Research Associate / Senior Research Associate / Research Fellow on Spectrum Access Innovation x 2 positions

Overview

The Smart Internet Lab within the School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol is seeking two researchers for the positions of Research Associate, Senior Research Associate, or Research Fellow on Spectrum Access Innovation. The roles involve conducting research on spectrum access techniques, focusing on automated and intelligent spectrum sharing technologies, and examining technology enablers and policy consequences for wireless users, vendors, spectrum managers, and regulators using the JOINER National Spectrum Facility.

The successful candidates will perform research for the JOINER and HASC projects. Position one is open-ended with fixed funding until November 1, 2028, and position two is open-ended with fixed funding until March 31, 2030. Applicants are required to specify in their covering letter which position they wish to apply for.

What you get

The salary ranges from £40,704 to £59,390 per annum depending on experience and appointment grade. Appointments may be made at Grade I with a salary of £40,704 to £45,641, Grade J with a salary of £45,641 to £51,258, or Grade K with a salary of £52,788 to £59,390 per annum. The employment is full-time, permanent, and based onsite in the United Kingdom.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a PhD or equivalent research experience in a relevant area, or for Grade K appointments, a relevant postgraduate research degree and substantial research experience. Applicants need knowledge of spectrum assignment and allocation, spectrum policy, and regulatory frameworks, alongside experience with radio frequency systems, wireless technologies, and software-defined radio, ideally including USRP and GNU Radio. Strong programming and data analysis skills in languages such as Python or C++, as well as experience working with large datasets, are required.

Candidates must possess experience or a strong understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning, particularly regarding its application to spectrum management or time-series data. Applicants must also demonstrate experience in conducting research, analyzing results, and communicating findings through technical reports, scientific papers, or presentations. Furthermore, candidates must be capable of working collaboratively across disciplines, learning quickly, taking initiative, and managing competing priorities and deadlines. For Grade J and Grade K appointments, applicants must additionally demonstrate increasing research independence, publication experience, and leadership appropriate to the level.

Key dates

The application deadline is November 3, 2026, closing at 23:59 UK time.