Job Description

Salary

The starting salary will be up to 42,882 on Grade F, depending on qualifications and experience.

Contractual hours

36.5

Package

Generous holiday allowances, flexible working, pension scheme and relocation package (if applicable).

Job category/type

Research

Date posted

25/07/2025

Job reference

Q07070

Environment, Science and Economy Faculty

This post is available from September to March 2025 on a full time, fixed term basis and is subject to grant offer letter being issued.

The post

The Faculty wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support the work of Professor Edward Keedwell and Dr David Walker. This Innovate UK funded post is available from 1/9/2025 to 31/3/2025. Port operations are inherently complex with multiple companies working to move goods and provide services within an environment that is subject to tight schedules and significant uncertainty. These complexities are further compounded by the need for decarbonisation of vessels and port operations in the drive towards net zero. The successful applicant will develop simulations of port operational infrastructure and optimisation methods to provide optimised solutions to support decarbonisation planning.

The post will include:

The development of physical and data-driven simulation models of port operations using real-world data The development of optimisation approaches to achieve decarbonisation objectives Liaison with the industrial partner to determine model requirements and areas for potential optimisation Experimental evaluation of models and testing of hypotheses Project outcomes reporting for project monitoring purposes and potential publication in conferences and journal articles

About you

The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD (or nearing completion) in Computer Science or possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes. Applicants will be able to:

Write robust, efficient software in a high level language (e.g. Python, C++, Java) Develop computational simulation models from physical principles Develop data-driven models from data using machine learning Develop optimisation methods to optimise model decisions and parameters Robustly test models and algorithms Communicate the outcomes of research to a lay audience Write up the findings of research for publication

Please ensure you read the and Person Specification for full details of this role.

What we can offer you

Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research; Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career


A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world's most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent

of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).

We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research - Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.

Further information

For further information please contact Professor Edward Keedwell, e-mail E.C.Keedwell@exeter.ac.uk or Dr David Walker, e-mail D.Walker2@exeter.ac.uk.