IDRIC Knowledge Exchange, Research & Impact Associate

Role: IDRIC Knowledge Exchange, Research & Impact Associate

Directorate: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences  

Contract Type: Full Time (1FTE), Fixed Term (6 Months)

Grade: Grade 7 - £37,694 - £47,389

Rewards and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full time staff (Part time workers should pro rata this by their FTE). Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University 

Detailed Description

The Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) is a UKRI-funded multi-disciplinary programme addressing key cross-cutting challenges in decarbonising our industry. Collaborating with research organisations, industry, government, policymakers, NGOs, trade organisations and the public, IDRIC is co-creating whole-system, multidisciplinary solutions that are accelerating the green futures of the UK’s industrial clusters. 

Applications can be submitted until 23rd October. Anticipated interviews on the 3rd/4th November.

Purpose Of Role

This post holder will develop, promote, synthesise and coordinate the research and knowledge exchange activities for IDRIC, in collaboration with other IDRIC team members. They will also be responsible for the delivery of knowledge exchange activities for specific projects which have been awarded to IDRIC. 

The post holders’ duties will include leading on specific areas of development and implementation of knowledge exchange activities in IDRIC with business, policy and research audiences contributing to strategies to reach these audiences. There will also be a key focus on the development and delivery of events. The post holder will work in a seamless, integrated manner across IDRIC to support the development of our strategic priority areas, working closely with the IDRIC Director, Centre Manager and other members of the IDRIC Central Team. You will also support the implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems for acquisition and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data to assess the effectiveness of IDRIC knowledge exchange activities. The post holder is also likely to be involved in any development of international knowledge exchange activities under IDRIC. 

The post holder will pro-actively liaise with external partners and stakeholders to ensure the development of innovative approaches to knowledge exchange. You will support knowledge exchange opportunities through the organisation of conferences, workshops, seminars and other network events, involving a diverse range of stakeholders. Support for partnerships will be underpinned by direct investment from IDRIC to deliver business workshops, events and innovation activities. The post holder will be confident and experienced in working effectively with businesses, the public and third sectors and regional organisations.

This role requires a proactive and ambitious individual with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to forge and maintain mutually beneficial relationships. The post holder will be a strategic thinker who is quick to recognise emerging opportunities and able to manage multiple priorities. You will have the ability to work effectively with others within and external to IDRIC, identifying areas of activity which will deliver value for all stakeholders.

Whilst the initial contract for this role is available until end March 2026, there is the strong possibility that additional funding will be secured, to support the role through to March 2027. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Liaise with academics and research project teams to identify potential research outputs with KE or commercialisation opportunities and create supported pathways for their achievement and delivery. The post holder will be a key liaison point between academics, industrial clusters, and other members of the IDRIC team. They will need to develop a keen understanding of the regional contexts involved in decarbonisation research and innovation.
• Synthesise key research challenges following analysis of a wide variety of sources, including workshop outputs, survey results, interview transcripts, and research reports, to identify research challenges raised by industry to decarbonise, for example through the Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan (LIDP) projects. Use materials to distil trends, themes, common messages and key insights from across the source material. 
• Engage with project partners to develop strategies, tools, capabilities and relationships required to effectively deliver research KE objectives.
• Act as a facilitator for cross learning in the research and innovation space across industrial clusters and Local Industrial Decarbonisation Partnerships (LIDPs), ensuring that the lessons learned and knowledge from IDRIC’s research portfolio are captured and shared effectively.
• Lead the development and implementation of strategies to enhance knowledge exchange opportunities within IDRIC, including both internal and external communication of opportunities and achievements.
• Work with the IDRIC central team to support knowledge exchange opportunities through the organisation of internal and external events (including conferences, workshops, seminars and networking opportunities) involving a diverse range of stakeholders and managing timelines and deliverables across concurrent workstreams
• Work closely with the other IDRIC team members to ensure effective dissemination and exchange of research across all IDRIC partners.
• Build a detailed knowledge and understanding of the key stakeholder organisations and their strategic research and innovation objectives, and facilitate relationships with IDRIC research projects which can support those objectives
• Manage multiple editing and review cycles of major IDRIC outputs, coordinate external reviews, and collaborate with design teams to deliver accurate, engaging documents.
• Deploy professional customer relationship management principles and practices, including the use of CRM tools to support relationships in an integrated way across IDRIC and the university.

Education, Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Postgraduate qualification (preferably a PhD or Master’s with an equivalent level of experience), in a discipline appropriate to synthesis work.
• Awareness and understanding of the research and innovation landscape and opportunities in the UK and beyond.
• Ability to research, analyse and present complex information effectively with good attention to detail, and to translate technical or sector-specific materials into accessible content and work across disciplines
• Strong synthesis and analytical capabilities, particularly in reviewing and comparing findings across diverse data sources and projects
• Demonstrable substantial professional expertise in impact pathways (preferably Theory of Change), knowledge exchange, innovation and/or business development. Significant experience building and maintaining strong relationships with businesses and industry partners from within a higher education environment
• Excellent written communication skills, with experience tailoring outputs to different audiences, and strong editorial skills, including drafting, managing external reviews, copy-editing, and structuring complex documents
• Skilled in developing impact narratives and case studies that highlight research relevance and impact for diverse audiences
• High level planning and organisational skills (including events) with the ability to prioritise major developments and to work effectively within a team, under time pressure
• Competent in the use of relevant IT packages.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and presentation skills

Desirable

• Qualification in project management or equivalent experience
• Experience of working within the industrial decarbonisation sector and/or previous involvement with IDRIC or the Innovate funded Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plans (LIDP) projects
• Experience conducting qualitative analysis, including thematic coding (e.g. NVivo) of diverse data

How To Apply

Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing their interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV.  

Applications must be submitted by midnight on  Thursday 23rd October 2025.

Anticipated interviews on the 3rd/4th November.

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.  

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.   

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.   

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/  

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.