Imperial College London

Job number
ENG04035
Faculties
Faculty of Engineering
Departments
Department of Aeronautics
Salary or Salary range
£45,399- £59,484 per annum
Location/campus
South Kensington Campus - Hybrid
Contract type work pattern
Full time - Fixed term
Posting End Date
20 Oct 2026
<h2>About the role</h2>
This post (Research Assistant/Associate in Modelling Tow-Steered Composite Wing Structures) will allow you to contribute to a major industry-funded project developing the next generation of aircraft wings, led by Airbus and funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute. You will develop strong research, supervision, network, communication and project management skills. You will gain unique experience developing physically-based and AI-based failure modelling methodologies for advanced tow-steered composite laminates, working closely with Airbus and iCOMAT. You will get the opportunity to travel to international scientific conferences and to industry partners (Airbus and iCOMAT).
Your work will focus on developing failure modelling methodology for tow-steered composite laminates manufactured using automated fibre placement. Your research outcomes will underpin the development of next-generation composite wing structures with improved structural efficiency, and inform the design of future aerostructures.
<h2>What you would be doing</h2>
You will develop physically-based and AI-based failure modelling methodology for tow-steered composite laminatesy. This will involve developing and implementing physics-based failure models and AI-surrogates that account for the variable fibre orientations and stiffness distributions characteristic of steered laminates. You will work closely with iCOMAT to understand manufacturing constraints and their effect on structural performance. An important aspect will be efficient communication of your findings to academic and industry partners to inform future design of aerostructures.
<h2>What we are looking for</h2>
Research Associate: Hold a PhD in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience
<ul>
<li>Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant.</li>
</ul>
Research Associate and Assistant: A recognised first class masters degree (or equivalent) in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering or a closely related disciplineExperience in failure modelling of fibre-reinforced composites using FEM
In addition:
<ul>
<li>Experience in using AI for modelling of fibre-reinforced composites</li>
<li>Practical experience with coding failure models for composites</li>
<li>An interest in working in a larger group, collaborating with industry.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What we can offer you</h2>
<ul>
<li>The opportunity to build a strong network with contacts at Airbus and iCOMAT
</li>
<li>The opportunity to develop failure models for advanced tow-steered composites that will be deployed and used in practice
</li>
<li>Ample scope for travelling to international conferences to disseminate the work done.
</li>
<li>Ample scope for publishing in leading journals.
</li>
<li>The opportunity to gain experience with cutting-edge computational methods for novel composite manufacturing technologies.
</li>
<li>The opportunity to gain supervision and project management experience.
</li>
<li>The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
</li>
<li>Grow your career: Gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression
</li>
<li>Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Further information</h2>
This contract is available until 31st October 2029.
If you require any further details on the role please contact: Silvestre Pinho – <a href="mailto:silvestre.pinho@imperial.ac.uk" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">silvestre.pinho@imperial.ac.uk</a>
Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
If you encounter any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at <a href="mailto:support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk</a>. We're here to help.
<h2>Available documents</h2>
Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.
Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
We reserve the right to close the advert before the stated closing date, should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
If you encounter any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at <a href="mailto:support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk</a>. We're here to help.
<h3>About Imperial</h3>
Welcome to Imperial, a global top-ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.
Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.
As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.
This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial College London.
<h3>Our Culture</h3>
We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our web pages.
Proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. We welcome applications from the Armed Forces community.
Our values are at the root of everything we do, and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.

Research Assistant or Associate in Modelling Tow-Steered Composite Wing Structures

Research Assistant or Associate in Modelling Tow-Steered Composite Wing Structures

This job is no longer available

Talents

Recruiters

About