Research Technologist

Job Purpose

The UK National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF) at Acre Road is a versatile research asset – unmatched in Scotland – equipped with advanced instrumentation to support both research and commercial testing. Designed to provide high-quality, reliable data for numerical simulations, the NWTF underpins innovation across aerospace and related transport technologies. Co-located with other large-scale industrial research infrastructure, it offers a world-class environment for collaborative and high-impact research.

The James Watt School of Engineering (JWSE) is seeking to appoint a Wind Tunnel Research Technologist (WTRT) to provide scientific and technological expertise for the effective operation and development of the facility. The postholder will be responsible for enabling the professional and timely delivery of research and industrial projects, while also overseeing the maintenance, calibration and enhancement of critical instrumentation in NWTF as well as other wind tunnels in JWSE.

The successful candidate will demonstrate research independence and contribute to the academic mission of the School by building a strong profile of peer-reviewed publications. They will play an active role in supporting externally funded research and are expected to contribute to the financial sustainability of the NWTF through cost-recovery practices.

For more information about this position please contact: Professor David Flynn (David.Flynn@glasgow.ac.uk), or Dr Richard Green (Richard.Green@glasgow.ac.uk)

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Play a leading role in the planning, design and conduct of research, acting as a scientific partner to contribute specialist expertise to collaborative research projects involving the wind tunnel facility, with responsibility for experimental design and delivery, data quality, and technical interpretation.
2. Make a leading contribution to the development of NWTF research strategy, helping to shape research direction through scientific insight and technical leadership.
3. Play a leading role in the effective management and administration of the NWTF, assuming responsibility for the management of allocated resources and contributing to the wider organisation of the wind tunnel research activities.
4. Develop and enhance the profile and reputation of self, the NWTF and the University of Glasgow, including establishing and sustaining a track record of making a specialist contribution to publications of international quality in high profile/quality refereed journals, enhancing the research impact in terms of economic/societal benefit, and gathering indicators of esteem.
5. Oversee the installation, calibration, and maintenance of instrumentation for the test facilities to ensure optimal performance, expand capability and support evolving research needs.
6. Use specialist expertise to design and develop software that enhances operational efficiency or integrates new equipment, including conducting model design or providing critical assistance with the process.
7. Play a leading role in the supervision, mentoring and training of students and early career staff to ensure their effective development, providing specialist advice, support and academic leadership, where appropriate.
8. Make a leading contribution to the identification of potential funding sources and assist in the development of proposals to secure funding from internal and external bodies to support future research of international quality.
9. Provide expert guidance to researchers for their testing needs, performing and providing support for complex data analysis to assist with successful completion of projects.
10. Support commercial testing projects by providing scientific guidance, and assist with execution of work.
11. Coordinate with the Wind Tunnel Director on scheduling facility entry dates and access, liaising effectively with academic Principal Investigators to anticipate instrumentation demands for test programmes.
12. Responsible for safe operation of all facilities and their tests, including effective liaison with the JWSE safety team, lab guardians and academic staff.
13. Ensure a consistent and proactive approach to cost recovery from externally funded research projects, with the goal of covering the majority of the position’s salary through such funding.
14. Engage in personal, professional and career development, to enhance both specialist and transferable skills in accordance with desired career trajectory.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge and Qualifications

Essential:

• A1 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 12 (PhD) in related discipline, normally experimental aerodynamics or fluid mechanics with a growing reputation in research; and/or relevant teaching experience within the subject area along with recognition at Descriptor 2 of the UK Professional Standards Framework in Higher Education.
• A2 Specialist theoretical and demonstrable practical knowledge of CAD for model design.
• A3 A comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of current issues and future directions within experimental aerodynamics and wind tunnel testing
• A4 Knowledge of specialist IT software as appropriate.
• A5 Knowledge of relevant technologies, technical models, equipment and metrological techniques as they apply to aerodynamics
• A6 Understanding of relevant health and safety policies and procedures relative to the role, and the quality outputs and standards required.

Skills

• C1 Demonstrable skill in testing in large, low-speed wind tunnels.
• C2 Demonstrable and proven leadership and project management skills, including evidence of major contributions to delivering several projects simultaneously whose success was enabled by the design of wind tunnel experiments.
• C3 Demonstrable track record in proactively planning, organizing, reprioritizing and delivering major research and/or projects.
• C4 Demonstrable capacity to think strategically whilst enhancing operational priorities.
• C5 Proven track record in effective team leadership in an industrial and/or academic setting.
• C6 Proven people management skills including managing and motivating staff, building teams and developing team members’ skills and knowledge.
• C7 Demonstrable track record in delivering world leading outputs as evidenced by publication in respected peer-reviewed journals and presentation at leading international conferences in the field.
• C8 Ability to contribute to broader leadership and management activities along with an awareness of current and future priorities of the University/College/School.

Experience

Essential:

• E1 Proven experience of making a leading contribution to published scientific outputs in a collaborative research environment, including experimental design, data collection, and interpretation.
• E2 Extensive relevant experience with loads and pressure measurement and optical methods.
• E3 Extensive relevant experience with large array high-speed data acquisition systems.
• E4 Extensive relevant experience of working in a high technology organisation on multi-disciplined and high value projects.
• E5 Experience of scoping and defining ‘fit for purpose’ facility requirements, project work practices and systems.
• E6 Experience of report writing and (co-)authoring publications.
• E7 Significant experience of operating in a senior scientific role in a relevant industrial or academic environment or substantial experience and proven success as a specialist in a technically relevant area.
• E8 Demonstrable leadership in a variety of operational approaches to deliver successful research projects.
• E9 Experience of scoping and defining ‘fit for purpose’ facility requirements, project work practices and systems.

Closing date: 21 October 2025

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 8, £50,253 – £58,225 per annum.

This post is full time, and has funding for up to 4 years.

Relocation assistance will be provided where appropriate.

In line with University policy, eligible employees are expected to have the right to work in the UK. Where visa requirements apply, refer to the Skilled Worker visa route for sponsorship information.

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