We offer a range of PhDs funded by different sources, such as research councils, industries or charities. Here you will work with internationally respected academics, post-doctoral research associates and technicians.
To apply for a funded PhD, please read the advertised project information carefully as requirements will vary between funders. The project information will include information such as funding eligibility, application deadline dates and links to application forms. We will only consider applicants who have a relevant background and meet the funding criteria.
Browse our current PhD opportunities
accordion
About the Project
This four-year PhD project aims to support the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) mission to advance sustainable fusion energy and maximize its scientific and economic benefits. Future fusion reactors will harness the reaction between deuterium and tritium to produce significant amounts of low-carbon energy. Since tritium is a scarce resource, it must be generated in-situ through the transmutation of lithium, necessitating the design of a sophisticated breeder blanket that surrounds the plasma chamber. The breeder blanket operates under extreme environmental conditions, including high temperatures and intense neutron irradiation. These conditions span multiple time and length scales and involve various interdependent physical phenomena, making accurate prediction and design challenging. Consequently, developing breeder blankets requires multiphysics models that account for neutron and thermal transport, stress and strain, and fluid mechanics. UKAEA’s current multiphysics models include a basic framework for tritium transport through materials. However, this existing model lacks the capability to account for complex phenomena such as radiation-driven diffusion. Therefore, the primary goal of this project is to develop advanced tritium diffusion models for fusion reactors and integrate them into UKAEA’s multiphysics modelling framework. These models will be further parameterized using atomistic simulation techniques, including classical Molecular Dynamics (cMD) and Density Functional Theory (DFT). Once fully implemented and parameterised the multiphysics model will be employed to develop advanced breeder blankets for reactors, such as the UK Government’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP).
structure. In order to align bunches for collision, transverse RF cavities are used provide a time-varying kick to the beam, known as crab cavities. Lancaster are building on expertise on developing similar structures for the Large Hadron Collider.
The crab system will be designed and constructed by a collaboration of Lancaster University, Daresbury Laboratory and Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory. The student will join an internationally leading team of experts on one of the world’s most exciting engineering projects. The students will also be joining the Cockcroft Institute and will take part in a world leading PhD training program on particle accelerators.
The RF system is made of a superconducting radiofrequency cavity, operating at a temperature of 4.2 K, and a cryostat to support and cool the cavity to that temperature. The student will design the superconducting RF structure, including all RF couplers, and then work with industry to manufacture those cavities before testing them at high field. Due to the high beam currents the students will perform critical research in the use and impedance management of high frequency crab cavities. The student will be based at either Lancaster or Daresbury. The applicant will be expected to have a first or upper second class degree in physics, electronics or nuclear engineering and should have a good understanding of electromagnetism.
Funding Notes
Supported by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), UKRI/EPSRC and Lancaster University through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (i.e. £19,237 for 24/25 academic year) (all tax free).
How to Apply
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training) SATURN_Nuclear_CDT.
For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Samuel Murphy samuel.murphy@lancaster.ac.uk . Candidates interested in applying should first send an email expressing interest to saturn@manchester.ac.uk as soon as possible and by the closing date: 31st May 2025.
This project addresses the requirement to detect and quantify beta-emitting activity in contaminated land and liquid effluents. Strontium-90 and hence its daughter product yttrium-90 feature prominently as products of fission and pose significant radiological consequences due to the relatively high mobility of strontium and its similarity to calcium in terms of uptake in biological systems. Further, whilst these nuclides have no discernible gamma-ray signature to enable stand-off characterisation directly, it is nonetheless important that their presence in-situ can be quantified because yttrium is relatively insoluble compared to strontium and hence presents a different dynamic in aqueous environments to strontium. The aim of this project is to determine whether these nuclides can be discerned in-situ via their bremsstrahlung emissions. A good degree in Engineering, Physics or related discipline is required, comprising ideally a significant experimental component.
Funding Notes
This project is fully-funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (fees and maintenance) for eligible UK students.
Informal enquiries and how to apply
For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Malcolm Joyce (m.joyce@lancaster.ac.uk). Candidates interested in applying should send a copy of their CV together with a personal statement/covering letter addressing their background and suitability for this project to Professor Joyce as soon as possible.
About the Project
This PhD studentship is an exciting, fully funded opportunity to work as part of an internationally renowned scientific and engineering team to develop a new innovative technology to meet and overcome the serious challenges of increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the UK’s drinking water supplies.
Background
In the UK, and elsewhere, climate change is causing increased concentrations of DOC in peatland-fed raw waters. DOC can react with chlorine to produce carcinogenic disinfection by-products. This project aims to develop a new, effective, proof-of-concept process for removing DOC from raw drinking waters, using novel magnetic composite materials.
Objectives
The student will be directly involved in both the synthesis of the novel magnetic materials (in collaboration with Professor Barbara Maher, Lancaster Environment Centre and Dr James Byrne, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol), and, in collaboration with an Engineering-based supervisor (Dr Farid Aiouache) and a dedicated Research Assistant, tailoring the use of the new materials in the water treatment process. Specifically, the PhD project will address the following objectives:
Develop cost-effective, controlled processes for production of novel magneto-composites, with selected compositions, particle sizes and exchange properties.
Demonstrate DOC removal using the new materials, at various experimental scales (with the aim of reaching pilot-scale demonstration by end of Year 3)
Develop understanding of the underlying chemistry and associated transport phenomena inside the engineered flow process unit.
With our business specialist (Dr Alan Gilchrist), help to develop business and service models from technical and economic perspectives to support process scale-up and expansion.
Qualifications and experience
Candidates should be highly motivated, well-organised and have a relevant degree at 2.1 minimum in chemistry, environmental chemistry, chemical engineering, or related disciplines.
Previous experimental experience in water processing and analytical chemistry techniques (e.g. ICP-OES/MS; UV-vis spectroscopy, etc.) is not essential but would be beneficial.
Excellent skills in project management, practical laboratory knowledge, data processing, record keeping and organisation, and professional working attitude with a multidisciplinary project team.
Excellent communication skills, including preparing oral presentations, reports etc.
Funding Notes
This project is fully funded by OFWAT and Lancaster University’s Environment Centre and the School of Engineering and covers the tuition fee and a standard tax-free stipend at UKRI rates for three years for UK applicants (£19,237 for 24/25 academic year). The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to an ambitious project of one of the UK's most research-intensive universities. Applications are open exclusively to UK home fee candidates.
Enquiries
For informal enquiries to learn more about the PhD project candidates would be welcome to contact Professor Barbara Maher b.maher@lancaster.ac.uk and/or Dr James Byrne james.byrne@bristol.ac.uk). Interested applicants may contact Dr Farid Aiouache f.aiouache@lancaster.ac.uk with a copy of their CV and a covering letter explaining their suitability for the project.
About the Project
Supervisors: Dr Ziwei Wang (Engineering), Dr Elmira Yadollahi (SCC), Professor James Taylor (Engineering) and Professor Plamen Angelov (SCC)
By 2028, seven advanced gas-cooled reactors in the UK are scheduled to enter decommissioning. Furthermore, 11 Magnox nuclear reactors are currently at various stages of decommissioning. In response, robotic remote handling has been highlighted as a key activity by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
To date, most robotic teleoperation has been single-operator-single-robot (SOSR) using touch-based physical interfaces (e.g., Geomagic Touch). Earlier projects have proposed SOSR systems that require continuous use of touch-based hand exoskeleton or Virtual Reality devices, often leading to tremors and fatigue due to high attention demands. Although the EPSRC RAIN Hub and National Centre for Nuclear Robotics tested the deployment of two physical interfaces, this inherently limits the degrees of freedom (DoFs) for remote handling and requires higher skills in coordinated manipulation.
In contrast, hand gestures and gaze information inherently convey human intent without requiring physical contact, greatly expanding the DoFs for command inputs beyond traditional bimanual teleoperation. This enhancement can greatly augment the teleoperation flexibility in a cost-effective and training-less manner.
META4ND aims to revolutionise the robotic teleoperation paradigm for decommissioning, potentially lifting nuclear robotics to an unprecedented degree of intuitiveness, versatility and flexibility. We've designed three exciting work packages (WPs) for the successful candidate to investigate. The first two aim to improve the sensorimotor capabilities, as shown in Figure A. WP1 will develop a novel human-machine interface that facilitates intuitive, remote control of multiple robots using real-time dynamic hand gestures. This platform will visually represent the kinematic mapping between hand gestures and robotic motion. WP2 will develop an innovative gaze-based control system that facilitates additional human input extracted from eye activities beyond hand movements, adapting swiftly to tasks requiring rapid commands. WP3 focuses on developing stabilised safe control protocols for remote handling to meet the rich interaction demands (see Figure B). This will enhance the targeted decommissioning scenarios by integrating the virtual interactive interface developed in WP1-2, along with multimodal sensory feedback and a distributed multi-agent controller.
With META4ND, we’re aiming to take nuclear robotics to the next level. Are you ready to be part of this revolution?
General eligibility criteria: Applicants would normally be expected to hold a minimum of a UK Honours degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in a relevant degree course.
Project specific criteria: The ideal candidate should have strong background in robotics, control theory and human-robot interaction, rich experiences in coding such as MATLAB and Python; excellent oral and written communication skills with ability to prepare presentations, reports, and journal papers to the highest levels of quality; excellent interpersonal skill to work effectively in a team consisting of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Non-UK students are welcomed to apply. Overseas applicants should submit IELTS results (minimum 6.5) if applicable.
Funding
A tax-free stipend will be paid at the standard UKRI rate; £19,237 in 2024/25. This is a fully funded studentship of 3.5 years for UK/Home students.
How to Apply
Interested applicants are welcome to get in touch to learn more about the PhD project. Please contact Dr Ziwei Wang for more information.
You will receive a generic acknowledgement in receipt of successfully sending the application documents.
Please note that only applications submitted as per these instructions will be considered.
Please note that, if English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in English. This evidence is only required if you are offered a funded PhD and is not required as part of this application process.
Please note that, if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date then you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. If you would like feedback on your application, please contact the supervisors of the project.
Dates
Deadline for candidate applications: 28th April 2025
Provisional Interview Date: May 2025
Start Date: October 2025
Further reading
Z. Wang et al., "Learning to Assist Bimanual Teleoperation Using Interval Type-2 Polynomial Fuzzy Inference," IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 416-425, April 2024.
Z. J. Hu, Z. Wang, Y. Huang, A. Sena, F. Rodriguez y Baena and E. Burdet, "Towards Human-Robot Collaborative Surgery: Trajectory and Strategy Learning in Bimanual Peg Transfer," IEEERobotics and Automation Letters, vol. 8, no. 8, pp. 4553-4560, Aug. 2023.
Z. Wang et al., "Adaptive Event-Triggered Control for Nonlinear Systems with Asymmetric State Constraints: A Prescribed-Time Approach," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 68, no. 6, pp. 3625-3632, June 2023.
Z. Wang, B. Liang, Y. Sun and T. Zhang, "Adaptive Fault-Tolerant Prescribed-Time Control for Teleoperation Systems with Position Error Constraints," IEEE Transactions on IndustrialInformatics, vol. 16, no. 7, pp. 4889-4899, July 2020.
Z. Wang, H. -K. Lam, B. Xiao, Z. Chen, B. Liang and T. Zhang, "Event-Triggered Prescribed-Time Fuzzy Control for Space Teleoperation Systems Subject to Multiple Constraints and Uncertainties," IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems, vol. 29, no. 9, pp. 2785-2797, Sept. 2021.
N. Rajabi et al., "Detecting the Intention of Object Handover in Human-Robot Collaborations: An EEG Study," 2023 32nd IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), Busan, Korea, Republic of, 2023, pp. 549-555.
About the Project
Supervisors: Dr Luigi Capozzi (Engineering) and Dr John Hardy (Chemistry)
Microfibers from textiles are a major source of microplastic pollution, posing environmental and health risks. Current wastewater treatment methods struggle to effectively capture these particles, often relying on energy-intensive filtration systems. This PhD project will explore a novel approach to microfiber removal. Using CFD-DEM simulations, AI and experimental validation, the project will design and optimise systems that improve microfiber capture efficiency while reducing energy consumption. The research will integrate advanced simulation techniques with material design, offering a scalable and sustainable solution for wastewater treatment.
General eligibility criteria: Applicants would normally be expected to hold a minimum of a UK Honours degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in a relevant degree course.
Project specific criteria: The ideal candidate will have an interest in fluid mechanics, computational modelling, and sustainable engineering solutions. Experience with numerical simulations or materials processing is beneficial but not required.
Funding
A tax-free stipend will be paid at the standard UKRI rate; £19,237 in 2024/25. This is a fully funded studentship of 3.5 years for UK/Home students.
How to Apply
Interested applicants are welcome to get in touch to learn more about the PhD project. Please contact Dr Luigi Capozzi for more information.
You will receive a generic acknowledgement in receipt of successfully sending the application documents.
Please note that only applications submitted as per these instructions will be considered.
Please note that, if English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in English. This evidence is only required if you are offered a funded PhD and is not required as part of this application process.
Please note that, if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date then you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. If you would like feedback on your application, please contact the supervisors of the project.
Dates
Deadline for candidate applications: 28th April 2025
Provisional Interview Date: May 2025
Start Date: October 2025
About the Project
Proposed here is the development of an automated detection and fingerprinting method using machine learning and spectra unfolding techniques for the real-time, in-situ monitoring and determination of weak beta-emitting radionuclides found in groundwater around nuclear sites without the need for sampling. This will utilise state-of-the-art technology recently developed by the research team capable of detecting beta-emitting radionuclides in water.
Remote monitoring of groundwater sites is notoriously difficult owing to the array of chemical and physical contaminates that can potentially be found due to the varied past uses of sites, such as Sellafield, including non-nuclear activities. Detection and identification of beta-emitting radionuclides such as 3H, 40K, 90Sr, 125Sb, etc. in boreholes is a complex but important task due to the emission of ionising radiation which can be hazardous to human health. Hence the requirement to monitor groundwater to ensure it meets national and international legislation. This task is difficult as the beta particles emitted have broad, over-lapping energy spectra, and are absorbed within a very short distance from creation in water. Currently, the assay of radionuclides producing weak beta radiation is undertaken via the sending of samples to 3rd party labs for extraction and analysis – a costly and time-consuming method.
This project will build on a previous successful NDA bursary funded project ‘In-situ Real-time Monitoring of Waterborne Low Energy Betas’ (NNL/UA/006) led by the research team here. In this project, a prototype system was developed [1, 2] capable of detecting weak beta-emitting radionuclides, such as tritium, in groundwater. The detectors developed were designed to fit in boreholes and detect radionuclides in water without having to remove samples from the borehole. An efficient data management system [1] was also developed to facilitate extended testing and communications required for deployment.
The proposed project will use this technology directly but extend the functionality to automatically detect and quantify the concentrations of individual weak beta-emitting radionuclides, such as tritium and 14C, in the presence of 90Sr, which is the dominant high-energy beta-emitting radionuclide in groundwater on site at Sellafield. The research will focus on developing machine learning algorithms to extend total beta analysis to individual weak beta-emitting radionuclides, automating the analysis, and negating the need for sampling and laboratory separation and chemical analysis. It hence will become far cheaper to screen boreholes frequently.
SATURN_Nuclear_CDT
Funding Notes
The project will be part of the EPSRC-supported Centre for Doctoral Training in SATURN (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear). This is a fully funded PhD studentship, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the NDA. The funding covers tuition fees and provides an enhanced annual tax-free stipend for 4 years commencing at £23,349. It is available for a student from the United Kingdom or from the European Union with 3 years residency in the UK. There will also be a £29,300 research support and training grant over the lifetime of the award.
References
[1] Compact Back-End Electronics with Temperature Compensation and Efficient Data Management for In Situ SiPM-Based Radiation Detection. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23084053
[2] Laminated Flow-Cell Detector with Granulated Scintillator for the Detection of Tritiated Water. https://doi.org/10.3390/radiation3040017
Informal enquiries and how to apply
Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisor Dr David Cheneler (d.cheneler@lancaster.ac.uk) to discuss their interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting an application, and also register their interest with the EPSRC CDT SATURN (Saturn@manchester.ac.uk) for this project.
Applicants should have a minimum of an upper second-class honours degree in electronic engineering, mechatronic engineering, computer science, or a related technical subject.
About the Project
Supervisors: Dr Naval Singh (Engineering) and Dr Shefeeq Theparambil (Biomedical and Life Sciences)
Biological membranes are fundamental structures found in all living cells, forming protective barriers that regulate the exchange of molecules, including nutrients, ions, and gases. The transport of gases such as oxygen (O₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and nitrogen (N₂) across these membranes is essential for cellular respiration, metabolism, and overall physiological function. The rapidly evolving field of microfluidics, which enables precise fluid manipulation on a microscopic scale, offers innovative tools like lab-on-a-chip technology to study gas transport, overcoming limitations of conventional methods and finding applications across industries from pharmaceuticals to drug delivery. The goal of this research is to understand how impaired gas transport and membrane dysfunction contribute to diseases like Alzheimer’s and ischaemic stroke, while the mechanisms governing gas diffusion remain poorly understood.
The project aims to develop and optimise innovative strategies to control gas transport through biological membranes in a microfluidic environment. The candidate will design and fabricate microfluidic devices and characterise the flow interaction through state-of-the-art fluorescence microscopy methods. The project will investigate how membrane composition, particularly lipid and cholesterol balance, affects gas diffusion using engineered phospholipid liposomes and microfluidic techniques to uncover insights into vascular health, brain metabolism and potential therapies for neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. There will be exposure to several experimental techniques for the synthesis and characterisation of functional microparticles and undertaking proof-of-concept studies to identify prospective applications of the developed microfluidic systems.
You will be member of a vibrant research group with state-of-the-art microfabrication and high-resolution fluorescence imaging facilities and will receive full support and training for developing your research. During the project, the candidate will collaborate with multidisciplinary researchers from University College London and University of Manchester.
General eligibility criteria: Applicants would normally be expected to hold a minimum of a UK Honours degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in a relevant degree course.
Project specific criteria: The ideal candidate will have an interest in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Biophysics, Biotechnology, Cell Biology, Tissue Engineering.
Funding
A tax-free stipend will be paid at the standard UKRI rate; £19,237 in 2024/25. This is a fully funded studentship of 3.5 years for UK/Home students.
How to Apply
Interested applicants are welcome to get in touch to learn more about the PhD project. Please contact primary supervisor Dr Naval Singh for more information.
You will receive a generic acknowledgement in receipt of successfully sending the application documents.
Please note that only applications submitted as per these instructions will be considered.
Please note that, if English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in English. This evidence is only required if you are offered a funded PhD and is not required as part of this application process.
Please note that, if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date then you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. If you would like feedback on your application, please contact the supervisors of the project.
Dates
Deadline for candidate applications: 28th April 2025
Provisional Interview Date: May 2025
Start Date: October 2025
Further Reading
S.M. Theparambil et al., Nature, 2024, 632, 8023
S.M. Theparambil et al., Nature Communications, 2020, 11.
Singh et al., Physical Review Letters, 2020, 125, 248002.
Singh et al., Langmuir, 2022, 38, 46.
About the Project
Supervisors: Dr Zhongming Zhang (Engineering), Dr Wenjuan Yu (SCC), and Dr Yuqian Wan (Management Science)
Are you ready to apply cutting-edge digital technology to solve real-world challenges in nuclear waste management? This project offers an exciting opportunity to develop a blockchain-based system for tracking and transporting radioactive waste. With the increasing complexity of decommissioning nuclear facilities, ensuring the safe, transparent, and efficient transport of radioactive materials is more critical than ever.
You’ll work at the intersection of blockchain innovation, logistics optimisation, and environmental sustainability. The system you help design will provide secure, tamper-proof tracking and even monitor carbon emissions during transport, contributing to the UK’s net-zero goals.
Guided by a multidisciplinary supervision team, you’ll gain hands-on experience with blockchain development, smart contract implementation, and real-world testing in simulated environments. If you’re passionate about emerging technologies and want to make a meaningful impact in nuclear safety and environmental sustainability, this project is the perfect way to build your expertise while tackling global challenges.
General eligibility criteria: Applicants would normally be expected to hold a minimum of a UK Honours degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in a relevant degree course.
Project specific criteria: The ideal candidate will have an interest in emerging technologies, particularly blockchain systems, and their real-world applications in critical infrastructure. A background or strong interest in nuclear engineering, computer science, or logistics management is highly desirable. Candidates should be curious about interdisciplinary research, eager to explore sustainability solutions, and motivated to address practical challenges in nuclear waste transport and carbon footprint reduction. Strong problem-solving skills, a willingness to learn, and the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team are essential. Familiarity with programming, database management, or supply chain processes would be advantageous but not required, as training and guidance will be provided.
Funding
A tax-free stipend will be paid at the standard UKRI rate; £19,237 in 2024/25. This is a fully funded studentship of 3.5 years for UK/Home students.
How to Apply
Interested applicants are welcome to get in touch to learn more about the PhD project. Please contact Dr Zhongming Zhang for more information.
You will receive a generic acknowledgement in receipt of successfully sending the application documents.
Please note that only applications submitted as per these instructions will be considered.
Please note that, if English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in English. This evidence is only required if you are offered a funded PhD and is not required as part of this application process.
Please note that, if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date then you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. If you would like feedback on your application, please contact the supervisors of the project.
Dates
Deadline for candidate applications: 28th April 2025
Provisional Interview Date: May 2025
Start Date: October 2025
Further Reading
Ecemis, Irem Nur, et al. "Exploring Blockchain for Nuclear Material Tracking: A Scoping Review and Innovative Model Proposal." Energies 17.12 (2024): 3028.
Yessenbayev, Olzhas, et al. "Combining blockchain and IoT for safe and transparent nuclear waste management: A prototype implementation." Journal of Industrial Information Integration 39 (2024): 100596.
About the Project
Supervisors: Professor Crispin Halsall (LEC), Dr Caroline Weight (Biomedical and Life Sciences) and Dr Naval Singh (Engineering)
The respiratory epithelium maintains a healthy breathing environment but exposure to air pollution increases susceptibility to respiratory infection. Disease caused from absorption of microplastics, nanoplastics and air particulate matter kill over 4.2 million people every year and respiratory tract infections account for nearly 2.5 million deaths globally, of which the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause. Here, you will characterise the chemical composition of air pollutants and assess their damage to human cells derived from the nose. You will identify novel molecular and cellular mechanisms which generate protective immunity against respiratory infections through characterising effects of exposure to air pollutants. These data will identify novel molecular signalling pathways that influence generation of protective immunity, critical in therapeutic targets and vaccine design.
This project involves innovative chemical analytical and host-pathogen models, and you will learn a variety of different techniques spanning across Biomedical, Chemical and Engineering disciplines including chromatography, spectroscopy, confocal microscopy and microbiology. You will also receive diverse training in both scientific and career developmental opportunities.
General eligibility criteria: Applicants would normally be expected to hold a minimum of a UK Honours degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in a Chemical/Biology/Biotechnology/Microfluidics or other relevant degree course.
Project specific criteria: The ideal candidate will have an interest in Environmental Science, Chemistry, Bacteriology, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biophysics, Biotechnology, Cell Biology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Tissue Engineering.
Funding
A tax-free stipend will be paid at the standard UKRI rate of £19,237 in 2024/25. This is a fully funded studentship of 3.5 years for UK/Home students.
How to Apply
Interested applicants are welcome to get in touch to learn more about the PhD project. Please contact Dr Caroline Weight for more information.
You will receive a generic acknowledgement in receipt of successfully sending the application documents.
Please note that only applications submitted as per these instructions will be considered.
Please note that, if English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in English. This evidence is only required if you are offered a funded PhD and is not required as part of this application process.
Please note that, if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date then you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. If you would like feedback on your application, please contact the supervisors of the project.
Dates
Deadline for candidate applications: 28th April 2025
Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021 May 25:11:651474. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.651474.
SATURN-CDT PhDs
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear (SATURN) is a collaborative CDT involving the Universities of Manchester, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and Strathclyde will work towards building the skills base needed to support the UK’s net zero targets. Please see the listed Lancaster-based PhD opportunities below:
accordion
Supervisors
Professor Paul Smith - Lancaster University
Dr Charalampos Rotsos - Lancaster University
Dr Antonio Bi Buono - NNL
About the Project
To ensure the economic viability of new nuclear designs, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs), new operating concepts are being considered, including remote operations and fleet management. To support these operating concepts, the adoption of novel digital technologies, which are new to the nuclear sector, is deemed essential. This includes a fundamental shift in the application and types of communications technologies that are used, including heterogeneous telecommunications systems and wireless technology.
This PhD project will investigate and provide essential insights into the secure and resilient use of these communication systems for new nuclear designs. This will include identifying requirements for novel operating concepts with different criticalities, developing attack scenarios, and evaluating the robustness of communication technologies to attack. Furthermore, the project will examine the suitability of emerging network management approaches, which aim to minimise operational overheads, to realise important communication security and resilience requirements for new nuclear designs. The outcomes from this project are essential to the success of enabling new operating concepts and fleet management approaches.
Candidates interested in applying should first send an email expressing interest to saturn@manchester.ac.uk as soon as possible and by the closing date: 31st May 2025.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University and UKNNL through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
About the Project
This four-year PhD project aims to support the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) mission to advance sustainable fusion energy and maximize its scientific and economic benefits. Future fusion reactors will harness the reaction between deuterium and tritium to produce significant amounts of low-carbon energy. Since tritium is a scarce resource, it must be generated in-situ through the transmutation of lithium, necessitating the design of a sophisticated breeder blanket that surrounds the plasma chamber. The breeder blanket operates under extreme environmental conditions, including high temperatures and intense neutron irradiation. These conditions span multiple time and length scales and involve various interdependent physical phenomena, making accurate prediction and design challenging. Consequently, developing breeder blankets requires multiphysics models that account for neutron and thermal transport, stress and strain, and fluid mechanics. UKAEA’s current multiphysics models include a basic framework for tritium transport through materials. However, this existing model lacks the capability to account for complex phenomena such as radiation-driven diffusion. Therefore, the primary goal of this project is to develop advanced tritium diffusion models for fusion reactors and integrate them into UKAEA’s multiphysics modelling framework. These models will be further parameterized using atomistic simulation techniques, including classical Molecular Dynamics (cMD) and Density Functional Theory (DFT). Once fully implemented and parameterised the multiphysics model will be employed to develop advanced breeder blankets for reactors, such as the UK Government’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP).
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
Candidates interested in applying should first send an email expressing interest to SATURN CDT as soon as possible and by the closing date: 31st May 2025.
Funding Notes
Supported by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), UKRI/EPSRC and Lancaster University through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£19,237) (all tax free).
Supervisors:
Dr David Cheneler - Lancaster Universityr
Dr Stephen Monk - Lancaster University
Dr James Graham - Sellafield Ltd
About the Project
Proposed here is the development of an automated detection and fingerprinting method using machine learning and spectra unfolding techniques for the real-time, in-situ monitoring and determination of weak beta-emitting radionuclides found in groundwater around nuclear sites without the need for sampling. This will utilise state-of-the-art technology recently developed by the research team capable of detecting beta-emitting radionuclides in water.
Remote monitoring of groundwater sites is notoriously difficult owing to the array of chemical and physical contaminates that can potentially be found due to the varied past uses of sites, such as Sellafield, including non-nuclear activities. Detection and identification of beta-emitting radionuclides such as 3H, 40K, 90Sr, 125Sb, etc. in boreholes is a complex but important task due to the emission of ionising radiation which can be hazardous to human health. Hence the requirement to monitor groundwater to ensure it meets national and international legislation. This task is difficult as the beta particles emitted have broad, over-lapping energy spectra, and are absorbed within a very short distance from creation in water. Currently, the assay of radionuclides producing weak beta radiation is undertaken via the sending of samples to 3rd party labs for extraction and analysis – a costly and time-consuming method.
This project will build on a previous successful NDA bursary funded project ‘In-situ Real-time Monitoring of Waterborne Low Energy Betas’ (NNL/UA/006) led by the research team here. In this project, a prototype system was developed [1, 2] capable of detecting weak beta-emitting radionuclides, such as tritium, in groundwater. The detectors developed were designed to fit in boreholes and detect radionuclides in water without having to remove samples from the borehole. An efficient data management system [1] was also developed to facilitate extended testing and communications required for deployment.
The proposed project will use this technology directly but extend the functionality to automatically detect and quantify the concentrations of individual weak beta-emitting radionuclides, such as tritium and 14C, in the presence of 90Sr, which is the dominant high-energy beta-emitting radionuclide in groundwater on site at Sellafield. The research will focus on developing machine learning algorithms to extend total beta analysis to individual weak beta-emitting radionuclides, automating the analysis, and negating the need for sampling and laboratory separation and chemical analysis. It hence will become far cheaper to screen boreholes frequently.
Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisor Dr David Cheneler to discuss their interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting an application, also register their interest with the SATURN CDT for this project.
Applicants should have a minimum of an upper second-class honours degree in electronic engineering, mechatronic engineering, computer science, or a related technical subject.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University and the NDA through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
References
[1] Compact Back-End Electronics with Temperature Compensation and Efficient Data Management for In Situ SiPM-Based Radiation Detection. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23084053 [2] Laminated Flow-Cell Detector with Granulated Scintillator for the Detection of Tritiated Water. https://doi.org/10.3390/radiation3040017
Supervisors:
Professor Colin Boxall, Lancaster University
Dr Thomas Carey, UKNNL Ltd
Dr Adam Lang, Environment Agency
About the Project
The UK government is updating its guidance to help responsible authorities prepare for an uncontrolled release of radioactivity to the urban environment, due to either a nuclear accident or a radiological terrorist attack. Previous radiation emergencies in the UK and overseas have shown that decontamination of buildings and infrastructure after either such event can produce large volumes of waste which can be difficult to manage.
Historical nuclear accidents indicate that the nature of caesium-137 (137Cs) contamination on different grades of concrete can be markedly different following a radioactive fallout event in an urban environment. These inconsistencies can significantly influence the efficacy of a candidate decontamination technique and the resulting waste volume. Complexities in radionuclide contamination behaviour therefore make it challenging to develop robust decontamination and waste management strategies for radiation incidents.
This PhD project aims to fill this gap by investigating the physical and chemical processes which promote 137Cs accumulation on urban concrete materials during a radiation incident. Decontamination and waste management implications of 137Cs contamination phenomena will also be assessed.
This project will aim to:
1. Through use of non-radioactive Cs surrogates and 137Cs (spiked) samples, explore the interactions between 137Cs fallout and UK concrete construction materials using laboratory rigs and advanced characterisation techniques; and
2. Determine the effectiveness of decontamination methods for removing 137Cs from urban concrete infrastructure and evaluate the waste volumes and activities generated.
The outputs of this project will be used to inform UK radiation emergency planning. This includes improving models developed by the UK and/or international partners to estimate the waste consequences of recovering from urban contamination events.
This project is a collaboration between Lancaster University, The UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and the UK’s Environment Agency (EA). Experimental work will be conducted primarily in Lancaster’s UTGARD (Uranium-Thorium beta-Gamma Active R&D) Lab using non-radioactive Cs surrogates and 137Cs (spiked) samples, with opportunities to conduct specific higher activity 137Cs-based radiological tests within the facilities at the National Nuclear Laboratory.
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training):
You should address your background and suitability for this project in your personal statement.
SATURN_Nuclear_CDT
Supervisors:
Professor Colin Boxall
Dr Fabrice Andrieux
Matthew O’Sullivan, Sellafield Ltd
Tom Bainbridge, Sellafield Ltd
Since the 1950s, Sellafield site has been the hub of the UK nuclear industry. Across this time the site has been used for various activities including, experimental reactors, commercial power generation, fuel and waste storage and fuel reprocessing.
These activities have generated aluminium wastes that are planned to be retrieved from existing facilities and held in modern storage facilities before eventual conditioning for disposal within a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). This includes British Experimental Pile fuel (BEP0) from the Windscale Pile reactors (stored within ponds) as well as miscellaneous aluminium items disposed of to the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) which received primarily Magnox swarf resulting from de-canning of Magnox fuel between the 1960s and the 1990s.
To appropriately manage these wastes, Sellafield must understand aluminium behaviour in different storage environments. Evidence for the corrosion of aluminium in the environments at Sellafield is limited and often contradictory. Experimental trials have previously concluded that aluminium will not corrode in the presence of Magnox corrosion product. Observations have been made from inspection of material in the ponds that some aluminium items have corroded whilst others have not. Whereas observations from retrieval activities so far in MSSS indicate that the aluminium waste items in this facility are likely to have largely corroded away.
The aim of this project is to study the corrosion of aluminium in environments analogous to current and future storage conditions at Sellafield. The results of this project will influence strategy for retrieval, storage conditioning and disposal of nuclear wastes.
This project is a collaboration between Lancaster University and Sellafield Ltd. Experimental work will be conducted primarily in Lancaster’s UTGARD (Uranium-Thorium beta-Gamma Active R&D) Lab.
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
Supported by Sellafield Ltd., UKRI/EPSRC and Lancaster University through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants, the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
Supervisors:
Dr Stephen Monk - Lancaster University
Dr David Cheneler - Lancaster University
Dr Jeremy Andrew - NRS Dounreay
About the Project
Due to space and dose constraints, human access is rarely achievable within pipework across the nuclear estate. However, pipe-crawling robots are a current hotbed of research activity with numerous devices developed for similar applications.
This project involves the development of a modular robot/sensor network capable of traversing 50 mm pipework featuring swept bends and T-pieces. This follows on from another PhD study concerned with the development of an inchworm locomotive (in collaboration with Dounreay). Within this project, the successful candidate will develop several interchangeable modules.
A High-Resolution Imaging module using standard machine learning techniques at the front to provide vision data enabling navigation whilst also providing information to the user concerning contaminants such as residual liquor.
Corrosion Sensing module utilising one of numerous options for corrosion sensing in the literature. We would anticipate using ultrasonic methods as they appear to be the most suitable within pipes of this nature. Other groups have also looked at using fibre optics to determine corrosion levels – so there are numerous options to try.
A spray delivery module utilising an electrically actuated system which will be developed with a syringe mechanism. This module could utilise a decontaminant such as nitric acid or a rapid drying fixative depending on exact application.
A bespoke radiological instrumentation module – involving bare photodiodes to monitor alpha particles, B-10 coated ones to detect neutrons and CeBr3 detectors to detect gamma and beta via discrimination algorithms. All sensors will provide spectroscopic (energy) discrimination to enable specific nuclide identification. This is a significant challenge (low alpha in presence of high beta for example).
A Ramen Spectroscopy module which will be used to better determine analytes within the pipework such as liquor.
It is intended that the device be connected via umbilical containing both optical fibre communications (limited in length by factors such as friction) and power leads.
This project would suit a candidate with interests in areas such as electronics and robotics, although any weaknesses will be rectified via training courses to optimise chances of project success. This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisor Dr Stephen Monk to discuss their interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting an application, also register their interest with the SATURN CDT for this project.
Applicants should have a minimum of an upper second-class honours degree in electronic engineering, mechatronic engineering, computer science, or a related technical subject.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University, UKNNL and the NDA through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free). Please note: this opportunity is only for UK students due to funding and security reasons.
References
[1] Blewitt, Gabrielle, David Cheneler, Jeremy Andrew, and Stephen Monk. "A review of worm-like pipe inspection robots: research, trends and challenges." (2024).
Supervisors:
Professor Colin Boxall, Lancaster University
Dr Mick Bromley, Lancaster University
Dr Josh Turner, UKNNL Ltd
Jo Pugh, Sellafield Ltd
About the Project
Ruthenium is a fission product possessed of two relatively long-lived stable isotopes: Ru-103 (half life = 39.8 days) and Ru-106 (half life = 1 year). Both isotopes are present in UK spent fuel and so have had to be accounted for during the reprocessing or disposal of that fuel. At a number of stages during the processing of spent fuel, ruthenium can be exposed to high nitric acid, high temperature conditions that may lead to its transfer into the gas phase as ruthenium tetroxide. Two such stages are the dissolution of spent fuel into concentrated nitric acid at the start of reprocessing, and the vitrification of ruthenium into a glass waste form after reprocessing has occurred.
Volatilisation is to be avoided as the resultant gas phase ruthenium may then redeposit within metal pipework elsewhere in the plant which will then have to be decontaminated. However, ruthenium volatilisation occurs at unexpectedly low temperatures. Whilst RuO2 is not seen to volatilise below 900oC, gaseous ruthenium oxides have been seen to evolve from solutions of Ru in nitric acid at temperatures as low as 150oC – making the management of ruthenium difficult during reprocessing and vitrification.
Thus, given its volatile nature and high specific radioactivity ruthenium presents a strong challenge to the nuclear industry in effectively managing its abatement. Key challenges are to fully understand the highly complex solution/solid state chemistries that obtain not only under conditions relevant to dissolvers, evaporators and vitrification plants, but also in the decontamination methods used in its clean up. Using a combination of chemical, analytical and engineering approaches, we shall seek to address these challenges in this PhD.
This project is a collaboration between Lancaster University, The UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and Sellafield Ltd. Experimental work will be conducted primarily in Lancaster’s UTGARD (Uranium-Thorium beta-Gamma Active R&D) Lab.
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
You should address your background and suitability for this project in your personal statement.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University, UKNNL and Sellafield Ltd. through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
Supervisors:
Professor Colin Boxall, Lancaster University
Dr Richard Wilbraham, Lancaster University
Dr Luke Townsend, NWS Ltd
About the Project
In the UK, spent nuclear fuel is due for disposal in a geological disposal facility (GDF) and in order to enable this a robust, scientifically underpinned safety case is required. Developing a safety case relies upon reliable and thorough fundamental scientific evidence to support claims and arguments that the characteristics and behaviour of spent nuclear fuel are understood to the required level.
Of the many facets associated with spent fuel, one key area of understanding that requires development is the chemistry and location of important fission products (such as 79Se) in the spent fuel matrix. As real spent fuel presents challenges, from safe handling to limitations on the techniques available for analysis and characterisation, SIMFUELs present an opportunity to develop the knowledge base of spent fuels under lower radioactivity conditions. To this end, this project aims to develop representative SIMFUELs to better understand the chemistry of key fission products, such as 79Se, in the UO2 spent fuel matrix.
Once developed, corrosion testing of the SIMFUEL will be performed to understand how the presence of Se in the matrix affects the behaviour of the material; providing important underpinning for how spent fuel may behave under repository conditions. Producing SIMFUELs relevant to the UK spent fuel inventory is of significant importance to ongoing and future spent fuel research programme.
This project is a collaboration between Lancaster and Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) Ltd. Experimental work will be conducted primarily in Lancaster’s UTGARD (Uranium-Thorium beta-Gamma Active R&D) Lab
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
You should address your background and suitability for this project in your personal statement.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University and Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) Ltd. through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
How to apply
Step 1
To register your interest in a PhD opportunity, please email the relevant project supervisor with your contact details and a comprehensive CV. Please also include a covering letter, if requested in the advert details.
Step 2
The project supervisor will contact you and may invite you to hold a Skype or telephone interview. At this stage, you can apply for more than one advertised project if you wish.
Step 3
If you are successful at interview for the studentship, you will be invited to apply via the admissions portal online. This will ensure that you receive a formal offer of admission. Please submit one application only, and state the studentship that you have applied for in the source of funding section.
Step 4
Once we have made a formal offer, you will need to check the conditions in your offer letter and supply any outstanding documents by the required deadlines. If your offer is unconditional, then this will not apply to you.
Other methods of applying for a PhD
Studying for a research degree is a highly rewarding and challenging process. You'll work to become a leading expert in your topic area with regular contact and close individual supervision with your supervisor.
If you have your own research idea, we can help you to develop it. To begin this process you will need to find a PhD Supervisor from one of our research groups, whose research interests align with your own.
