Research Staff - Cold Storage & Cryogenic Systems

About the role

Republic Polytechnic's School of Engineering (SEG), in partnership with SSW Group, is seeking a full-time Research Staff member (12-month contract) to engineer an industrial-scale 1 m³ self-sustained passive cold storage platform under a DGF-funded initiative. The goal is a zero-power-in-transit thermal container that locks in sub-zero temperatures (2–8°C) for over 72 hours in tropical conditions, protecting biopharmaceuticals and providing fail-safe protection against power outages.

Key responsibilities

• Lead hands-on engineering of the active-passive "flash-charging" cryogenic system using heat exchangers and liquid nitrogen (LN2) to charge PCM cores and vacuum insulated panels.
• Design, route and balance high-pressure LN2 cryogenic pipelines, vacuum-jacketed tubing, manifolds and automated valve safety systems.
• Build, test and integrate IoT microcontrollers and sensor arrays (temperature, relative humidity, oxygen) with cloud-based telemetry dashboards.
• Run laboratory experiments, cold storage trials and temperature/humidity monitoring, and analyse data.
• Develop, integrate and evaluate prototype systems, sensors and instrumentation.
• Collaborate with industry partners on validation and deployment, supervise final-year students and interns, and support IP, technology transfer and commercialisation.
• Prepare technical reports, journal publications, presentations and grant proposals, and manage lab equipment, procurement and safety compliance.

Required profile

• Degree in Mechanical, Thermal/Fluid, Mechatronics, Electrical & Electronic, Systems, Materials Science or a related discipline.
• Basic understanding of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer or cold-chain storage.
• Hands-on, proactive approach to building physical prototypes and leading projects in a lab setting.
• Strong technical writing and data presentation skills.
• Entry-level candidates with strong final-year project experience in thermal fluids, mechatronics or smart hardware are encouraged to apply.

Required skills

• 3D CAD modelling (Autodesk Fusion 360 or SolidWorks) and Design for Manufacturing.
• Embedded electronics, microcontroller programming (Arduino / ESP32) and IoT sensor integration.
• Experience or interest in cryogenic fluids, heat exchangers or fluid pipeline design is a major advantage.