PhD Studentship: Smart Robotic Systems for Autonomous Inspection – Enhancing Data Collection and Analysis

Funding for this RAINZ studentship is provided by EPSRC and an industrial partner. This project is subject to funding being confirmed by the industry partner. The successful candidate will receive an annual stipend at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26) and tuition will be paid at the home rate. Please note. This position is for home students only.

This studentship is offered by the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence for Net Zero (RAINZ CDT) which is a partnership between three of the UKs leading universities (University of Manchester, University of Glasgow and University of Oxford).

Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) is an essential enabling technology for the Net Zero transition in the UK’s energy sector. However, significant technological and cultural barriers are limiting its effectiveness. Overcoming these barriers is a key target of this CDT. The focus of the CDT’s research projects will be how RAS can be used for the inspection, maintenance, and repair of new infrastructure in renewables (wind, solar, geothermal, tidal, hydrogen) and nuclear (fission and fusion), and to support the decarbonization of existing maintenance and decommissioning of assets.

We are seeking ambitious graduate scientists and engineers who are keen to acquire new skills and have a desire to help increase use of RAS to help decarbonise the energy sector. You will become a pioneer and leader in this increasingly important area of science and engineering.

RAINZ_CDT

Year 1: You will spend the first year of the CDT at the University of Manchester undertaking taught MSc studies and research training. You must achieve an average of 65% or higher in your MSc taught assessments to be considered for progression to the PhD studies.

Note: you will not graduate with an MSc. If you meet the progression criteria, you will transition directly onto the PhD.

Years 2 – 4: You will move to your host institute (University of Manchester, University of Glasgow, or University of Oxford) to undertake your PhD research, which will be complimented with a comprehensive cohort training and employability development programme.

About this Project

Year 1 MSc Course: MSc Robotics

Year 2 – 4 PhD Location: University of Manchester

Research Abstract: This project aims to address the challenges in robot inspection, which is one of the key applications in future robots. Often, as part of the inspection, robots collect various data, such as images, sounds, and tactile information. This project is to embed the intelligence into the robotics system. We expect the robot can conduct the inspection autonomously without human intervention. The student will conduct the following research activities with the chance of working with our industry partner.

• Define how to measure quality in inspection settings
• Define what actions are required from the robot to correct data of insufficient quality
• Deploy in a simulator for initial confirmation
• Deploy in a plant for testing

Applicants should have a First or strong Upper Second-class honours degree (2:1 with 65% average), or international equivalent, in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics with evidence of programming experience.

Applications should be made through the RAINZ CDT website: www.rainz-cdt.ac.uk, where you can also find further information about the CDT. Informal enquiries can be made by emailing rainz@manchester.ac.uk.

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