Design for the Circular Economy

This project focuses on developing sustainability design solutions and offers the successful candidate the opportunity to create new approaches for dealing with waste consumables and equipment. Addressing sustainability problems can include policy-driven solutions, new technology or knowledge transfer schemes, new information sets in design and engineering, and innovation in the circular economy. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from individuals who can demonstrate an interest in the sustainability change agenda from local and international perspective, linking original research with global challenges and partnership building from a design, engineering, or cognate discipline.

​Applicants should be able to propose and undertake research initiating new ways of working whether in sustainable creative practice, re-use and the circular economy, recycling, policy document review and design, or innovative design solutions that can bring real benefits to society and/or commerce. Good design can change behaviours and a user-centred approach to problem-solving we believe will ultimately provide for a more sustainable future. 

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​This is a cross-disciplinary design and engineering project with the opportunity to benefit from relevant co-supervision in a related discipline in other parts of the University. The successful candidate will take a key role in developing cutting-edge research in the design and engineering discipline with access to the latest international research through the library’s extensive academic resources and networks and through our collaborations with relevant industries. This is an internationally relevant project and links with other institutions and research centres will be supported and encouraged. 

​Day to day research will involve the generation and testing of new ideas, the introduction of new models, and development of new prototypes within the broad spectrum design and engineering research. The successful applicant will have dedicated desk space, full access to many world-wide academic research databases, an annual stipend and access to supplementary support funds as well as ongoing supervision support and further training through Ulster’s Doctoral College.