Research Associate in Technology Adoption and Organisational Change in Corporate R&D

We are currently engaged in the final stages of an exciting academic-industry project on the digitalization of R&D and innovation processes in a major multinational fast moving consumer goods company. These positions are an opportunity for an ambitious and engaged post-doctoral researcher to play a key role in exploring the opportunities and challenges arising as a result of digitalisation through robotics and AI in the R&D and technological innovation processes. This project is a part of a major collaborative research programme between The University of Manchester and Unilever funded under the EPSRC Prosperity Partnership Centre in Advanced Fluid Engineering for Digital Manufacturing (CAFE4DM).  The research programme involves academics from Alliance Manchester Business School (Manchester Institute of Innovation Research and the Digital Transformation Research Group) and the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science. The successful applicant will work most closely with the researchers within Alliance Manchester Business School.

The Associate will support the concluding stages of a project developing cutting-edge, inter-disciplinary research related to development, adoption, and diffusion of digitalized R&D and innovation processes. The Associate will help us finalise the research we have been conducting in two inter-related areas:

How can we support R&D staff within Unilever when advanced digital technologies such as robotics, AI and modelling are introduced?

How can we use VR and AR to link the R&D digitalisation with boardroom decision making by senior management?

The successful candidate will have a commitment to research, publishing and engagement with management practice. We expect you to have a PhD (or to be in the advanced stages of a PhD study) or equivalent experience in a closely related area, to possess excellent project management skills, to have a strong background in industrial R&D or cognate area, and to have demonstrated ability to communicate research findings through writing journal papers.

The Alliance Manchester Business School is the UK’s largest campus-based business and management school. Our research excellence has been recognised, most recently, in the 2021 REF assessment, where we climbed 10 places to take the 8th place amongst the UK business schools in research excellence and 3rd place in research power.

The University of Manchester enjoys a reputation for groundbreaking research and innovation. We are located in the heart of Manchester in a thriving campus linked with local organisations and businesses.

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status.  All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Blended working arrangements may be considered             

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Dr Andrew James

Email: [email protected]  

General enquiries:

Email: [email protected]

Technical support:

https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.