Research Fellow in Sensing Wastewater

Organisation

Cranfield University – Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences – Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire

37 hours per week, Monday to Friday; flexible working will be considered. Fixed term contract for 24 months.

Research Fellow in the Advanced Sensors team, contributing to the 5‑year Leverhulme Research Leadership Award project, "Sensing Wastewater for Real‑time Public Health".

• Conduct cutting‑edge research on new biochemical sensor development for wastewater, focusing on single‑cell and single‑molecule detection.
• Design, execute and troubleshoot experimental protocols, utilising state‑of‑the‑art facilities in the Advanced Sensors Laboratory.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, mentoring junior researchers and contributing to grant proposals.
• Publish findings in high‑impact journals and present at national and international conferences.

• Doctoral degree (or close to completion) in biosensing, microfluidics, environmental science, microbiology or related discipline.
• Demonstrable experimental experience in sensor development, wastewater surveillance or reverse‑inference modelling for source tracking.
• Expertise in designing laboratory experiments, operating advanced instruments and troubleshooting technical challenges.
• Strong communication, collaboration and mentoring skills.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options and have been ranked in the Top 30 family‑friendly employers in the UK. Our shared values – Ambition, Impact, Respect, and Community – underpin everything we do.

Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on‑site and remote working where roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.

For an informal discussion, please contact Professor Zhugen Yang, Professor of Biosensing and Environmental Health, by telephone at or email at  For further details, email peopl Please quote reference number 5182. Closing date for receipt of applications: 3 February 2026.