PhD Studentship: Through Life Support
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Closing date for receipt of applications: 30 June 2006
Project to start as soon as possible
A vacancy exists for a Research Student to carry out research in demonstrating maintenance effectiveness in public sector facilities management. The Studentship is funded by Northamptonshire County Council.
The student will be part of a group focusing on maintenance management, through design and support of systems, equipment and components from concept design, through operation and maintenance, to decommissioning. Through life support includes condition monitoring, signal processing, damage detection, end of life options and project management. Applications are found in a wide variety of engineering, medical and business applications.
http://www.mace.manchester.ac.uk/research/researchgroups/throughlifesupport/
The public services sector has a huge problem in identifying maintenance as a profit centre rather than an inevitable cost. As a result of this, it is difficult to define meaningful objectives, and hence difficult to make effective long-term plans for maintenance. Northamptonshire County Council spends £42.7m pa to manage and
maintain assets. It is estimated that there is £120m investment required in maintenance to meet current standards.
Effectiveness measurement techniques e.g. balanced scorecard, and value-based maintenance are not widespread in the public service sector. The tools used in facilities management and computerised maintenance management software remain focused on either an accountancy based or technical based information provision. The
bridging of technical requirements with financial performance remains a difficult area, because it needs a broad overview and genuine access to senior personnel, without which the research remains largely theoretical.
The methodology will include direct interviews with managers in the field and extensive case study work, followed by software development to meet the identified need. Validation will require feedback from the stakeholders and their parallel organisations around the country. Case studies will be drawn not only from Northamptonshire County Council but from other similar organisations for benchmarking.
The Research Student will be expected to spend approximately half of his/her time in Northampton and half in Manchester, on a flexible basis, in order to work closely with both organisations.
The applicant should have, or be about to obtain, a 1st class or 2.1 degree in a numerate engineering or scientific discipline, and possess exceptional skills of oral and written communications.
Support includes a stipend of £14,000 per annum paid on a tax-free basis and provides full home/EU tuition fees for three years. Applicants from outside the UK or European Union are also eligible to apply, but will need to cover additional fees of approximately £7,700 per annum (or accept a reduced stipend).
Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Andrew Starr
(Andrew.starr@manchester.ac.uk).
Applications forms can be downloaded from:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/howtoapply/
[sursa beasiswa]
