KTP Associate in advancing self-healing concrete solutions for wastewater infrastructure

The Role

Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) and Newcastle University are offering an exciting opportunity to develop the use of self-healing cementitious materials for sustainable enhancement and durability of concrete structures in the water sector. You will be part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project which aims to bridge the gap in understanding how self-healing materials perform beyond the laboratory, enabling collaboration between the academic team and the company to evaluate and optimize the technology’s performance in real-world environments.

NWG provides water and sewerage services to 2.7 million people in the North East of England as Northumbrian Water, and water services to 1.5 million people in the South East of England as Essex & Suffolk Water. NWG is proud to serve its customers and is committed to delivering great service, putting its customers at the heart of everything it does.

NWG strives to be a Great Place to Work, for all. It embraces and values Diversity, Inclusion and Equity and encourages you to bring your full self to work. NWG is committed to having a diverse community represented across its business.

Based at NWG Durham, you will work closely with an interdisciplinary team from Newcastle University’s School of Engineering, led by Dr Dana Ofiteru and Prof Jaime Amezaga, Additionally, you will benefit from the guidance of Prof. Kevin Paine from the University of Bath, a leading UK researcher in self-healing concrete. You will also be supported by a senior supervisor from NWG.

The role is fixed term for 24 months.

Candidates should have a PhD in chemical, biochemical, environmental or civil engineering, or related fields, including an understanding of modelling biological processes.

Benefits:

-Develop managerial skills and attend two residential managerial workshops (each of one-week duration)
-£4,000 personal training budget
-The opportunity to lead a project, develop project management skills and improve long-term career prospects
-Mentoring by a Knowledge Transfer Network Adviser
-Full access to university resources to complete the project
-Ability to work in a largely self-determined way, across the industry-academic partnership
-Opportunities to develop both technical understanding and commercial awareness
-The possibility of studying for a higher degree or undertaking professional development

The KTP Associate will be an employee of Newcastle University but will spend most of their working time at the company’s premises at Northumbria House, Abbey Road, Pity Me, Durham, DH1 5FJ and when required at Newcastle University. Although the contract is fixed term for a duration of 2 years, more than 70% of KTP staff gain a permanent job offer by their KTP company.

For more information or informal enquiries, please contact Dr Dana Ofiteru at Dana.Ofiteru@newcastle.ac.uk or Prof Jaime Amezaga at Jaime.Amezaga@newcastle.ac.uk.

For further details on the Faculty of Science, Agriculture & Engineering please visit our web page at:

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/sage/

For further details about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships please visit the web page at:

http://www.ktp-uk.org/

Key Tasks

-Analyse historical data on water waste and repair costs in NWG wastewater infrastructure
-Evaluate the strategic alignment between NWG business goals and self-healing concrete applications
-Perform economic analysis comparing traditional and self-healing concrete
-Review regulatory requirements applicable to the use of self-healing concrete wastewater infrastructure
-Select the most suitable site for testing self-healing concrete
-Produce and monitor different samples formulations when exposed to wastewater conditions.
-Oversee the construction, installation and monitoring of a pilot structure including self-healing concrete
-Deliver workshops and training sessions to introduce NWG staff to the fundamentals of individual based modelling and its applications in biofilms and self-healing concrete.
-Disseminate and embed the knowledge to various stakeholders throughout the KTP via reports, presentations, group discussions and workshops.
-Prepare publications, case studies and attend conferences.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

-A good knowledge and understanding of building materials, and in particular cement/concrete
-A good knowledge of self-healing options for construction materials
-Experience with experimental design and data analysis
-Experience in modelling and simulation of biological processes
-Track record of publishing in high-impact journals and presenting at conferences
-Experience in the analysis of data and business case development

Desirable

-Understanding of and ability to analyse complex biological systems
-Working in a multidisciplinary environment
-Prior industrial experience

Attributes and Behaviour

-Personal motivation and drive.
-Excellent organisational and planning skills.
-Thrives in a project environment with the ability to work to tight deadlines.
-The ability to work independently and collaboratively with colleagues.
-The ability to work autonomously and the confidence to lead.
-Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels to different stakeholder groups in both academia and industry.
-Good attention to detail.
-Is a natural problem solver.
-Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills.

Qualifications / Experience

Candidates should hold a PhD in chemical, biochemical, environmental, or civil engineering, or a related field, with a good understanding of modelling biological processes. They should also demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and applying innovative solutions to address complex engineering challenges

You will assess self-healing concrete’s alignment with NWL business goals and analyse economic benefits. You will review regulatory requirements and oversee the construction and installation of a pilot structure and its monitoring. You will also work on embedding advanced modelling techniques into current process simulations to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency.