Research Fellow B in Business Models Sustainable Transport and Green Energy

Organisation/Company UNIVERSITY OF SURREY Research Field Management sciences Economics Engineering Engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Final date to receive applications 1 Mar 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Country United Kingdom Type of Contract Other Job Status Part-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

The University of Surrey is a global community of ideas and people, dedicated to life-changing education and research.

We are ambitious and have a bold vision of what we want to achieve - shaping ourselves into one of the best universities in the world, which we are achieving through the talents and endeavour of every employee.

Our culture empowers people to achieve this aim and to collectively and individually make a real difference.

The role

Applications are invited for a part-time Research Fellow position until August 2026 (with possible further extension). The role will encompass activities related to the financial modelling of zero-emission vehicles, fleets, and associated infrastructure, including data analysis, impact assessment, and tool development. It will also involve interpreting and reporting total cost of ownership (TCO) and total cost of logistics operations (TCoL) results to identify opportunities for financial optimisation, as well as collaborating closely with project participants.

Additionally, the role includes documenting findings in formal reports and contributing to the development of high-quality journal and conference papers and other necessary outputs. The research will be carried out with collaborators from several industrial and academic institutions. A budget for travel expenses will be provided.

About you

This is a Research Fellow position, so the successful candidate must have a strong background in mechanical/electrical engineering and should hold a postgraduate degree in business administration or economics. Also, knowledge in the following areas is required:

• Conducting
  total cost of ownership (TCO)and
  total cost of logistics operations (TCoL)analyses for zero-emission vehicles, fleets, and supporting infrastructure.
• Developing and applying
  financial and techno-economic models
  to assess vehicle, fleet, and infrastructure investment and operational costs.
• Collecting, validating, and managing
  cost, performance, and operational data
  from project partners and external sources.
• Analysing capital expenditure, operational expenditure, maintenance, energy, and lifecycle cost components.
• Interpreting and evaluating TCO/TCoL results to identify
  cost drivers, financial risks, and optimisation opportunities
  .
• Assessing the
  economic impact of zero-emission technologies
  (e.g. battery electric, fuel cell, charging and refuelling infrastructure) across different use cases.
• Developing
  decision-support tools and dashboards
  to support financial assessment and scenario analysis.
• Applying
  sensitivity analysis, scenario modelling, and uncertainty analysis
  to financial and operational data.
• Experience with
  data analysis and modelling tools
• Strong
  quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills
  with attention to detail.
• Producing
  technical reports, academic publications, and project deliverables
  related to financial and economic assessment.
• Experience working in
  interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder research projects
  involving academia, industry, and public bodies.
• Presenting research outcomes at
  project meetings, conferences, and stakeholder workshops
  .

You need to have good programming skills. The candidates should be motivated and enthusiastic to work in a team environment and should have experience in communicating findings in journal papers.

Solid understanding and experience in (one or more of) the following areas are additional advantages:

• Familiarity with fleet operation, logistics or infrastructure planning for heavy-duty vehicles.
• Familiarity with planning, costing or operation of wind farms, solar farms, grid connections or large-scale energy storage projects.
• A research publication record in the related field
• Experience of EU or UK-funded collaborative research projects in the field of transport, energy or automotive
• Operating mechanisms of research projects

What we can offer

The appointee will join the Software Defined EVs, AV Fleets and Infrastructure Laboratory at the School of Engineering at the University of Surrey, which has research interests in a wide range of topics, including active vehicle dynamics, electric powertrains, transmission systems for electric and hybrid electric vehicles, infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, tyres, batteries, as well as costing and sustainability.

In addition to a competitive salary you will receive 25 days annual leave, with additional days for Bank Holidays and University closure days. We offer a generous pension, flexible working options, access to world-class leisure facilities, a range of travel schemes and supportive family…