Research fellow in Digital Twinning for Crisis and Resilience in Transportation

The London Digital Twin Research Centre (LDTRC) at Middlesex University is looking for up to two motivated researchers to join a high-impact, UKRI-funded project focused on building a national blueprint for transport resilience.

The successful candidates will contribute to the development of a state-of-the-art Digital Twin (DT) framework designed to protect the UK’s national transport network from high-impact, low-probability crisis events. This project addresses critical challenges in dynamic modelling, DT federation, and decision support to help stakeholders manage crises ranging from extreme weather to cybersecurity threats.

Working within the LDTRC, you will undertake a range of research tasks, including:

• Defining the ontology and knowledge graph architecture for a scalable DT platform for crisis resilience in transportation;
• Simulating complex crisis scenarios such as infrastructure failures, maritime accidents, political conflicts, and natural disasters like coastal flooding;
• Developing models to predict cascading impacts, such as global supply chain interruptions and creating real-time strategies for operational recovery and cargo rerouting;
• Combining scenario and impact models into a unified tool that provides actionable insights for decision-makers under stress.

About You: You will hold a PhD or equivalent experience (for Research Fellow). We particularly welcome candidates with experience in:

• DT technology, ontology framework or knowledge graphs;
• Uncertainty analysis and risk modelling;
• Port and maritime operations;
• Cybersecurity or critical infrastructure protection;
• Machine learning and real-time data analytics.

You will have excellent communication skills and a track record of (or potential for) producing high-quality research outputs of international standard.

The post-holders will be based at our Hendon Campus and will work closely with a strong consortium including five other UK academic partners and eight industry leaders. The post is available on a fixed-term basis for up to two years with option to extend depending on performance and project needs. A shorter appointment (less than two years) may be considered where the recruitment panel determines that this would better meet the needs of both the project and the successful candidate.

In exceptional circumstances, the recruitment panel may consider job-sharing or part‑time arrangements or other forms of engagement, including GAE-sponsored researcher arrangements, where these would support timely recruitment and enable the successful candidate(s) to join the project as soon as possible. The postholder will normally be expected to work on campus for a minimum of three days per week, unless an alternative arrangement is agreed with the Project Lead. This requirement will be adjusted on a pro‑rata basis for part‑time appointments.

Overseas applicants may be subject to ATAS certificate requirements. Middlesex is committed to fostering an inclusive working environment. We encourage applications from underrepresented groups including people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, women, and gender non‑conforming individuals. All recruitment decisions will be based on merit.