Overview
Are you a postdoctoral e-textiles researcher who wants to improve the environmental impact and sustainability of future e-textile development?
We are seeking a researcher to translate novel material and component innovations for e-textiles into functioning embedded computing systems that can be validated with stakeholders such as designers and end users. Working at the heart of a major EU project, you’ll be collaborating with world-leading scientists, engineers, and designers to embed sustainability into e-textile research.
What you would be doing
This postdoctoral Research Associate post will primarily be assisting with the building and testing of new technologies developed with partners on the STELEC project (stelec.eu), in particular looking at how they are integrated into full e-textile systems whether for wearables or other applications. This will include circuit design, fabrication using a mix of electronics and textiles approaches, electromechanical characterisation, and user testing.
You will play a central role in the EU-funded STELEC project which is developing the next generation of textile-based electronics for applications. Your mission will be to evaluate how these developed technologies could be integrated into textile-based embedded computing systems.
You will work across disciplines – bridging the gap between creative design and technical engineering – to understand the environmental and social impacts of e-textiles. You’ll build prototypes, validate new technologies with users and designers, and identify opportunities for improvement. Your findings will inform practical tools and resources to help others building prototypes in the lab or designing garments in the studio that will reduce the harm caused by electronics and textile manufacturing.
Your work will influence not only the STELEC project, but will help others trying to incorporate sustainability at very early stages of technology development, and will push forwards the global conversation about how wearable technology can be part of a cleaner, fairer future.
What we are looking for
We welcome applications from backgrounds in textile or fashion design, computing and engineering. You don’t need to tick every box to apply – but above all you’ll be curious, collaborative, and ready to work across disciplines to make a tangible difference.
You will bring many of the following:
- The ability to design and build the supporting circuitry for embedded sensing systems.
- Fabrication skills in garment construction and/or textile design.
- Evaluating the quantitative performance of an embedded sensing system.
- Experience in conducting human-computer interaction user studies.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, actionable guidance.
We believe innovation is stronger when it draws on diverse perspectives. We particularly welcome applications from women and other groups underrepresented in STEM, and we are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.
What we can offer you
- The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity within the e-Body Lab.
- Grow your career: gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
- Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 41 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
- Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.
Further information
This role is within the Dyson School of Design Engineering which is part of Imperial’s Faculty of Engineering. It is expected that you will be working in person at the South Kensington campus at least three days a week.
This is a full-time post (35 hours per week). This role is for a fixed-term contract for 24 months (2 years) to start in mid 2026 (no later than August).
As part of the application, you should include a publication or other technical documentation of one project that best demonstrates your skills in prototyping and evaluating an e-textile system. In your cover letter, provide a summary of your project, clearly identifying your contribution if it was delivered by a team and the larger context in which the project was developed.
If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Rebecca Stewart – r.stewart@imperial.ac.uk.
