Research Fellow

Job description

Making a Positive Impact, Together.Doing things differently.

Research Fellow
Salary- £33,739 - £38,825 per annum

Full time and Fixed term for 12 months

About the Role
Nottingham Trent University is seeking two highly motivated Research Fellow's to join a newly funded research project.

The project will accelerate the commercialisation of an innovative intelligent poultry monitoring platform that combines environmental sensing, bioacoustic monitoring and adaptive lighting control to improve poultry health, welfare and productivity. The technology has already demonstrated significant promise in operational settings and will now be further developed and validated to support large-scale commercial deployment. The project focuses on improving manufacturability, reliability, environmental robustness and ease of installation whilst undertaking comprehensive validation under commercial poultry production conditions.

We are recruiting two Research Fellows who will contribute to different aspects of the project:
Research Fellow - Product Development and Engineering
This role will focus on hardware development and optimisation of the monitoring platform. Activities will include prototyping, enclosure and casing design, waterproofing and environmental protection, thermal performance assessment, manufacturability and testing. The successful candidate may also contribute to embedded systems development, sensor integration and deployment of prototype devices.
Research Fellow - Poultry Systems Validation
This role will be based primarily within NTU's Poultry Research Unit and will focus on evaluating system performance under commercial poultry production conditions. Activities will include planning and conducting flock-scale trials, collecting and analysing behavioural and welfare data, validating system functionality and supporting the refinement of the technology through evidence-based recommendations.

Both positions will work closely with a multidisciplinary team comprising experts in poultry science, behaviour and welfare, smart sensing, artificial intelligence, manufacturing engineering and industrial digitalisation. The posts offer an excellent opportunity to contribute to an exciting translational research project that combines engineering innovation with real-world agricultural impact.

Applicants should hold (or be close to completion of) a PhD in a relevant discipline and demonstrate experience aligned to one of the two pathways. Strong communication, organisational and collaborative skills are essential.

For more details, please take a look at the role profile. We'll still consider applications even if you don't meet every single one of the requirements, so don't be put off if you don't match them perfectly.

Interview Date: w/c 28th September 2026

About Us
We are the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Science (ARES) at Nottingham Trent University. Our business is nature: specifically, the environment, animal health and welfare, ecology and conservation, and agriculture and food production..

Our approach is innovative and inclusive. We feel it makes us that little bit different. It's our goal to have a positive impact on the planet by improving the well being of environments, animals, plants, and people. If you see that passion in yourself, we can be a new, powerful partner in your career.

For any informal queries about the role or the ARES team, please contact Andy Gill (Associate Dean for Research) at [email protected].

Join Us

• 30 - 35 days annual leave per year plus statutory bank holidays and 5 university closure days pro rata
• Hybrid working - we encourage and offer a mixture of office working and working from home. You're empowered to define how you work best for the benefits of your stakeholders.
• Flexibility - take ownership over how you get your work done. We're open to different working patterns and approaches.
• Salary Sacrifice Retirement Savings Plan with life assurance and income protection. Available to colleagues who choose to opt out of the contractual pension scheme. Minimum colleague contributions of 0% matched with minimum NTU contributions of 8%.
• Access to a wealth of formal and informal professional development opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career.
• Range of health and wellbeing services, including a Health Cash Plan, voluntary benefits, discounts, and savings for all colleagues.
• And a whole lot more...Find out more about the range of benefits we offer.

Come and be part of our success. Apply today.

Safe and Inclusive
At NTU, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our students and colleagues. By championing positive wellbeing, we promote an environment where all can thrive and reach their full potential. We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring and we encourage people from underrepresented communities and backgrounds to apply to join our team.

Please note that unfortunately, this role has been assessed as ineligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration points-based immigration system however, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position. For more information visit the Government Skilled Worker visa support page. However, applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK, but who would be eligible to obtain a valid visa via another route. Please consult the Home Office website for further information.

Please note that this role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and successful applicants will be asked to declare any unspent criminal convictions.