Research Associate in National-scale modelling of Circular Economy Strategies for UK buildings

We are looking for a researcher to join our team to work on an exciting multi‑institution project on circular economy for buildings: BuildZero. BuildZero aims to understand if the UK’s needs from its building stock can be met with zero new raw material extraction, zero emissions and zero waste. Our research will show to what extent this vision is achievable and desirable, and provide a platform for translating circular economy approaches into practice and policy at scale.

Within this wider project, your focus will be on understanding the impact of circular economy strategies for buildings, at regional/national scale in the UK. To do this, you will develop models of the current UK building stock and how it will be affected by new construction and demolition activities, as well as strategies such as retrofit, extension, adaptive reuse, component reuse, and material recycling. This will allow us to show to what extent these circular economy strategies really do move us towards zero carbon and zero waste construction at scale.

To conduct your work you will be an integral member of the large, multidisciplinary BuildZero project team, and you will also contribute to wider project tasks, events, and outputs. As a member of Research Staff at the University of Bath, you will be encouraged to take up a minimum of 10 days professional development pro‑rata per year.

A lower grade offer may be made (Grade 6) with comparable reduction in responsibilities and amendment in job title to Research Assistant, if a suitable applicant cannot be found to fill the Grade 7 position. Applicants will need to be within six months of their course PhD completion date and will be promoted to Research Associate once their PhD has been awarded.

About You

• Completed a PhD in a relevant discipline.
• Ability to model systems/processes representing building stocks, and the effect of circular economy strategies on the stock, resource and waste flows, and energy and emissions.
• Familiarity with issues of circular economy and the built environment, or strong ability for interdisciplinary collaboration and a willingness to learn.
• Interest in accounting for uncertainties involved in the scale‑up modelling and understanding how this affects the robustness of the findings.
• The ability to organise and prioritise your own workload, and to work in a broad interdisciplinary team, both within Bath and across the wider project.
• Excellent oral, interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Interaction with academic and industrial partners of BuildZero, and participation in consortium events, will be expected.

Further Information

This is a full‑time (36.5 hours per week) role initially offered for 30 months and available from June 2026. Part‑time working may be possible and if interested in applying on this basis you should make this clear on your application form. Interviews are scheduled to be held on 18 and 19 June. We offer a hybrid working arrangement, combining the benefits of remote working with regular on‑campus collaboration. You will be required to work on campus 2–3 days per week.

Benefits

• Employee assistance services through Health Assured, including access to the Wisdom app.
• Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days.
• Generous employer contributory pension schemes.
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme.
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme.
• Staff discount at Team Bath gym.
• Staff benefits include discounted postgraduate tuition and language courses, alongside a wide range of personal and professional development opportunities such as apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning, and more.
• Local discounts, including free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath.
• A family‑friendly workplace.
• An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce.
• Relocation allowance.
• Visa reimbursement and interest‑free loan to help with the cost of some immigration expenses.
• Be Well at Bath Staff support groups and networks.
• A network of Staff Wellbeing Champions.
• A suite of tools, resources and frameworks that enable you to be at your best and thrive.

Terms and Conditions of Employment

Right to Work in the UK: We do not assess immigration or right to work status until offer stage. Being invited to interview does not guarantee you are eligible for visa sponsorship and all offers are conditional on meeting right to work requirements. Further information is available on our application support webpage.

Anonymous shortlisting: We are constantly seeking to reduce the unconscious bias that enters any assessment process, with the goal of creating an inclusive and equal assessment process. To support this, personal details such as your name may be removed from application forms at the initial shortlisting stage.