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- Tasks: Lead research on hydrogen transitions and justice, ensuring fair benefits for all communities.
- Company: Cranfield University, a leader in technology and management education.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and a supportive community.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on energy justice and contribute to a sustainable future.
- Qualifications: PhD in energy systems governance or related fields; strong social science research skills.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team with excellent career growth opportunities and a commitment to diversity.
The predicted salary is between 37337 - 44906 £ per year.
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences
We welcome applications from passionate, skilled, and committed social scientists to maximise the potential of hydrogen transition to undo past injustices and enable transition to net zero.
About the Role
You will be advancing the development and application of socio-technical systems thinking and justice principles to ensure the benefits and disbenefits of hydrogen transition are borne fairly. You will be joining the Global Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) Center which aims to develop net-zero and responsible hydrogen pathways across the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. You will become a member of the cross-cutting policies, economics and market thrust as well as the UK team. You will lead social aspects of hydrogen infrastructure development and justice work streams across the four jurisdictions. You will be expected to evaluate the incumbent governance regimes, including formal laws and regulations, against principles of flexibility and learning with a view to establish a set of adaptive governance principles and identify best practices. Analysing how hydrogen transition may impact vulnerable or indigenous peoples, in particular whether and how it can undo past injustices, is very important for this role. You are expected to work and coordinate this strand of work with our local partners across the four jurisdictions. You will also support Cranfield’s role to devise activities for embedding multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity between technical and social science teams.
About You
You will be educated to doctoral level in governance of energy systems or institutional perspectives to energy transitions or socio-technical perspectives to energy systems change or energy justice or energy policy and regulation. With excellent communication skills, you will have expertise in social science research methods and development of new concepts and frameworks. For appointments at Senior Research Fellow level, demonstrated ability to win and deliver research grants or manage research teams is an essential criteria.
About Us
As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Cranfield’s expertise in Automotive, Energy and Photonics covers a wide range of research, teaching, short course, and consulting expertise across these three main areas. Our automotive team drive sector leading work on motorsport engineering, mechatronics, autonomous vehicles and battery technologies. Our energy team, developed from our ongoing relationship with oil and gas, works on developing reliance on renewable energy from the world around. Addressing this changing energy landscape includes work on new technologies and services related to low carbon energy and transition to net zero. Our engineering photonics team is one of the UK’s leading optical sensing and instrumentation research centres, encompassing; fibre optic sensors, optical flow measurement instrumentation, speckle interferometry, spectroscopic gas detection and medical imaging.
Our Values and Commitments
Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families.
Working Arrangements
Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.
How to apply
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Prof Nazmiye Ozkan, Chair in Sustainable Energy Transitions, on (T): 01234 45 7296 or (E): n.ozkan@cranfield.ac.uk. Closing date for receipt of applications: 11 February 2026. Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow in Energy Transitions and Justice employer: Cranfield University
Contact Detail:
Cranfield University Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow in Energy Transitions and Justice
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Cranfield University on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching the latest trends in energy transitions and justice. Show us you’re not just passionate but also knowledgeable about the field!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills and experiences align with the role. We want to see your enthusiasm and how you can contribute to our mission.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Cranfield.
We think you need these skills to ace Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow in Energy Transitions and Justice
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the role. We want to see how you can contribute to our mission in energy transitions and justice, so don’t hold back!
Showcase Your Research Skills: Since this role is all about research, be sure to emphasise your expertise in social science research methods. We’re looking for someone who can develop new concepts and frameworks, so let us know what you’ve done!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured applications that are easy to read. Use bullet points if necessary to make your key achievements stand out!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way to ensure it gets to the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Cranfield.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cranfield University
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the socio-technical systems thinking and justice principles relevant to energy transitions. Brush up on recent research and case studies related to hydrogen transition, as this will show your passion and expertise during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
Since excellent communication is key for this role, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. Prepare to discuss how you would convey complex ideas about energy justice to diverse audiences, including local partners and stakeholders.
✨Demonstrate Your Research Experience
Be ready to share specific examples of your past research projects, especially those that involved governance regimes or social impacts of energy systems. Highlight any experience you have with securing research grants or managing teams, as this is crucial for the Senior Research Fellow position.
✨Align with Cranfield’s Values
Familiarise yourself with Cranfield University’s values of Ambition, Impact, Respect, and Community. Think of ways you can demonstrate these values through your work and how they resonate with your personal ethos, as cultural fit is often just as important as qualifications.
