Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher – Wetstorage

Applications are invited for an ambitious Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher to join the SFI MaREI centre for Energy, Climate and Marine in University College Cork (UCC).  MaREI is a key research centre within UCC’s Environmental Research Institute (ERI), which is an internationally recognised Institute for environmental research dedicated to the understanding and protection of our natural environment and to developing innovative technologies, tools and services to facilitate a transformation to a zero carbon and resource efficient society. The MaREI Centre is an SFI funded research centre headquartered in the ERI and includes 13 other Universities and Third Level Institutes from across Ireland, has 50 industrial partners and has accumulated research funding of approximately €60m. It combines the expertise of a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical and socio-economic challenges across the climate, energy and marine spaces.  MaREI is also funded by SEAI, EI, EPA, ERDF, EU, HEA, Marine Institute, DCCAE and IRC, as well as through contributions from our industry partners. Researchers in the MaREI Centre have over 30 years of experience in conducting fundamental and applied research supported by competitively won national and international funding, and commercial contracts with government agencies and industry. MaREI’s strengths lie in the multi-disciplinary nature of its research teams, allowing it to combine insights across areas such as MRE Technologies, Materials & Structures, Observations & Operations, Coastal & Marine Systems, Bioenergy, Energy Policy & Modelling and Renewable Energy Management.

 

This position is linked with the joint SFI/Industry funded project ‘Wetstorage’ that considers the optimisation of site selection for storage areas of floating wind platforms, both before and after full assembly, prior to tow-out to the windfarm site.  The selection and consenting of wetstorage locations are essential requirements for the smooth and efficient roll-out of floating offshore wind but as yet they have been given little consideration.  This position will focus on the determination of the technical requirements for wetstorage areas and will involve a combination of physical and numerical modelling.  This work will provide guidance in terms of the layout of floating platforms on wetstorage sites and their mooring and anchoring requirements.  The successful candidate will need to have a high proficiency in potential flow and CFD modelling as well as experience in undertaking physical model testing in a laboratory environment.