Research Assistant/Research Associate - Fixed Term Contract (CT5993)

This post presents a rare opportunity for someone with Computational Building Design experience to work with Dr Paul Shepherd and his Digital Architectonics research team in the Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering. The Department is internationally recognised as a leading centre for research in the built environment and was ranked equal first in the Architecture, Built Environment and Planning Unit of Assessment in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.

The post is funded by the EPSRC through the project entitled “Computational Design Optimisation of Large-Scale Building Structures” (EP/N023269/1), and will devise novel geometric modelling techniques for topology layout optimisation, with particular application to long-span roofs and tall buildings. The project is part of a larger, joint research collaboration with Prof Matthew Gilbert in the Department of Civil & Structural Engineering at the University of Sheffield and Prof Jacek Gondzio in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh. Many of the country’s leading structural engineering design consultancies are also involved as project partners.

The successful candidate will ideally have a PhD in a field related to Computational Building Design / Optimisation, or if not, will have exceptional skills in parametric modelling and optimisation in a building design context. They will be highly numerate and have skills in algorithm design, computer programming/scripting and parametric modelling. Since the project is developing techniques for direct use by the Architecture & Engineering industries, first-hand experience of how buildings are designed in practice, and a track record of writing plug-ins for industry standard parametric modelling software (such as ‘Grasshopper’) would be an advantage.

The project’s strong public engagement and industry dissemination ethos means that the successful candidate must possess the confidence and ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of project partners and non-specialists. They will be expected to undertake, under the guidance of Dr Shepherd, research at the leading edge of computational design optimisation, and to disseminate the results in high-impact journals & conferences targeted at both academics and practitioners.

This post is available on a full-time basis (36.5 hours per week), with a fixed term contract for up to 12 months. For informal enquiries about the position please contact Dr Shepherd directly, either by telephone (+44 1225 38 4406) or email (p.shepherd@bath.ac.uk).

Closing Date: 12 Aug 2018
Type: Education & Research