Senior Research Fellow in Power and Railway Engineering

Are you a leading expert in power and railway engineering, with a career defined by shaping the future of energy and transport? Have you had 20+ years of industrial experience with a legacy of leadership in research and innovation in smart grid/railway electrification?

You will be joining an exciting consortium consisting of leading industrial partners in railway and power sectors together with University of Leeds, to address the technical and operational challenges in designing, constructing and energising Railway Energy Hubs connecting to the 25kV AC and/or 750V DC traction networks. This project is the first micro-grid technology to interface across-sectors and provide flexibility services to both the railway network and the power grid. 

You will be supporting the project lead to supervise a team of researchers and engineers to conduct the design and development of a multi-layer control strategy which enables the hubs to handle the coordinated control of battery storage, variable DC/AC power sources and highly uncertain stochastic traction loads. 

Furthermore, you will be leading the impact, innovation and funding activities, engage proactively with industrial partners to ensure the research remains relevant, has a clear pathway to impact, and take a leading role in the development and writing of proposals to secure new research funding from national and international sources. 

You are expected to be a well-established expert at the forefront of industrial R&D in the field of energy and transport decarbonization, having been instrumental in solving the puzzle of a modern power system and having deep, practical knowledge of the entire railway electrification ecosystem. You should also have a strong track record in cross-sector system modelling and data analysis with applications to power and railway systems.

Three positions, each 11.25 hours per week. 

This role will be based on the University campus, with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Professor Kang Li, Chair in Smart Energy Systems

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 2045

Email: [email protected]

What we offer in return

26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!Generous pension scheme options plus life assurance. Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more!  

Closing Date: 01 Mar 2026

Section: Research

Salary: £51,753 to £59,966 p.a.