Post-doctoral Researcher-product Design For The Circular Economy

Post-Doctoral Researcher-Product Design for the Circular Economy (DTIF Solascope Project)

School/Unit School of Design

Post Title & Subject Area Product Design for the Circular Economy (DTIF Solascope Project), Department of Product Design

Post Duration Specified Purpose Funded contract until 15th April 2027

Grade IUA Post-Doctoral Researcher Level 2 (1.0 FTE)

Location NCAD, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin 8.

Salary IUA Post Doc Researcher Level 2 Pt 1 - €53,770 per annum (Funded)

Hours of work Working hours will be 35 hours per week (net of rest breaks).

Reports to Head of Department of Product Design

POSITION SUMMARY

Background

Building on the technical and clinical outcomes of the completed EyeVU DTIF project, Solascope brings together a consortium to deliver the world’s first sterile, sustainable, panoramic endoscope with integrated lens cleaning intended to disrupt the single-use endoscope market.

Solascope innovations will result in reduced surgical procedure time, improve visualisation for surgeons, reduce surgical waste and allow a fully integrated remanufacturing technology, making the circular economy for medical devices a reality. The project is led by Tympany Medical, a Galway-based start-up. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland will lead prototype testing simulation and evaluation, while InverMed Ltd. will be responsible for the device manufacturing process development. NCAD’s Product Design department will be involved in 5 work packages on the project. These will include Design for Circular Manufacturing, Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Design of Reverse Logistics Infrastructure and Project Dissemination.

Role Description

This academic research role is required to deliver a programme of research as part of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund project Solascope.

This project is focused on the development and delivery of an endoscope for the circular economy. The researcher will take a lead on the research, development, prototyping and validation of medical device packaging suitable for reverse logistics scenarios in the highly regulated area of healthcare. This will entail design research across the whole lifecycle of the product from “cradle to cradle”. The process will include in-depth and rigorous contextual research in healthcare settings, conducting and synthesising research on manufacturing, procurement, circular logistics and any touch points along the product journey. The researcher will then generate product concepts for evaluation and develop, prototype and test various iterations of the concepts in a series of iterative pilots over the course of the project. The role will also entail working in conjunction with a Service Designer to develop outputs suitable for Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of various product and packaging iterations, configurations and service propositions.

This senior role in the project will be responsible for a number of outputs associated with the project including a final, validated reverse logistics packaging design and contribution to LCA evaluations, service blueprints, a circular economy integrated business model, and conducting an incremental series of validation pilots. This will be alongside the coordination of relevant work-packages, project

timeline, budget and other resources. The role may also involve input in, and contribution to, any adjacent academic work and design research being conducted in the Product Design Department and NCAD DesignLabs.

The role will operate under the direction and supervision of an academic principle investigator for the project and will be located within the Product Design department in NCAD.

Salary: Post Doc Researcher Level 2 Pt 1 - €53,770 per annum (Funded)

Appointment will be made at the appropriate scale and in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines.

Location: This position is ordinarily based at the NCAD Campus, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin 8.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

● Execute a specified programme of research and scholarship under the direction of the project Principal Investigator.

● Research, conceptualise and develop a medical device packaging, storage and transportation system suitable for the reverse logistics of a medical device within a circular service model.

● Research and map the life cycle and user experience of a medical device in the context of the circular economy and present it in an informative and compelling fashion.

● Contribute to the development of product / service systems and business models which take account of the current and future procurement models in place in public healthcare settings.

● Contribute to in-depth and rigorous Life Cycle Analysis of various product iterations, configurations and service propositions.

● Contribute to Service Blueprints for a circular economy product service system operating within the constraints of US FDA, UK, and EU MDR medical device regulations.

● Contribute to specific interaction touchpoints such as transport packaging, interactive apps or screens in the proposed product service system.

● Produce informative and compelling presentations of the final product service system through the use of visual displays, physical prototypes and customer use videos.

● Engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by your Principal Investigator, your School or Institute, or the University.

● Engage in the dissemination of the results of the research in which you are engaged as directed by and with the support of and under the supervision of your Principal Investigator.

● Take a leading role in the wider research and scholarly activities of your research group, School and Institute.

● Assist in the development of related research proposals and adjacent research activity in the Department of Product Design.

● Mentor and assist, as appropriate and as directed, the research graduate students in your School and Institute.

● Undertake such other duties as may be assigned by the Appropriate Officer from time to time

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

Mandatory:

● Experience and qualifications in product / industrial design.

● Minimum of significant Postdoctoral and / or equivalent research experience (including industry based Research and Development).

● Experience in developing and delivering product(s) from concept to manufacture through all the relevant stages of the product design process.

● A demonstrated commitment to research and publications.

● Demonstrable record of experience playing a key operations role in a successful research project.

● Excellent skills in translating ideas into concept sketches, visualisations, presentations and prototypes.

● Excellent skills in 3D design packages (Solidworks, Fusion 360, Onshape etc) and 3D printing.

● Excellent skills in Adobe Creative Cloud.

● Excellent communication skills (oral, written, presentation etc.) .

● Excellent organisational and administrative skills.

● Experience in setting own research agenda.

Desirable:

● Evidence of experience operating within multi partner research projects at IUA Post Doctorate Researcher level.

● Evidence of research activity (publications, conference presentations, awards) and scholarly output (working papers, research proposals, and ability to outline a research project.)

● Demonstrable record of developing successful research funding applications and/or industry partnerships

● Experience in organising and/or conducting on-site trials, pilots or product evaluations, particularly in a clinical setting.