Salary: £57,696 - £64,914

FTE: 1 (35 hours/week)

Term: Fixed Term (24 months)

Closing Date: 02 June 2024

The University of Strathclyde is a leading international technological institution and has a long history of working with industry to deliver strong business growth from access to research and innovation expertise. The latest major initiative continuing to deliver on this track record is through the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

As a magnet for innovation in advanced manufacturing, the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) group of specialist R&D centres, supports manufacturing, engineering and associated tech businesses of all sizes, to thrive domestically and internationally through accelerating productivity, embracing new digital technologies and achieving net-zero targets.

We turn smart ideas into reality and deliver ground-breaking research.

Coming from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, our passionate team works alongside industry, academia, and the public sector to solve problems, train the workforce of the future and generate the creative ideas that will transform manufacturing.

Ultimately, we are growing the economy, developing a vibrant and skilled talent pool and helping create prosperous, sustainable communities.

NMIS is partnering with the Centre for Process Innovation and North Ayrshire Council to develop the Digital Process Manufacturing Centre (DPMC) at i3 in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The Centre will demonstrate, develop and deliver digital technology to support the UK’s process manufacturing sectors’ digital challenges.

DPMC will offer practical demonstrations of Industry 4.0 technology to stimulate, encourage and support industry to adopt new and innovative practices in the application of digital strategies to their manufacturing operations by offering hands-on experience. The demonstrations will include a range of opportunities for industry to gain access to examples of control systems, manufacturing execution systems, operational technologies, Augmented Reality, paperless systems, training, performance management, data visualisation techniques, etc. This experience, available in a controlled environment, aims to improve levels of confidence and demonstrates how digital can improve management decision-making, driving business performance and competitiveness. The physical facility, which will include a networking/training/meeting space, will serve as a focal point and networking hub for companies in the area.

The centre will focus key process sub-sectors including:

• Pharmaceuticals

• Oil & Gas

• Chemicals and Chemical Products

• Agrichemicals

• Food & Drink

• Fast Moving Commercial Goods

• Water (collection, treatment, supply)

The Head of DPMC will provide the leadership, management and vision to the DPMC. The postholder will implement NMIS commercial and operational controls, and administrative and reporting procedures to the DPMC ensuring the centre has the people and systems in place to effectively grow the organisation and ensure financial strength and operating efficiency. The postholder will implement the DPMC strategy and operational management activities which will be undertaken by working closely with DPMC partners, industrial members, funding bodies and University staff. The role will support the ongoing financial sustainability of the Centre through membership, grant funding, and commercial income by engaging with local and international industrial partners, funding agencies and prospective partners/client at the highest level.

Based at the DPMC site, the role will require frequent national and international travel and maintenance of close contact with colleagues at the University’s campus in the centre of Glasgow. DPMC is formally linked to the University of Strathclyde through the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Stephen Fitzpatrick, Director of Digital Factory (s.fitzpatrick@ strath.ac.uk).

Formal interviews are anticipated to take place in June 2024.