Research Fellow in Low-Carbon Concrete Construction

Do you hold a PhD in the area of life cycle assessment of construction materials and/or processes? Are you looking to kick start your research career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities? 

The shift from conventional (solid/flat) reinforced concrete slab systems to waffle slabs promises a reduction of up to 40% in the concrete use in buildings. However, the implementation of this decarbonization strategy in the UK construction industry rests upon validating this assumption on the project level. Doubts exist that concrete-related carbon savings would be overshadowed by the embodied carbon of the complex waffle formwork as well as the embodied energy and cost associated with its potentially slower construction process. 

The selected candidate will lead the primary data collection between the University of Leeds and industrial partners, aiming to measure the carbon, energy and cost of the construction of a waffle slab in a new UK building construction project. The data will be input in a comparative whole life cycle assessment of the building against a reference conventional project. The project is in collaboration with Laing O’Rourke and the UK concrete centre. 

This role will be based at the university of Leeds campus and there is scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Dr. Hisham Hafez, Research Fellow

Email: H.Hafez@leeds.ac.uk

Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route but first-time applicants might need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information, please visit the Government’s Skilled Worker visa page.

For research and academic posts, we will consider eligibility under the Global Talent visa. For more information, please visit the Government’s page, Apply for the Global Talent visa.

What we offer in return

• 26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Generous pension scheme plus life assurance – the University contributes 14.5% of salary. 
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more!  

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