The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

We have an exciting opportunity in the School of Chemical, Materials, and Biological Engineering for someone with a passion for driving sustainability and circularity in construction and the built environment.  It is ideally suited to someone looking to use their skills in chemical, process, civil, or structural engineering, materials science, or another relevant discipline, to make an impact on resource efficiency and  materials circularity within the built environment, supporting the UK’s transition to a circular economy.

Current approaches to a circular economy of materials in construction typically rely on downcycling strategies (e.g. use of crushed concrete as filler in new concrete structures) due to the difficulty in identifying higher value routes (e.g. upcycling).

This project aims to develop a UK-wide unified circularity framework to match material and element stocks, identified by UK building stock characterisation and waste and resource flows, with the most appropriate end uses, with key case studies involving cement and concrete. The project will also assess the environmental and economic impact of these matched end use cases.

The post holder will work in the Sustainable Materials at Sheffield (SMASH) research team in the School of Chemical, Materials, and Biological Engineering.

This project constitutes part of the 5-year BuildZero programme, a £6 million project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). There is significant interaction between this project and the wider BuildZero programme, and the person appointed to this role will have the opportunity to work closely with this world leading research consortium.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Design and implement a programme of work to gain fundamental understanding of the compatibility between the identified building stock, resource, and waste materials, and the candidate end use cases, with key focus on cement and concrete.
• Apply life cycle assessment and techno-economic assessment methodologies to assess the environmental and economic impact of the identified matched end use cases.
• Prepare progress reports to summarise research findings for the project partners.
• Coordinate and drive the interaction with internal and external partners, both in the UK and internationally, and liaise with other members of the research group and collaborators over work progress.
• Disseminate research findings/results through the production of papers for high quality peer-reviewed scientific journals, and presentation either in-house or at national/international conferences or seminars, upon agreement with project partners.
• Assist with administrative tasks in the project and with student supervision and training.
• Plan for specific activities of the research project as agreed with the supervisory team.
• Complete all required safety and training courses, and comply with required safety, licensing, and ethical regulations at all times.
• As a member of staff you will be encouraged to make ethical decisions in your role, embedding the University sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Further Information

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in September 2025. This will consist of an interview (in person or online). If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact cmbe-postaward@sheffield.ac.uk.

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.