Research Fellow, Wave-energy

• Two-year fixed term, full-time contract.
• $106,194 (ALB.1) per annum, plus 17% super.
• Bentley based (Perth, Western Australia)

Job Reference: 1044400
 
Your new role
Ocean waves are an enormous and commercially untapped worldwide resource. They offer higher energy density than other renewable resources such as wind and solar, have limited negative environmental impact in use and a high percentage of power generation time compared to wind and solar power devices.
 
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a project team that is working on modelling, designing, and developing a Novel Wave-Energy Converter. This multi-disciplinary project possesses several novel ideas for structural design, dynamics, and control, FSI, and addresses an important renewable-energy development, providing many opportunities to be involved with national and international collaborations in both academia and industry. Overall, this role provides an excellent opportunity for you to develop advanced and cross-disciplinary skills that will benefit your future academic or industry-based career.
  
In this role you will be expected to work with the projects’ Chief Investigators on interactions between multi-fluids and multi-bodies (FSIs) for the design of the buoy and spar of the heavy bottom point absorber wave energy converter (HBPAWEC) and its planned hydrodynamic operation. You will also be expected to perform a number of other theoretical and experimental tasks associated with this.
 
To be successful in this role you will:

• Hold a PhD in a relevant field.
• Be qualified and have demonstrable experience in fluid dynamics and the solution of partial differential equations and their application to mechanical design.
• Be familiar with wave energy conversion and experimentation.

Please note you will require current work rights in Australia that match the tenure of this role. You will also ideally already be living in Perth, or you must also be willing to be based in Perth, Western Australia for this position. Due to limited project funding, there is no provision for relocation support.

To learn more about this opportunity, please contact Professor Khac Duc Do at [email protected].

About us
Australia has an abundant source of wave-energy commercially untapped due to technical limitations of current wave-energy devices. This project aims to develop a novel wave-energy converter (WEC) that integrates energy capture and electricity generation through a single mechanism. This novel WEC can overcome or significantly reduce the drawbacks of existing WECs, is compact and light weight, ensures survivability, and has low-cost installation and maintenance. The project expects to deliver novel theoretical results in fluid-structure interaction, control systems and electrical conversion for WECs and other applications. The WEC will be demonstrated via a tested proof-of-concept physical model.
  
Join our team of renowned experts in systems and control, fluid-structure interaction and electrical conversion and play an important part in this impactful project.
  
Curtin University offers a competitive remuneration and benefits package, a friendly and collaborative work environment, generous leave entitlements and superannuation, flexible working arrangements, and salary-packaging. Our vibrant campus includes an art gallery, gym, childcare and medical centre, and endless food options including a supermarket.
  
For more information about our university, please visit www.curtin.edu.au
 
Join us!
Please provide a cover letter addressing the selection criteria (noted below) and your CV and to allow us to assess your suitability for this role.
  
Essential Criteria:

1. A doctoral qualification in relevant discipline.
2. Demonstrated experience in fluid dynamics, wave-energy conversion, and experimentation.
3. Evidence of a record of research outputs/creative works in high quality refereed journals/outlets consistent with the discipline.
4. Evidence of quality and impact of research outputs/creative works including journal ranking, citation indices, patents awarded, reputation and standing of publishing house or other outlets, independent review from distinguished scholars or critics, or equivalent esteem measures as appropriate to the discipline.
5. Demonstrated high level communication and interpersonal skills with a commitment to the development of a collegial and supportive working environment and the ability to interact with students and staff with cross cultural sensitivity.

Desirable Criteria:

1. Demonstrated ability to supervise Masters and Honours students
2. A history of successful competitive grant applications.

To view a copy of the generic Academic Role Statement, please copy and paste the following link into your web browser.

https://cloudstor.aarnet.edu.au/sender/?s=download&token=d5d3cb9d-af75-47c2-80da-e85b1ea665f3

Applications close: 9pm AWST, 20 April 2023
 
Applicants should note that prior to appointment, you will need to have a current National Police Records check, undergo character, integrity, and reference checks.

If you have any queries in relation to this application process, please contact our Careers team at +61 08 9266 9000 (option 3,1) or [email protected].

Please note we are not accepting applications from recruitment agencies at this time.