Are you passionate about developing novel research and keen to shape the future of RF and Microwave energy transfer technologies? We are recruiting a motivated PhD candidate to undertake an exciting project within the EPSRC Energy Transfer Technologies Doctoral Training Hub.
As a student of the Hub, you will receive an enhanced stipend of £24,780 per year from Oct 2025, plus additional funds of £7,000 a year for travel, conferences and research equipment. This project is co- funded by MBDA UK Ltd.
The project will focus on the Propagation of RF and Microwave Signals in non-linear and dispersive plasma media.
Plasma is a complex environment for EM waves, presenting cut-offs and resonances where energy can be reflected and absorbed, a range of subtle electromagnetic and electrostatic waves which exist only in the plasma state which can mediate non-linear energy exchange with marked sensitivity to the intensity, polarisation and propagation direction of the waves, especially when subject to external magnetic fields, whilst the dispersive and non-stationary nature of the media can result in refraction and temporal spreading of signals.
These effects can manifest in a range of practical environments, including the delivery of energy to a fusion plasma, interaction of radio wave in the ionosphere (with applications for communication and space weather).
The student will develop a range of transferrable skills in ‘in demand’ areas including:
The PhD student will be physically located in the Atoms Beams and Plasmas Group in the Physics Department at the University of Strathclyde.
The Doctoral Hub specialises in developing research and training the next generation of leaders in energy transfer technologies for defence and related sectors. The successful candidate will be based at the University of Strathclyde and throughout their PhD will benefit from the support and expertise of our diverse academic community, a community of students working towards similar goals, as well as our specialist industrial network.
The industrial partner, MBDA UK Ltd, is a major international company with interests in high power Microwave and RF systems, Pulsed Power Technology and Systems Engineering. The partner will provide PhD supervision, a placement and be part of the larger STH community benefiting in the diverse academic and industrial network offered by the STH.
PhD Candidates must hold a minimum of an upper Second Class UK Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant science or engineering discipline. Candidates must be UK Nationals and be willing to apply for and able to obtain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance.
We strongly recommend that you contact the supervisors for this project before you apply.
Please email Stuart.Reid@strath.ac.uk.
The Hub is committed to improving diversity within the sector and as such we aim to provide an inclusive environment in which all students can thrive. We particularly encourage applications from women, disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, and students from low-income/ non-typical backgrounds to apply. We can also consider part time PhD students. We encourage and support talented individuals from various STEM backgrounds with ambition and an interest in making a difference.
1e127ede32d8f816eacfb0aed73cee11
