Address
Form of work
SalaryThe Opportunity
We are seeking a designer with an interest in designing business models, services, and products for the circular economy to take on an exciting role as a SMART Partnership Associate with 3 Sixty, a creative production house specialising in products and services for retail, interiors, and exhibition spaces.
The partnership will investigate circular economy opportunities for one of 3 Sixty’s core products, the advertising and promotion lightbox. Lightboxes are widely used in retail environments. Originally designed for single use, the lightboxes make use of LED and electrical components that will enter the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment waste stream at end-of-life, with significant financial cost to the companies involved. Around 10,000 light boxes are approaching the end of first life, which will lead to approximately 3.5 million LEDs entering the waste stream, many of which will still be functional.
A key client has approached 3 Sixty to address the challenges of energy consumption in use and end-of-life management for light boxes. The post holder will be expected to develop and embed a design for circular economy approach at 3 Sixty, using the light boxes as a demonstrator product. This will include employing user-centred design techniques to understand customer needs, developing knowledge of design for circular economy strategies at business model, service and product level and applying them to the design of a lightbox for the circular economy, and translating the findings into a design for circular economy process in 3 Sixty.
You will receive day to day support and guidance from both the company partner and academic supervisor.
It is anticipated that the associate will undertake the project at both Cardiff Met and 3 Sixty (Cardiff). For the associate there will be opportunities for personal and professional development, training in new skills and methodology (business model and service design, user-centred design, circular product design). There will also be opportunity to present findings at national and international conferences as well as support to publish in peer
reviewed journals. The role is unique as it will allow the associate to work between both academic and industrial partners gaining knowledge of product development and research.
If you have a Honours degree (2:1 or above) qualification in a design discipline that includes practical product design experience (e.g., product design, industrial design, product design engineering), possess a good level of knowledge relevant to the subject area, knowledge of product design and new product development processes and methods and excellent 2D and 3D CAD and modelling skills then we’d love to hear from you.
Why join Cardiff Metropolitan University?
In 2020, the University was named The Sunday Times ‘Welsh University of the Year 2021’; in 2021 it became the Times Higher Education ‘UK and Ireland University of the Year 2022’; and in 2022 it was ranked the top university in the UK in the People and Planet Green League.
In addition, the University offers highly competitive terms and conditions including:
Annual leave of 25 days, plus 12 bank holiday / concessionary days.
Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme with generous contributions.
Flexible and remote working opportunities.
Excellent family friendly policies.
Award winning sports and fitness facilities with subsidised membership, plus subsidised physiotherapy/complementary therapy/sports massage.
Access to all library facilities.
Salary sacrifice schemes including cycle to work.
Free family access to our independent specialist wellbeing support provider, Health Assured.
If you would like to talk with us about this opportunity, please contact Prof. Katie Beverley at kbeverley@pdr-design.com and be contacted for more information on this SMART Partnership project.
Should a high volume of applications be received, we may need to close this vacancy early. We therefore encourage you to apply as early as possible.
The University is committed to creating a highly inclusive culture. We offer family friendly and flexible working arrangements and a range of staff networks, forums and events to support and develop our people. We warmly welcome applications from those traditionally underrepresented in the higher education sector.
Further information
Please read our Candidate Pack or visit our staff recruitment website for information about working for us, our culture, benefits, work-life balance and our career progression and development opportunities.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
