Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence Applied to Circular Economy Systems (EPSCV1042)

Are you an enthusiastic and motivated researcher with an interest in modelling circular economy complex systems? Do you have a highly numerate background and experience in modelling system-wide complexity? Are you experienced in machine learning data analytics, coding in R or similar packages? Do you want to further advance your career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive Universities, as part of a new cross-disciplinary centre for circular economy? 

The School of Civil Engineering are looking for a dynamic and dedicated individual to research assessing and modelling the circularity of post-demolition concrete as part of complex material flow systems. This role is part of a new UKRI Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre on Mineral-based Construction Materials (ICEC-MCM). This exciting and influential collaboration with five other academic partners and a large group of external stakeholders, aims to support the transition to a Circular Economy for construction materials in infrastructure.   

ICEC-MCM has been funded by UKRI, recognising a growing awareness of the need for circularity within the construction industry. Circular economy is one of the major opportunities of our societies for better use of material resources. Construction is one of the top 3 sectors of the UK economy, and construction materials are by far the largest material resource flow globally. In the UK, we use them at a rate of more than half a million tonnes per day, and they comprise more than 60% of UK waste. Meanwhile, the National Infrastructure & Construction Pipeline projects £600 billion investment in infrastructure over the next 10 years. Yet the construction industry faces serious challenges with accessing materials while also reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts.

In the ICEC-MCM we are collaborating with world-leading experts at University College London, the Universities of Loughborough, Sheffield and Lancaster, the British Geological Survey, and a network of national and international stakeholders from across the construction industry, to provide leadership in this sector. Our exciting programme of work will lead to actionable solutions that will create economic value from minimising use of energy and virgin raw materials, and progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The portfolio of activities will have a total budget of more than £8M.

Your role in conducting complex systems circularity assessment and optimisation for concrete obtained from demolition operations will be at the core of one of the 15 research groups in this prestigious collaboration.  Including specialists in this field from the University of Leeds Circular Economy and Resources Recovery network (CERRY), the Neville Centre of Excellence in Cement and Concrete Engineering and industrial stakeholders, you will have primary responsibility for conducting a twenty-two month programme of work that has been designed in collaboration with the wider research teams. The academic research is expected to be followed by a provisional one-year placement with an industrial partner, for practical implementation of the academic findings.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Dr Costas Velis, Lecturer in Resource Efficiency Systems, School of Civil Engineering

Email: C.Velis@leeds.ac.uk 

Please note: If you are not a British or Irish citizen, from 1 January 2021 you will require permission to work in the UK. This will normally be in the form of a visa but, if you are an EEA/Swiss citizen and resident in the UK before 31 December 2020, this may be your passport or status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Closing Date: 04 Jul 2021
Category: Research