearing completion of, a PhD in Engineering, Science or Computer Science and experience in computer modelling/simulation and software development are essential. The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon successful completion of the PhD (prior to this, the title of Senior Research Assistant would be given).

About the University

You will join one of the UK’s most dynamic centres for engineering and environmental research and education rated number one for research power in REF2014.  We have an excellent record of collaborative research with industry and academic institutions in the UK and abroad.

The Faculty has nearly 200 academic staff working in a number of research themes (http://www.southampton.ac.uk/engineering/research/themes.page). We have exceptional research facilities particularly in our state-of-the-art facilities at our new Boldrewood Innovation Campus (fluids and structures/infrastructure) which includes a 138m towing tank.

In recognition of our continued commitment to improving equality for women in science and engineering we were awarded an Athena SWAN bronze award in September 2013 and intend to submit an application for Silver in Spring 2016.  The Faculty will give due consideration to applicants that wish to work flexibly including part-time and due consideration will be given to applicants who have taken a career break.The University has a generous maternity policy*, onsite childcare facilities and employees are able to participate in the childcare vouchers scheme. 

The University of Southampton is the top one per cent of world universities and in the top 10 of the UK’s research-intensive universities

The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and being a globally responsible university and has recently been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.  Our vision is to embed the principles of sustainability into all aspects of our individual and collective work, integrating sustainable development into our business planning, policy-making, and professional activities.  This commits all of our staff and students to take responsibility for managing their activities to minimise harm to the environment, whether this through switching off non-essential electrical equipment or using the recycling facilities.

*subject to qualifying criteria 

Application procedure:

You should submit your completed online application form at www.jobs.soton.ac.uk. The application deadline will be midnight on the closing date stated above. If you need any assistance, please call Georgie Warren (Recruitment Team) on +44 (0) 23 8059 7749. Please quote reference 689416AT-R-R on all correspondence.