Please see below for current funding opportunities in the department: 

Scholarships

Autonomous Resilient Architectures:

Autonomous Resilient Architectures: design autonomous, fractionated and swarm-style constellation architectures with self-reconfiguration and self-healing capabilities, demonstrated in high-fidelity simulation and CubeSat/robotic prototypes. (MBSE, multi-agent RL, ROS/AGI-STK). 

What you’ll gain: hands-on systems design, cutting-edge AI/autonomy experience, access to DSTL expertise and secondments, opportunities for experimental prototyping and conference travel, plus the real-world challenge of engineering resilient systems for an increasingly contested and critical space for the global economy.

Who should apply: Final-year MEng students and MRes/MSc students in Design Engineering (or closely related disciplines) with strong interest/experience in systems design, autonomy, robotics, AI/ML and/or aerospace. Motivated candidates with interdisciplinary ambition are encouraged.

What is covers: 

3 years full Home tuition fees.

3.5 years of UKRI rate monthly stipend.

How to express interest: Email me back with your CV and a one-paragraph statement of interest (which project excites you and why). I’ll arrange informal chats with the supervision team and DSTL for promising applicants.

Requirement: British citizenship

All enquiries should contact Dr Michel-Alexandre Cardin in the first instance. 

“Small Features; Big Impact - Characterising the porous microstructure of battery electrodes.”

How can we rigorously quantify and reduce uncertainty in microstructure-derived parameters used in electrode-scale battery models by linking state-of-the-art FIB-SEM characterisation and AI-driven image analysis to performance simulation.

This project will require the development of deep expertise of electron microscopy, as well as various other materials characterisation techniques. You will also make use of foundation vision models and generative AI in collaboration with Imperial spin-out Polaron (www.polaron.ai).

This PhD is open to home students only (UK nationals or those with settled status). 

Check if you are eligible here.

Faraday Institution PhD researchers receive a UKRI stipend, which includes additional funding where applicable for London weighting. All researchers will also receive £2,000 per year to support training and consumables, alongside access to a bespoke Faraday Institution PhD Training Programme valued at approximately £5,000 per year. Recipients benefit from a wide range of development opportunities, including networking events, industry visits, mentorship, and internships, as well as high-quality training experiences designed to further develop their knowledge, skills, and career aspirations. Details of previous training programmes can be found on the Faraday Institution website.

To apply for a Faraday Institution PhD position, applicants must complete both of the following steps:

a. Submit a short Faraday Institution expression of interest form.

b. Apply through the university application process, as outlined in the advertisement.

Please contact Dr Sam Cooper if you are interested. 

Discover more about equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) at Imperial, including the support and resources available for our staff and students.

Predictive Threat Modelling & AI

Predictive Threat Modelling & AI: build ML/AI toolkits and a generative-AI backed simulation testbed to detect, forecast and optimise responses to kinetic, directed-energy and cyber threats to satellite and other critical space systems. (ML, deep learning, reinforcement learning, decision-support).

What you’ll gain: hands-on systems design, cutting-edge AI/autonomy experience, access to DSTL expertise and secondments, opportunities for experimental prototyping and conference travel, plus the real-world challenge of engineering resilient systems for an increasingly contested and critical space for the global economy.

Who should apply: Final-year MEng students and MRes/MSc students in Design Engineering (or closely related disciplines) with strong interest/experience in systems design, autonomy, robotics, AI/ML and/or aerospace. Motivated candidates with interdisciplinary ambition are encouraged.

What it covers: 

3 years full Home tuition fees.

3.5 years of UKRI rate monthly stipend.

How to express interest: Email me back with your CV and a one-paragraph statement of interest (which project excites you and why). I’ll arrange informal chats with the supervision team and DSTL for promising applicants.

Requirement: British citizenship

All enquiries should contact Dr Michel-Alexandre Cardin in the first instance. 

Sustainable City Design

NICE-Imperial Centre of Excellence – Create Futures, Imperial College London

This is a fully funded home PhD scholarship at Imperial College London through the NICE Imperial Centre of Excellence – Create Futures, on the theme of Sustainable Megacity Design. The National Innovation Centre par Excellence (NICE) is a comprehensive innovation centre joint between the Shanghai municipality and Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces.

The doctoral programme is due to begin in late September 2026. The application deadline is 15th of August 2026.

Context and objective

As the world’s population increasingly concentrates in urban centres, the design and delivery of sustainable mega cities have never been more urgent or more ambitious. The Centre sits at the heart of this challenge, pioneering integrated approaches to smart infrastructure, energy systems and urban planning that place people, planet and prosperity at their core. The NICE Imperial Centre of Excellence – Create Futures brings together a diverse ecosystem of actors, stakeholders, industries and communities to co-create the clean energy solutions that will define urban life for generations to come. By fostering deep, synergistic collaboration across public and private sectors, the Centre provides a clear and actionable pathway to sustainable, responsible and renewable energy supply and consumption at city scale and far beyond.

Research areas and PhD experience

The Centre undertakes fundamental multidisciplinary research and development in renewable energy – including solar, heat pumps and wind energy and how those systems can be implemented through innovative city design, city transformation and systems, as well as the living and working behaviours. The work will involve travel to China and within the UK.

Research is multi- and interdisciplinary, taking a systemic approach to sustainability that addresses people, technology and context. The successful candidate will work across several topic areas to research and develop sustainable solutions that can be implemented at scale. The ideal candidate is a team player with a passion for sustainable deep-tech, innovation and unconventional problem solving.

This is a studio-based PhD. Candidates work within a collaborative design studio and lab environment where ideas are developed, prototyped and critiqued alongside peers, academics and industry partners. Research is led by design thinking and creative practice combining rigorous investigation with hands-on making iteration and real-world application. This places design at the centre of the research process encouraging candidates to translate complex sustainability challenges into tangible implementable solutions for future cities.

Interested Candidates:

Prospective candidates should email Dr Elena Dieckmann and Prof Peter Childs, CC-ing Dr Fei Teng by midnight on Aug 15th with:

· their CV;

· a short (< 1 page) statement of interest;

· and a clear indication of their fee status.

Interviews are expected to be online during the period 20th August – 26th August 2026. We expect candidates to be notified about the outcome at the start of September.

Candidates from a wide range of engineering, science and design backgrounds are encouraged to apply. A strong motivation to engage with interdisciplinary research, and to develop skills beyond one’s initial field of training is essential. The studentship covers full stipend at UKRI rates for three years and tuition fees for candidates with UK home-fee status only (please see Imperial guidance if you are unsure of your fee status); overseas tuition fees cannot be covered.

Entry requirements

To be considered, applicants must provide the following (via the Imperial Submission portal prior to interview)

● A Master’s degree (1st / Distinction) in a STEM or related discipline

● Two letters of reference

Contact

· Dr Elena Dieckmann (Co-Director) — emd113@ic.ac.uk

· Professor Peter Childs FREng (Director) — p.childs@imperial.ac.uk

· Dr Fei Teng (Co-Director) — f.teng@imperial.ac.uk

Unpacking Casual Game Engagement Across Time Scales

3.5 year LISS DTP PhD Studentship (Home Fees) at Imperial College London

What makes people stick to a mobile game for days, months, or years? This interdisciplinary, data-intensive PhD project unpacks casual game engagement across time scales. The PhD works closely with industry partner King (now part of Microsoft Gaming), providing data access to over 200 million active players of Candy Crush Saga. The project combines longitudinal mixed methods with interpretable machine learning. Housed in the Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial College London, in collaboration with N/Lab at University of Nottingham, it is supervised by experts in game engagement, explainable AI, behavioural analytics, and user experience. It offers a unique opportunity to impact responsible industry practice and policy guidance in games; experience state of the art data science in the games industry; and learn advanced machine learning methods for social science.

Key info

What you will get

  • 3.5 years of full-time funding of home tuition fees (£4,786 per annum 2024/25) and a living stipend (£21,237 per annum 2024/25), plus a research budget (ca. £940 per annum) 
  • Monthly mentoring by King, annual multi-day office visits at King offices, and a potential placement
  • Access to and support with player recruitment and data (logs of millions of players, player surveys)
  • Access to rich early career researcher and data science/AI training opportunities at the LISS DTP, Imperial Early Career Researcher Institute, and Imperial I-X
  • Affiliation with the N/LAB, a global centre of excellence at the University of Nottingham in behavioural analytics and social data science, including research visits

For full details and the application process, see here. 

The partner

King is a globally leading mobile game company publishing more than 200 titles, including the highly successful Candy Crush franchise, As part of Microsoft Gaming, King has game studios in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Barcelona and Berlin and offices in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Dublin and Malta. The project will work directly with the User Experience and Data Science teams at King.

Why do this PhD?

  • Make a practical positive difference with models of long-term engagement that can directly inform industry practice and policy
  • Learn advanced social science methods like interpretable machine learning in an applied contexts
  • A committed and supportive academic and industry supervision team
  • Welcoming communities of PhD students at the Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial College and LISS DTP across Imperial, King’s College, and Queen Mary, University of London
  • Gain practical experience in state of the art industry data science in one of the most data-mature game companies world-wide
  • Unique collaboration, mentoring, and networking with King let you explore and build foundations for an industry career in games research

The ideal candidate probably does not exist, but would bring …

  • masters-level social science methods skills (meeting the LISS core training requirements);
  • deep interest in games and ideally, familiarity with player experience and engagement literature in media psychology or HCI;
  • foundations for big data science and/or machine learning, e.g., Python programming;
  • familiarity with or curiosity to learn large-scale data science methods, particularly interpretable AI/machine learning approaches

Don’t worry if you don’t fit this profile perfectly! Our researchers come from all walks of life and through many twists and turns. We choose candidates on the basis of your overall potential to successfully complete this PhD and make a positive impact through research as a member of our diverse research community. We especially welcome applications from candidates belonging to groups that are currently under-represented in games research and the games industry; these include (but are not limited to) women, individuals from ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people from low-income backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people with caring responsibilities.

Unsure if you should reach out and apply or not? We will run an online info session in early February you can attend. Just register your interest here: https://forms.microsoft.com/e/GBgxdP0cH9 

Application process

  1. Email Sebastian Deterding (he/him, s.deterding@imperial.ac.uk) as soon as possible to leave time to discuss your fit and application. Include “LISS DTP: Casual Game Engagement” in your email subject. Plus points if you attach a current CV, an academic writing sample, and a short explanation what interests you in this position.
  2. Sebastian may schedule one or more informal face-to-face or video meetings with you and him and potentially, other co-supervisors and recommend that you apply or not.
  3. If you are invited, submit your full application materials by March 1, 2025 through the Imperial College Application System. Details here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/design-engineering/study/phd/applying-for-a-phd-in-design-engineering. Sebastian will share details on how to prepare your research proposal.
  4. Applications are shortlisted and shortlisted candidates invited for a formal one hour interview in the week of March 24, 2025.
  5. We will let interviewed candidates know the results in the week of March 31, 2025.
  6. LISS DTP will check and confirm the proposed candidate eligibility and funding and issue formal offers in the week of April 28, 2025.
  7. The studentship starts October 2025.

Entrance requirements

  • First Class (Distinction) Degree or equivalent at Masters level in a relevant discipline. Where extensive research/industry experience can be demonstrated, candidates with a UK-equivalent of 2:1 (Merit) at Masters level can be considered
  • Meet Imperial’s English-language requirements
  • Meet the LISS DTP core training requirements (masters level training in social science research methods)
  • While we welcome international candidates, the studentship only pays home tuition fees, and so you need to either qualify as a home student or be able to fund the fee difference to international tuition fees from a different source. To qualify as a home student, you must meet one of the following criteria:
    • Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
    • Have settled status, or
    • Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
    • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

Want to know more?

Contact Prof Sebastian Deterding at s.deterding@imperial.ac.uk.