Research Associate in Collation and Synthesizing of PACESET

Role:Research Associate inCollation andSynthesizingofPACESETResearchand PhDProjectOutcomesduring Period 2021 to 2026and Identification ofIndustry and SocietalImpacts

Grade and Salary:Grade 7 - £37,694 - £47,389 per annum

Contract Type:Full Time, Fixed Term for 4 months

Holiday Entitlement:33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days

Detailed Description

The School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot Watt University is seeking an exceptional postdoctoral research associate tocollate, summarizeandsynthesizethe research outcomesof researchprojects and PhD projects funded by PETRONAS through thePETRONAS Centre of Excellence in Subsurface Engineering and Energy Transition(PACESET)duringthe period 2021 to 2026,andto identifythe impacts for PETRONAS, wider industry andsociety at large.

The position is placed inPACESET.It entails, in the first place,taking already collated project data, identifying gaps, engaging with the various projectPrincipal Investigators and their Coinvestigators andresearch colleagues, and PhD supervisors, with the objective offensuring as much useful data as possible is retained and accessible to PETRONASfrom within a central repository.

Thesecondstep will be todevelop a consistentinventory of these data, and to write up a summary of each project'sactivities and achievements.

Thirdly,the post holder willseektoidentifyimpactsof the projects.This will entail some data collation activities, such as building a repository of reports and publications.Furthermore, there will be an action to engage with PETRONAS personnel toidentifyhowproject outcomes have been used within PETRONAS to effect change intheir operations, and toidentifywhat technology maturation has resulted.The post holder will also address how the wider industry hasbeen impacted by these projects, by seeking to identifythe extent to which PACESET related publications and theses have been cited in the literature,and what activities reported in the citing literature are impactedby the research carried out through PACESET.

Fourthly,PACESET has resulted in training ofpersonnel: PETRONAS staffwho have gained PhDs and are now undertaking research functions within PETRONAS, and Heriot-Watt University Early Career Researcherswho, over the 44post-doctoral researcher years of funding,have developed researchskillsand have been exposed to industry applications in partnership with PETRONAS.The post holder will develop a narrative todescribe the impact ofPACESET on career development of associated personnel.

Finally, the post holder will engage with PETRONAS and Heriot-Watt University personnel toidentifywhat impact case studies can be developed from these projects, for use by PETRONAS internally, and by Heriot-Watt University in buildingtheir Research Evaluation Framework submission.

While there are tasks that entail data collation, repository building andinteracting with other researchers to achieve these objectives - which tasks of themselves do not require the post holder tohave gained a PhD - the postholder evidentlymust be familiar with all the essential components of performing a research study, which knowledge can only be gained byfirsthandexperience- through personal study towards a PhD degree.

Furthermore,research itself is a primaryfunction of the role, as the post holderis required todevelop a synthesis of all the projectsdeveloped under PACESET, and conduct a meta studyto develop a new perspective on the overall impact ofPACESET

Key Duties & Responsibilities

The successful appointee will be expected to undertake the following:

• Build onexisting work to collate data from all PACESET projects and PhD projects
• Quantify and summariseeachproject's individualoutcomes
• Engage with PETRONAS personnel toidentifyproject impacts and technology maturation
• Summarise each project's individual outcomes
• Synthesizeinformation and develop anarrative on overall impact of PACESET
• Derivefindings and recommendations fordevelopment offuture industry-academia Master ResearchAgreements
• Present resultstoindustry and academic stakeholders
• Whereappropriate, publication of findings

Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder maybe requiredto undertake other relevant dutiescommensuratewith the grading of the post. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve. A flexible working schedule may berequiredto meet all key duties and responsibilities.

We will measure applicants based on the essential criteria, not by the key duties.

Education, Qualifications and Experience Essential Qualifications

• An undergraduateorMScdegree inGeoscience,PetroleumEngineering,ChemicalEngineeringor similar.
• A PhD degree (or being close to obtaining one) inGeoEnergyEngineering.

Experience

• Experience in conducting independent research
• Experience in working towards tight deadlines
• Experienceworking in industry
• Experienceundertaking academic researchfunded by and reported toindustrial funders
• Team spirit and experience in collaborating within interdisciplinary and multi-national teams
• A developingtrack recordof publications

Desirable

• Expert knowledge in geoscience
• Expert knowledgeinEnergy Transition topicsrelated to the subsurface, such as Geothermal Energy and/or CCSand/orunderground hydrogen generation and storage
• Experienceworking in a Geoscience / Petroleum Engineering laboratory
• Experience applyingPetroleum Engineering techniques to Energy Transition topics
• Experienceworkingin abroadmultidisciplinary environment with petroleum engineers,geoscientists,chemical scientists, chemistry and mechanical techniciansandprojectadministrators

Contact for Enquiries

Candidates can make informal enquiries about this position to ProfEric Mackay()

Applications must be submitted by midnight on Thursday 20th August 2026.

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-WattUniversity is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-WattUniversity values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

About Heriot Watt University

Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry.

Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages. Heriot-Watt is also Scotland's most international university, boasting the largest international student cohort.