Postdoctoral Researcher - Circular Design Toolbox Project

Would you like to be part of a major research initiative working at the Centre for Materials Science & Culture to help transform our Circular Design Toolbox (CDT) into a commercially available product ready for licensing, pilots and seed investment? The Circular Design Toolbox (CDT) project is funded by the UKRI Translation: Proof of Concept 2026 scheme. The Toolbox was developed from the research of the Textiles Circularity Centre into circular design strategies including:

• Materials Circularity to innovate circular bio-based textiles (resulting in the Circular Materials Design Toolkit and the Maintaining Materials Toolkit);
• Consumer Experience to position these materials in circular experiences that slow down consumption by satiating human wellbeing needs (resulting in the Circular Experience Toolkit); and
• Circular Supply Chains which put these strategies into a relationship in the form of a local supply chain design (resulting in the Circular System Toolkit).
The overarching objectives will be to: (1) to develop and evaluate one pilot programme with our partners Two Lives London and their supply chain partners (2) produce a set of case studies that would enable the Centre to identify and specify a full commercialisation proposition including an IP licensing framework 3) to develop a minimum viable digital platform prototype to demonstrate scalable CDT delivery.

+ a PhD degree related to circular design innovation in the circular economy, preferably in the area of apparel/textiles; or + equivalent experience in a different sector; or + a Masters degree and significant experience in research projects.
• Subject knowledge: Core knowledge in design (industrial, apparel, product); in addition to knowledge in apparel-textiles; circular design innovation and strategies; systems design and related strategies.
• Experience with circular design approaches related to apparel or product design.
• Experience of working in research and research projects, either academic or commercial/industrial in a topic directly related to this area of research.
• Experience with development and facilitation of studies and workshops applying design methods and high levels of interpersonal skills for a range of users (industry, society/consumers, researchers, designers, stakeholders).
• Communications and graphic design skills.
• Evidence of producing at least two outputs in peer reviewed academic journals or one research output independent of PhD supervisor, in a topic related to this area of research
• Demonstrable understanding of good practice in research conduct (including in research ethics, research integrity and handling research data).
• Evidenced flexibility and confidence to tackle a wide range of tasks, with an open, pro-active, creative, and problem-solving approach.
• Evidenced excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills, able to adopt an appropriate style for a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Evidenced strong interpersonal and team-working skills.