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Materials Science and Aerospace Engineering● OpenResearch staff⏰ 4 days leftPreview

DMEx Innovation Fellow in Metallic Aerospace Materials

Drive UK defence innovation as a Materials Engineer bridging academia, government, and industry for next-gen aerospace materials.

Best for:Best for early-career Materials Engineers or Scientists with a PhD, expertise in metallic aerospace materials, and a passion for cross-sector collaboration to drive defence innovation.

University of Sheffield · Sheffield, United Kingdom · R2 · Recognised researcher

More professors at University of Sheffield

Materials 4.0Digital Twinning in aerospaceMetallic aerospace materialsPassporting systemsDefence innovationWeight and cost reduction in aerospace

This is a research staff position — not a PhD studentship.

Deadline

Oct 18, 2026

4 days

Funding

Salaried

£48.8k–£53.3k/yr

Start date

flexible (as per contract)

Full-time

Location

Sheffield

United Kingdom

Overview

The University of Sheffield invites a DMEx Innovation Fellow to lead research on metallic aerospace materials, focusing on Materials 4.0, Digital Twinning, and Passporting for the Air Domain. This role bridges academic, government, and industrial partners to advance sovereign UK defence capabilities, targeting weight/cost reduction, mission survivability, and asset management. The successful candidate will collaborate across sectors to develop transformative solutions for metallic components, ensuring direct impact on strategic defence themes. Ideal for early-career researchers with a PhD in Materials Engineering and expertise in aerospace materials innovation.

Materials EngineeringAerospace materialsDefence innovationDigital TwinningMetallic componentsUK defence capabilityCollaborative researchMaterials 4.0

What you'll do

Lead and coordinate research projects bridging academic, government, and industry partners to advance Materials 4.0 and Digital Twinning for metallic aerospace components.
Develop and implement innovative solutions for weight and cost reduction in Air Domain applications.
Enhance mission survivability and transformative asset management for defence capabilities.
Foster collaborative research networks and partnerships across sectors to drive sovereign UK defence innovation.
Contribute to strategic themes including reach, persistence, and mission effectiveness in aerospace materials.
Act as a central research hub, connecting stakeholders to advance next-generation materials technologies.

Requirements

Degree required: PhD (or equivalent) in Materials Engineering or a related field

Language: English; proficiency sufficient for academic and professional collaboration

Instruction: English

Required skills

Applied expertise in metallic aerospace materials
Experience with Materials 4.0 technologies
Strong collaborative research skills across academia, industry, and government
Ability to build and manage cross-sector partnerships
Proficiency in research methodologies relevant to defence materials innovation

Nice to have

Experience with Digital Twinning or Passporting systemsPublications or projects in defence-related materials researchFamiliarity with UK defence research frameworks or funding bodies

Eligibility

UK National (required for security screening)
Early-career researcher (implied by role title)

Funding & terms

Type

Salaried

Amount

£48.8k–£53.3k/yr

Duration

fixed-term (contract length unspecified)

Programme

Defence Materials Centre of Excellence

University of Sheffield

How to apply

Deadline: 2026-10-18

Applicants must submit their CV and cover letter through the University of Sheffield’s online application portal. Ensure your application highlights your expertise in metallic aerospace materials, collaborative research experience, and alignment with the DMEx Innovation Fellow’s objectives. Informal enquiries can be directed to Prof Daniel Cogswell via email.

Documents required