The University of West London (UWL) is ranked as 41st in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2026 and is the 1st London modern* university in The Times/The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. We are also the Number 1 London university for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2025**. The UWL community is a diverse body of students and staff who work together to create an environment of success and achievement. We celebrate the diversity of our staff and promote our values in practice through our commitment to inclusivity, progression, and success.
- A modern university is a university established in 1992, or after. Excluding specialist providers.
** Calculated as the average of all questions, using registered populations.
School of Computing and Engineering
The post-holder will support the development of the Horizon Europe proposal SMART-SOCIAL: Integrating Socio-Technical Insights to Enhance Energy Performance and User Experience in Smart Buildings. Working part-time over four months (June to mid-September 2026), the Research Assistant will conduct state-of-the-art reviews, support consortium workshops, liaise with UK and EU partners, and contribute to drafting and formatting the proposal in line with EU policy frameworks and the Built4People partnership themes.
The Role
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Conduct state-of-the-art literature reviews on occupant behaviour, user–technology interaction, smart building energy performance, and Built4People partnership themes.
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Prepare materials for consortium workshops and partner meetings.
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Support workshop delivery, including notetaking and synthesis of outcomes.
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Communicate with UK and EU consortium partners, gather inputs, and support iterative drafting processes.
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Contribute to drafting and formatting proposal sections to Horizon Europe standards.
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Manage references and bibliographies for the proposal.
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Ensure proposal content is aligned with relevant EU policies and funding requirements.
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Support the development of the data management plan (DMP).
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To work in accordance with UWL’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion policies.
The Person
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PhD candidate (final year) in Planning, Architecture, Built Environment, Psychology, Sustainability, or a closely related field
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Demonstrated research interest in occupant behaviour, user–building interaction, or the socio-technical aspects of sustainability
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Knowledge of smart building technologies and/or energy consumption in the built environment
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Familiarity with Horizon Europe, Built4People, or other EU research-funding frameworks
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Prior experience contributing to research proposals or grant applications
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Strong academic writing and literature-synthesis skills
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Competence in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods
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Reference management using tools such as EndNote, Zotero, or MendeleyAbility to prepare clear, well-structured workshop materials and synthesise discussion outcomes
How to Apply
Further information about the application process can be found here: https://jobs.uwl.ac.uk/display.aspx?id=1253&pid=0
Please email [email protected] if you need any assistance with the application process.
Interviews are expected to be held in the week commencing 22/06/2026.
For informal enquiries about the position please contact DR Mohamamd Sakikhales [email protected]
Additional Information
Read more about working at the University of West London at https://www.uwl.ac.uk/about-us/how-university-works/why-work-uwl
Our department/school is under-represented in terms of staff from minority ethnic backgrounds, of LGBT+ identities, and with disabilities. UWL is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter, and is a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, particularly those mentioned above to increase diversity in our workforce.
Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.
Please be advised that it is expected that appointment within a grade will normally be at the minimum point.
We will intermittently review the applications as part of this open advert, therefore if successful, you will be shortlisted and contacted at any time.
The University of West London reserves the right to close the role prior to this date should a suitable applicant be found
