Duration Full-time, 36.5 hours per week; expected fixed-term duration of 36 months.
Contract Full-time, fixed-term; 36.5 hours per week; expected duration 36 months.
Doctoral Route Condition For a candidate whose route is a PhD that has not yet been awarded, the person specification says the thesis must have been submitted before offer; the candidate must pass the viva with no more than minor corrections and the PhD must be awarded within the six-month probation period. The source says an offer may be withdrawn or probation failed if the viva is not passed or passed with major corrections; normal university probation requirements apply.
Grade Grade 7
Job Reference SB13960
Professional Development The linked job description states 10 days’ professional development pro rata per year; possible activities include workshops, career coaching, mentoring, training, networks, conferences, funding applications and research staff representation.
Research Training The vacancy explicitly describes a postdoctoral academic research appointment in the Turbomachinery Research Group with structured support and mentoring, access to training and a personal development allowance. The person specification permits an applicant finishing a PhD under the stated thesis-submission/viva/probation conditions; it also lists equivalent doctorate/professional research routes.
Right To Work The university states it does not assess right-to-work status until offer stage; interview invitation does not guarantee visa sponsorship eligibility and offers are conditional on meeting right-to-work requirements.
Salary Period Not stated on the vacancy page.
Salary Text Starting from £38,784, rising to £46,049
Selection And Interview The job page lists interview date November 16, 2026. The public sources do not state interview format, assessment sequence, panel or scoring weights.
Pay and benefits
- Structured support and mentoring in an academic research role.
- Training and a personal development allowance.
- Interaction with industrial partners.
- University benefits listed include annual leave plus five discretionary days, employer-contributory pension, cycle-to-work scheme, electric-vehicle salary-sacrifice scheme, gym discount, professional development, local discounts, family-friendly workplace, relocation allowance, visa reimbursement and interest-free loan support for some immigration expenses.
- At least 10 days of professional development time per year, pro rata, for activities supporting career development and personal growth (examples include workshops, coaching, mentoring, training, networks and conferences).
The University of Bath Department of Mechanical Engineering is recruiting a postdoctoral Research Associate (SB13960) for an EPSRC-funded experimental project with the University of Surrey, Rolls-Royce and Siemens Energy. The work studies fluid dynamics and heat transfer in rotating compressor cavities for hydrogen-compatible gas-turbine technology.
The research includes design and measurement work on an experimental rotating-cavity rig, calibration of instrumentation, experiments across engine-representative conditions, analysis of boundary-layer transition, and interpretation of results to support theoretical modelling. Computational simulation is conducted with the University of Surrey. The role contributes to next-generation engine design methods.
The post is full-time (36.5 hours per week), fixed-term for an expected 36 months. The listing gives a salary range starting at £38,784 and rising to £46,049; it does not state the pay period.
The applicant profile is an undergraduate degree and a relevant PhD or an equivalent route described in the linked person specification: a relevant professional/industrial/creative doctorate; a professional qualification with relevant research experience equivalent to a PhD; or applied research experience in a relevant discipline gained in a professional or industrial setting equivalent to a PhD. If relying on a PhD not yet awarded, the person specification requires the thesis to have been submitted before offer and the PhD to be awarded within the six-month probation period after a successful viva with no more than minor corrections.
Essential experience and skills include relevant specialist knowledge, awareness of developments and research design, experimentation and data-analysis tools such as Matlab, CAD, relevant technical/IT proficiency, research reporting and communication, working independently and with stakeholders, teamwork, safe and ethical practice, and research excellence. Postdoctoral experience and independent proposal preparation are desirable.
Who can apply
The job page does not state a nationality or residence restriction. The appointment is at University of Bath premises and all offers are subject to meeting UK right-to-work requirements; the university says it does not assess right to work until offer stage. The person specification allows the stated doctorate and equivalent professional/industrial research routes.
Essential: undergraduate degree (for example BA, BSc or BEng).
Essential qualification route: (a) relevant PhD; OR (b) relevant professional/industrial/creative doctorate; OR (c) relevant professional qualification (for example Chartership) plus research experience equivalent to a PhD; OR (d) applied research experience in the relevant discipline, gained in a professional or industrial setting equivalent to a PhD. These are alternatives; a PhD is not required when an equivalent route is met.
Essential: demonstrable significant depth and breadth of relevant specialist knowledge, awareness of current research developments and research design, and potential to publish in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.
Essential: organize and prioritize workload to meet deadlines; write research reports and effectively disseminate outcomes; oral, interpersonal and written communication; relevant technical and IT skills. The vacancy also describes experimentation/data analysis tools such as Matlab and CAD.
Essential: professional and ethical conduct, innovation, research excellence, self-motivation, tenacity, teamwork and safe working practices.
Postdoctoral experience is desirable, not essential.
Conditional unawarded-PhD route: before offer, the thesis must have been submitted; the candidate must pass the viva with no more than minor corrections and the PhD must be awarded within the six-month probation period.
All offers are subject to meeting UK right-to-work requirements. The University says it checks this at offer stage; this is not a nationality or residence restriction and sponsorship is not promised.
Desirable: ability to prepare research proposals, conduct individual research and disseminate results. The person specification places this combined criterion in the Desirable column.
The vacancy gives an interview date of November 16, 2026 (calendar date; no time published).
Specialist knowledge Essential: demonstrated significant depth and breadth of specialist knowledge to contribute to research programmes and departmental research.
Research developments and design Essential: demonstrated awareness of latest developments in the research field and in research design.
Research publication potential Essential: demonstrated potential to publish in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals.
Research proposals and independent work Desirable: ability to prepare research proposals, conduct individual research and disseminate results. The person-specification table places this combined criterion in the Desirable column.
Workload and deadlines Essential: ability to organize and prioritize own workload to meet deadlines.
Reports and dissemination Essential: ability to write research reports and effectively disseminate outcomes.
Communication Essential: excellent oral, interpersonal and written communication skills.
Technical methods Essential: proficiency in appropriate techniques for the discipline.
Information technology Essential: proficiency in appropriate information-technology skills.
Professional ethics Essential: commitment to working within professional and ethical codes of conduct.
Innovation Essential: innovation and development of creative solutions.
Research excellence Essential: commitment to excellence in research.
Self-motivation Essential: enthusiasm and self-motivation.
Tenacity Essential: tenacity in working toward personal and team objectives and overcoming obstacles.
Teamwork Essential: ability to be an effective team worker.
Safe working Essential: commitment to safe working practices.
Postdoctoral experience Desirable, not essential: postdoctoral experience.
Important dates
- Placed: September 25, 2026.
- Application closing date: October 26, 2026 (calendar date; no time or time zone published on the listing).
- Interview date: November 16, 2026 (calendar date; no time published).
- Essential: undergraduate degree (BA, BSc, BEng or equivalent as listed).
- Essential: a directly relevant PhD or professional/industrial/creative doctorate, OR a relevant professional qualification with PhD-equivalent research experience, OR relevant applied research experience in a professional or industrial setting equivalent to a PhD.
- Essential: relevant research knowledge and awareness of current research developments/design; potential to publish in peer-reviewed journals.
- Essential: organization and workload prioritization, research reporting and dissemination, communication, relevant technical and IT skills. The vacancy describes experimentation/data analysis and CAD. Ability to prepare research proposals, conduct individual research and disseminate results is desirable in the person-specification table, not an essential selection prerequisite.
- Essential: professional ethics, innovation, research excellence, self-motivation, tenacity, teamwork and safe working practices.
- If the applicant has not yet been awarded the PhD, the thesis must have been submitted before offer; the viva must be passed with no more than minor corrections, and the PhD awarded within the six-month probation period.
- Any offer is subject to satisfying UK right-to-work requirements. Bath says it checks this at offer stage; no nationality restriction or visa sponsorship promise is stated.
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