An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Application Engineer to join the Power Electronics, Machines and Control Institute (PEMC) at the University of Nottingham. This is a hands-on engineering role at the heart of world-leading research in power electronics and drive systems. Day to day, you will be designing novel power converter topologies, writing and validating drive control code, building and commissioning hardware, and running experiments on PEMC's state-of-the-art test facilities.

About the Team

The PEMC institute has grown exponentially and now has over 200 members, 24 academics and circa 130 PhD students, researchers, and engineers. The group offers state-of-the-art facilities spanning 3500m², capable of handling up to 5MW for construction and testing, and is world leading in power electronics, machine drives and control for aerospace, automotive, renewable energy and industrial applications. We are a diverse, international team and we believe that a breadth of backgrounds and perspectives makes us stronger. We actively encourage applications from candidates of all cultures, ethnicities, genders and beliefs, and welcome those who bring different experiences and ways of thinking to our work.

About You

We are looking for a motivated and practical engineer with a passion for power electronics. You will need: proven design skills applied to power electronics converters and drive systems from concept through to hardware; a track record of writing power electronics control code in C or equivalent; solid understanding of power converter design including topology selection, gate drive design and EMC; practical lab skills in converter characterisation, instrumentation and data acquisition. If you enjoy solving difficult engineering problems, working in a fast-paced multidisciplinary environment and seeing your designs come to life on the bench, this role is for you.

Reporting to the project lead, you will collaborate with academics, researchers, technical services colleagues and industrial partners. You will be self-motivated, well organised and comfortable working on complex, ambiguous engineering challenges, bringing clarity and practical problem-solving to every stage of the project.

What we offer

• A friendly, diverse, and supportive working environment.
• Generous holiday entitlement of 30 days (or pro rata) plus standard bank holidays and five university closure days, including closure between Christmas and New Year.
• Our reward scheme grants bonuses of numerous values for excellent work.
• We are committed to staff development through the provision of training, continued support, and career progression opportunities.
• You will have access to a range of benefits and rewards, including fitness and health facilities, staff discounts, travel schemes and many more. To find out more about what we can offer you, visit our benefits website.

Our University is a supportive, inclusive, caring and positive community. We warmly welcome those of different cultures, ethnicities and beliefs – indeed this very diversity is vital to our success, it is fundamental to our values and enriches life on campus. We welcome applications from UK, Europe and from across the globe. For more information on the support we offer our international colleagues, see our Moving to Nottingham Page.

For successful international applicants, we provide financial support for your visa and the immigration health surcharge, plus an interest-free loan to help cover the cost of immigration-related expenses for any dependants accompanying you to the UK. For more information please see the our webpage on Financial support for visas and the immigration health surcharge.

Additional Information

If we make a conditional offer of employment, the University of Nottingham will ask you whether you have any unspent criminal convictions as part of our pre-employment checks. If the position you are applying for is ‘exempt’ from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 you will be asked to confirm both spent and unspent convictions at the point of offer. Examples of such posts include clinical, medical and allied health roles, roles involving childcare services. A DBS check may also be required.

The University will only use information relating to criminal convictions where the law allows us to do so in line with our Data Protection Policy. Personal data relating to criminal convictions will be retained confidentially and securely and access to that data will be strictly controlled.

More information relating to the manner in which we process your personal data is located within our privacy notice for staff, job applicants and others working at the University. Information about your rights relating to the use of your personal data can be found within our website privacy notice.

This post is available on a fixed term basis for 1 year. Your working hours will be 36.25 hours per week (full time). If you are interested in part-time work (minimum hours to be agreed), we encourage you to apply, please specify your preferred hours in your application. Job share arrangements may also be considered.

What Next

Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details.

Closing Date: 01 Nov 2026
Category: Research and Teaching (R&T)

As part of the role, you will aid in writing publications, present research at national and international conferences and liaise with collaborators. You will be given support to develop and shape your future career, and hence this position may be particularly attractive to those looking to develop their research independence and leadership skills in a supportive and team-oriented environment.  

You must have (or about to complete) a PhD in engineering, data science or equivalent degree. Experience in coding in scientific languages and packages is essential with experience in 3D printing and computational modelling desirable. You will have good interpersonal skills and the ability of working in a team to tight deadlines. The CV and/or cover letter should clearly exemplify how you meet the criteria highlighted herein and in the Role Profile and describe your motivation for applying for this position.

The post is for a period of 18 months and is based in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham. The position is available from 1st November 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. This is a full time (36.25 hours/week) position, but flexible working times and a small amount of home working are possible to support those with specific requirements. We value diversity and are committed to equality of opportunity, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Prof Ricky Wildman (ricky.wildman@nottingham.ac.uk)). Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 01 Nov 2026
Category: Research and Teaching (R&T)

Project Overview

Activated carbon is widely used in water and air treatment applications to remove contaminants, including taste and odour compounds, PFAS, and other emerging pollutants. This PhD project will investigate the development of advanced microwave technology for activated carbon reactivation, offering a more energy-efficient and lower-carbon alternative to conventional thermal regeneration methods. 

The successful candidate will contribute to the development of innovative microwave reactivation processes in collaboration with industry partner Dr Andrew Gill at Puragen, gaining experience in laboratory-scale and pilot-scale process development and scale-up. 

Supervisory Team

• Prof. Eleanor Binner, University of Nottingham
• Dr Gabriela Duran Jimenez, University of Nottingham
• Dr Andrew Gill, Puragen Ltd 

About the Net2Zero Centre for Doctoral Training

The Net2Zero Centre for Doctoral Training is a partnership between Aston University, the University of Nottingham, Queen's University Belfast, and the University of Warwick. The programme focuses on negative emission technologies and solutions that support net-zero ambitions through interdisciplinary research and industrial collaboration. 

Students will benefit from:

• A strong network of researchers, academics, industry partners, and policymakers.
• Access to cutting-edge research facilities.
• International collaboration opportunities.
• Training in engineering, communication, entrepreneurship, and business skills.
• A three-month placement with industry, research collaborators, or policymakers. 

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain before the start date:

• A First Class or strong 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent), and/or a Master's degree in: 
  1. Chemical Engineering
  2. Process Engineering
  3. Particle Engineering
  4. A closely related discipline

Applicants should also demonstrate excellent communication, teamwork, and safety awareness. 

Funding

The studentship includes:

• UKRI tax-free stipend (£21,805 per annum for 2026/27)
• Full tuition fee support
• Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) 

Eligibility

Please note that this opportunity is open to Home Fee Status candidates only. 

Academic Queries

For enquiries relating to the research project, supervision, or technical aspects of the PhD, please contact:

Professor Hao LIU (BEng, MEng, PhD, CEng, MEI)

 liu.hao@nottingham.ac.uk

Chair in Energy Engineering

Co-Director of EPSRC/BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Negative Emission Technologies for Net Zero: Net²Zero

Associate Director of EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems

Eleanor Binner

Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

co-director of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Net²Zero and Sustainable Futures Lead for the Adelaide-Nottingham Alliance.

Eleanor.Binner@nottingham.ac.uk

Administrative Queries

For enquiries relating to eligibility, the application process, funding, or the Net2Zero CDT programme, please contact:

Net2Zero CDT Team:

Md Ashif Chy

EZ-Net2Zero-CDT@nottingham.ac.uk

Closing Date: 30 Nov 2026
Category: Studentships

Project Overview

This fully funded PhD project aims to develop and demonstrate a laboratory-scale multifunctional reactor capable of operating both as a biochar/bio-syngas generator and as a Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) reactor.

The project sits at the forefront of net-zero research, combining reactor engineering, biochar production, biomass utilisation, and carbon capture technologies. Working closely with academic researchers and industrial partners, the successful candidate will contribute to the development of innovative low-carbon technologies that support greenhouse gas removal and sustainable energy generation.

Aim

The project aims to develop and demonstrate a laboratory-scale reactor that can function as both:

• A biochar and bio-syngas generation system.
• A Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) reactor.

Research Objectives

The successful candidate will:

• Collaborate with a commercial laboratory furnace manufacturer to conceptually design a laboratory-scale electrically heated furnace capable of housing the multifunctional reactor.
• Design and work alongside University engineering technicians to manufacture at least two reactor configurations (fluidised-bed and fixed-bed) that can be integrated within the furnace system for biochar production and BECCS evaluation using calcium-based and other solid sorbents.
• Carry out biochar production experiments using a range of biomass feedstocks and characterise the resulting biochar materials using advanced analytical techniques available at the University of Nottingham, including:
  1. BET surface area analysis
  2. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
  3. X-ray Diffraction (XRD)
  4. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
• Conduct CO₂ capture experiments using the multifunctional reactor testing system with:
  1. Calcium-based sorbents at elevated temperatures.
  2. Alternative solid sorbents, including biochar-derived sorbents, at lower temperatures.

The research programme will initially utilise simulated CO₂-containing gas streams before progressing to experiments using real CO₂-containing flue gases.

Administrative Queries

For enquiries relating to eligibility, the application process, funding, or the Net2Zero CDT programme, please contact:

Net2Zero CDT Team:

Md Ashif Chy

EZ-Net2Zero-CDT@nottingham.ac.uk

Closing Date: 30 Nov 2026
Category: Studentships

This vacancy is open to employees of the University of Nottingham only.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Business Partnerships Manager to lead and develop strategic relationships with businesses across the clean energy sector, helping the University grow its portfolio of high-impact research and knowledge exchange partnerships. The role will include a particular focus on building industry partnerships to support the East Midlands clean energy and propulsion cluster.

Based at Jubilee Campus, you will work across internationally recognised research and innovation facilities, including the capabilities in our Power Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC), Zero Carbon Innovation Centre and Hybrid Propulsion Systems (HPS) Building to develop industry-led projects. Together, these bring research, development, manufacturing, testing and specialist industrial services together to support the development of future power and propulsion technologies.

About you - We are looking for a confident and proactive relationship builder with experience of working with industry, businesses or other external partners. You will have a strong understanding of how to identify opportunities, develop trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and translate business needs into meaningful research and knowledge exchange collaborations. Experience of working in clean energy and/or propulsion sectors will be a strong advantage. 

You will bring excellent communication and influencing skills, strong commercial and strategic awareness, and the ability to work collaboratively across academic and professional teams. You will be comfortable developing new networks, managing strategic relationships and bringing partners together around shared opportunities, with a clear focus on delivering income, impact and long-term value (find further details within the role profile).

What we offer

• A friendly, diverse, and supportive working environment
• Generous holiday entitlement of 30 days (or pro rata) plus standard bank holidays and five university closure days including closure between Christmas and New Year.
• You will have access to a range of benefits and rewards, including fitness and health facilities, staff discounts, travel schemes and many more. To find out more about what we can offer you, follow the link to our benefits website

What next

Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details.

This is a full-time (36.25 hours/week), fixed-term position available for 3 years.

Please contact Ben Sumner - ben.sumner@nottingham.ac.uk - if you have further questions about this role. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

#LI-DNI

#INT

Closing Date: 20 Oct 2026
Category: Internal Only

This vacancy is open to employees of the University of Nottingham only. 

Are you an experienced Executive Assistant, senior administrator or administration manager who thrives in a fast-moving environment, enjoys working with senior people and has the confidence to use your judgement and make things happen? Would you like a trusted and varied role combining high-level executive support with administration management across major research, innovation and industry engagement activities?

We are looking for an exceptional Executive Administration Manager to work closely with the Director of the Zero Carbon Translation Centre within the Faculty of Engineering and to lead and develop the Unit’s administrative support function.

The Director leads activities across the University’s Zero Carbon Cluster, Nottingham Drives Specialist Services (NDSS) and the Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) research group. This is a highly externally facing environment, working closely with industry, government and other partners to accelerate the translation of research into real-world solutions. Activities span electrification, propulsion and other low-carbon technologies, supporting major programmes, facilities and partnerships across aerospace, transport, energy and other hard-to-decarbonise sectors.

This is a senior and trusted role combining executive support, administration management and operational coordination. You will help the Director make the best use of their time, manage competing priorities, triage correspondence and manage access appropriately, ensuring that important relationships, decisions and actions move forward. You will manage a complex programme of meetings and engagements, coordinate correspondence and travel, prepare reports, presentations and briefing material, and work confidently with senior University colleagues and external partners.

You will also manage and develop administrative processes across the Translation Centre, providing advice and support across a broad range of operational matters. You will work proactively across the Faculty and Central Professional Services to coordinate complex and cross-cutting issues, bring together and quality-check information, identify gaps and help progress matters towards appropriate resolution or senior decision. This will include recognising when specialist advice or escalation is required, particularly where there may be significant financial, contractual, research-security, information-security or reputational implications.

The role has a strong external dimension. You will support senior industry meetings, partner visits, conferences, trade shows and other strategic engagements in the UK and internationally, helping shape programmes, coordinate meetings and provide support where required. You will also contribute to forward planning of major engagements, funding opportunities, reviews and other priorities, helping ensure that key milestones, dependencies and decisions are identified in advance. Occasional UK and international travel and work outside normal working hours may therefore be required.

Alongside this, you will oversee and track operational budgets and resources, lead and develop the administration team, and help improve administrative systems, processes and ways of working as the organisation develops.

About you - We are looking for someone who:

• has substantial executive-support, senior administrative or comparable management experience.
• has excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work with a high degree of initiative and autonomy.
• has strong judgement, discretion and problem-solving skills, including the ability to handle sensitive or complex matters appropriately.
• communicates exceptionally well verbally and in writing and can bring together information from different sources to produce clear briefings, reports, presentations, options and recommendations.
• has strong interpersonal, influencing and relationship-management skills, including the confidence to work with senior internal and external stakeholders and progress activity across teams.
• has proven project or change-management skills and experience of improving administrative processes and ways of working.
• has experience of managing, coaching and developing others.
• has experience of managing or overseeing budgets, resources or comparable operational responsibilities.

Experience of working in a University, research and innovation, commercial or externally funded environment, together with knowledge of research security or professional digital communications, would be advantageous.

You should hold a degree or equivalent professional qualification with relevant experience or have considerable relevant experience in a comparable role.

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract for a period of two years, working 36.25 hours per week.

We are committed to providing a competitive employment package that supports your well-being and helps you to reach your full potential. You will have access to benefits including leading fitness and health facilities, staff discounts and travel schemes, along with a generous holiday allowance and attractive pension scheme.

We want to see the best possible version of you in your application. To understand our recruitment process, including tips and advice, please see our Candidate Guidance pages.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Caroline Xotta - caroline.xotta@nottingham.ac.uk. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details.

#LI-DNI
 #INT

Closing Date: 19 Oct 2026
Category: Internal Only

The role will involve applying a wide range of professional engineering skills relating to the design, manufacture, commissioning, and use of test facilities in support of MAS research. The successful applicant will have experience in the design of machines as well as experimental setups, and they will have a track record of working with suppliers and sub-contractors to deliver precision engineered components, assemblies, and systems. The role holder will have a significant role in the design and manufacture of research facilities and test programmes.

A degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent is essential.

What we offer:

• A friendly, diverse, and supportive working environment

• Generous holiday entitlement of 30 days plus standard bank holidays and five university closure days including closure between Christmas and New Year.

• We are committed to staff development through the provision of training, continued support, and career progression opportunities

• You will have access to a range of benefits and rewards, including fitness and health facilities, staff discounts, travel schemes and many more. To find out more about what we can offer you, follow the link to our benefits website

Your working hours will be 36.25 hours per week. This role is not open to fractional or part time work and the successful candidate is expected to be primarily based in the lab and office on-site.

This role is fixed term until 31 December 2027.

Please contact Sarah Walker (s.walker@nottingham.ac.uk) if you have further questions about this role. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Due to the nature of this post, all offers of employment will be subject to the appropriate level of security clearance and an independent verification of unspent convictions obtained by means of a Basic Disclosure Certificate obtained from Disclosure Scotland, or an overseas police check.

Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details.

Closing Date: 14 Oct 2026
Category: Administrative, Professional and Managerial (APM)

Closing Date: 14 Oct 2026
Category: Research and Teaching (R&T)

This vacancy is open to employees of the University of Nottingham only. 

We are looking for an organised and proactive Education and Student Experience (ESE) Manager to contribute to the continual review, monitoring and development of Faculty-wide activity to improve the student experience, and support for staff.   

You will work closely with the Senior Education and Student Experience Manager, and wider ESE team to lead activity in a number of key strategic areas, including Course representatives, Staff Student Forums and Student Societies and groups. You will convene and be a key member of relevant Faculty of Engineering student experience committees and groups (e.g. the Faculty Student Experience Action Group).  

You will lead the operational ESE management and support activity for teaching departments across the faculty, acting as the lead ESE Manager for two departments. You will have direct line management responsibility for a small team of ESE Initiatives Officers and will lead the team to ensure the successful delivery of key areas, such as welcome and arrival, student experience events and assessments/feedback.   

Candidates must have a degree or equivalent, demonstrable experience of managing a team, excellent change management skills and excellent oral and written communication skills.  Proven influencing and negotiation skills alongside working with stakeholders to gather feedback, propose and implement changes will also be essential. An understanding of the current challenges affecting students’ education and experience is also important. 

Your working hours will be 36.25 hours per week. If you are interested in part-time work (minimum 25.5 hours per week), we encourage you to apply. Please specify your preferred hours in your application. We may also consider job share arrangements. 

Requests for secondment from internal candidates will be considered on the basis that prior agreement has been sought from both your current line manager and the manager of your substantive post, if you are already undertaking a secondment role.  Further information is available in the role profile. 

What we offer

• A friendly, diverse, and supportive working environment
• A hybrid working arrangement with the blended approach of home and office working each week
• Generous holiday entitlement of 30 days (or pro rata) plus standard bank holidays and five university closure days including closure between Christmas and New Year.
• Our reward scheme grants bonuses of numerous values for excellent work
• We are committed to staff development through the provision of training, continued support, and career progression opportunities
• You will have access to a range of benefits and rewards, including fitness and health facilities, staff discounts, travel schemes and many more. To find out more about what we can offer you, follow the link to our benefits website

What next-

Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details. Requests for secondment from internal candidates will be considered on the basis that prior agreement has been sought from both your current line manager and the manager of your substantive post, if you are already undertaking a secondment role.

Please contact Emma Hopkins (emma.hopkins@nottingham.ac.uk) if you have further questions about this role. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

#LI-DNI

#INT

Closing Date: 11 Oct 2026
Category: Internal Only

Applications are invited for a PhD position at the University of Nottingham addressing the specific engineering details of the contact layer created during the Linear Friction Welding (LFW) of Titanium alloys. The successful candidate will have a first-class or upper second-class honours degree in mechanical engineering or a related subject.

This CASE studentship will attract a stipend of £25,000 per annum for four years. The position arises from a long-standing engineering research relationship between the University of Nottingham and Rolls-Royce plc. The University of Nottingham hosts two of the (~30) University Technology Centres (UTCs) used by the company as the main engines of its engineering research and development. Nottingham’s UTC in gas turbine transmissions systems will host this studentship and the candidate will sit within a community of ~20 PhD students at various stages of their study.

The attachment of blades to discs using solid-state joining is a key factor in achieving cost-effective, high performance and low-weight fan and compressor stages in aero-engines. LFW is an established joining process utilised by R-R to manufacture Titanium blisks across a range of engine types. R-Rs strategy requires the continued exploitation of this technology to a wider range of Titanium alloys, including dissimilar joints.   The LFW process has been developed to ensure high quality joints are produced over a broad range of welding conditions commensurate with manufacturing capability; however, the quality of joints made in more advanced Titanium alloys and dissimilar material joints is ensured by consistent flash extrusion and flow from the interface contact layer, which is in turn linked to the transient behaviour of the process, process stability and the interaction between the part and the tooling.

This project will develop the fundamental understanding of the thermo-mechanical effects and material flow within the high strain-rate/high temperature interface contact layer created during LFW of Titanium alloys and the links to key process variables and machine/tooling behaviour.  This study will be undertaken using computational simulation, supported by experimental investigations using test welds and novel material characterisation methods.

This project is available from 1st October 2026. Applications are accepted until post is filled.   Informal inquiries can be made via email to Dr James Rouse (james.rouse@nottingham.ac.uk).

Eligibility: Due to funding restrictions this position is only available to UK or EU candidates.

Closing Date: 21 Sep 2026
Category: Studentships

Candidates should hold a PhD in Electronic, Biomedical or Optical Engineering.

Essential knowledge and experience required:

• Development and implementation of instrumentation for monitoring during pregnancy 
• Application of fibre optic sensors in the field of healthcare
• Implementation of instrumentation in an MRI environment
• Electronic circuit design
• An understanding of medical device regulations to ensure compliance and safe use of the technology
• Data capture, recording of data and report writing to a professional standard.

The successful candidate must possess:

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Enthusiasm, motivation and drive to embed new knowledge and to take full ownership of the project 
• Excellent interpersonal skills

The Optics and Photonics Research Group is one of the largest research groups in the Faculty of Engineering with 16 academics and three Research Council funded Fellows. We pride ourselves on being able to work on ideas from the basic science right through to application in advanced manufacturing and healthcare.

Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details.

This post is a fixed term 24-month contract, your working hours will be (36.25 hours per week). If you are interested in part-time work (minimum 20 hours per week), we encourage you to apply. Please specify your preferred hours in your application. We may also consider job share arrangements.

Please contact Prof Steve Morgan steve.morgan@nottingham.ac.uk  if you have further questions about this role. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 14 Oct 2026
Category: Research and Teaching (R&T)

Through a multidisciplinary research approach the aim is to establish fully integrated motor drives as a key enabling technology for sustainable electricity generation, high-efficiency industrial systems, lightweight transport applications, and significant reductions in manufacturing-related CO₂ emissions. The ambition is to develop innovative technological solutions that reduce energy losses and minimise environmental impact throughout the product life cycle by:

• Reducing material usage during manufacture.
• Improving electrical system efficiency and power-to-weight ratios during operation.
• Enhancing recyclability and resource recovery at end of life.

Two PhD studentships are available to address one or more of the following scientific challenges:

1. Mechanical Integration

Structural and functional integration requires the development of novel joining technologies, motor winding arrangements, and 3D-printed structures capable of mounting semiconductor devices within the motor architecture.

2. Thermal Management

The harsh thermal environment within integrated motor drives demands innovative design and manufacturing solutions. Advanced additive manufacturing techniques will be explored to improve thermal management across the entire system.

3. Electromagnetic Management

The use of wide-bandgap semiconductor devices can significantly reduce the size of passive components within power electronic converters. However, their high switching speeds can introduce challenges related to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and motor winding degradation. Novel converter topologies, EMI mitigation strategies, and advanced winding technologies will therefore be investigated.

4. Advanced Control and Modelling

Multi-modular distributed motor-drive architectures and ultra-fast semiconductor devices present significant control challenges. Research may involve FPGA-based control platforms, advanced microcontrollers, distributed control algorithms, and artificial intelligence techniques, including neural networks and evolutionary optimisation methods, to enable the efficient operation of integrated converter-motor systems.

Research environment

Applications are invited to join the Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) Research Group at the University of Nottingham. Based within a recently established £18 million research facility on Jubilee Campus, PEMC is internationally recognised as a leading centre for research in power electronics, electrical machines, and control engineering.

Entry requirements

Applicants should possess:

• A Bachelor degree (2:1 or above) or a Master's degree (MSc, MEng, MPhys, MRes, or equivalent) in a relevant engineering or physical sciences discipline such as electrical and electronic engineering, mechatronics, physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a closely related subject.
• A strong background or relevant experience in electrical machines, power electronics, control systems, thermal management, or related fields (desirable).
• Experience using simulation software such as COMSOL Multiphysics, MATLAB, and/or Ansys.
• Programming, coding, and experimental hardware skills (desirable).
• Strong analytical and mathematical capabilities.
• A passion for research and a willingness to learn.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and scientific writing skills.

Application process

To apply, please email the following documents to liliana.delillo@nottingham.ac.uk:

• A cover letter outlining your motivation for applying to this project.
• A curriculum vitae (CV) detailing your academic background, research experience, and relevant technical skills.
• Academic transcripts from all qualifying degree programmes.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview. The successful applicant must subsequently complete a formal online application through the University of Nottingham admissions portal.

Eligibility

Due to funding restrictions, this studentship is available only to UK applicants.

Closing Date: 30 Nov 2026
Category: Studentships

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Application Engineer to join the Power Electronics, Machines and Control Institute (PEMC) at the University of Nottingham. This is a hands-on engineering role at the heart of world-leading research in power electronics and drive systems. Day to day, you will be designing novel power converter topologies, writing and validating drive control code, building and commissioning hardware, and running experiments on PEMC's state-of-the-art test facilities. You will work directly alongside researchers and leading industrial partners, including TT Electronics, Transformers and Rectifiers, Siemens, and NEMA, contributing across the full project lifecycle from requirements capture and simulation through to system integration, test and reporting.

About the Team

The PEMC institute has grown exponentially and now has over 200 members, 24 academics and circa 130 PhD students, researchers, and engineers. The group offers state-of-the-art facilities spanning 3500m², capable of handling up to 5MW for construction and testing, and is world leading in power electronics, machine drives and control for aerospace, automotive, renewable energy and industrial applications. We are a diverse, international team and we believe that a breadth of backgrounds and perspectives makes us stronger. We actively encourage applications from candidates of all cultures, ethnicities, genders and beliefs, and welcome those who bring different experiences and ways of thinking to our work.

About You

We are looking for a motivated and practical engineer with a passion for power electronics. You will need: proven design skills applied to power electronics converters and drive systems from concept through to hardware; a track record of writing power electronics control code in C or equivalent; solid understanding of power converter design including topology selection, gate drive design and EMC; practical lab skills in converter characterisation, instrumentation and data acquisition; and experience of reliability assessment for power semiconductor devices. If you enjoy solving difficult engineering problems, working in a fast-paced multidisciplinary environment and seeing your designs come to life on the bench, this role is for you.

Reporting to the Professor of Power Electronics, you will collaborate with academics, researchers, technical services colleagues and industrial partners. You will be self-motivated, well organised and comfortable working on complex, ambiguous engineering challenges, bringing clarity and practical problem-solving to every stage of the project.

What we offer

• A friendly, diverse, and supportive working environment.
• Generous holiday entitlement of 30 days (or pro rata) plus standard bank holidays and five university closure days, including closure between Christmas and New Year.
• Our reward scheme grants bonuses of numerous values for excellent work.
• We are committed to staff development through the provision of training, continued support, and career progression opportunities.
• You will have access to a range of benefits and rewards, including fitness and health facilities, staff discounts, travel schemes and many more. To find out more about what we can offer you, visit our benefits website.

Our University is a supportive, inclusive, caring and positive community. We warmly welcome those of different cultures, ethnicities and beliefs – indeed this very diversity is vital to our success, it is fundamental to our values and enriches life on campus. We welcome applications from UK, Europe and from across the globe. For more information on the support we offer our international colleagues, see our Moving to Nottingham Page.

For successful international applicants, we provide financial support for your visa and the immigration health surcharge, plus an interest-free loan to help cover the cost of immigration-related expenses for any dependants accompanying you to the UK. For more information please see the our webpage on Financial support for visas and the immigration health surcharge.

Additional Information

This post is available on a fixed term basis for 1 year. Your working hours will be 36.25 hours per week (full time). If you are interested in part-time work (minimum hours to be agreed), we encourage you to apply, please specify your preferred hours in your application. Job share arrangements may also be considered.

What Next

Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details.

Requests for secondment from internal candidates will be considered on the basis that prior agreement has been sought from both your current line manager and the manager of your substantive post, if you are already undertaking a secondment role.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Rishad Ahmed, email: rishad.ahmed@nottingham.ac.uk. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 11 Oct 2026
Category: Research and Teaching (R&T)

Background: The transition towards electrified automotive and aerospace transport demands electric motors with increasing power density, efficiency and operating voltage without compromising reliability. These trends, together with wide-bandgap converters and fast-switching voltage waveforms, impose increasingly severe electrical stresses on winding insulation. The challenge is particularly critical in aerospace applications, where reduced air pressure can significantly increase the risk of partial discharge (PD) and accelerate insulation degradation. This PhD studentship will investigate and enhance the reliability of next-generation winding insulation systems, including emerging hairpin and Litz-wire technologies, under representative electrical, thermal, pressure and mechanical stresses. The successful candidate will combine extensive experimental testing with insulation lifetime modelling to study PD inception, degradation and endurance, and to develop approaches for predicting insulation lifetime under realistic operating conditions. The research will support improved insulation design and qualification for reliable next-generation electric motors, contributing to safer, higher-performance automotive and aerospace electrification. 

Applications for this PhD position are invited at the Power Electronics and Machines Centre, University of Nottingham. Based in a recently built £18M facility at Jubilee Campus, the Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) Research Group is globally renowned and one of the leading in its field. 

Entry Requirements: For this position, we are actively looking for candidates with 

• A master’s degree (e.g. MSc, MEng, MPhys, MRes or equivalent) in a relevant engineering or physical sciences discipline, such as electrical/electronic engineering, general engineering, mechatronics, physics, materials science/engineering, mechanical/aerospace engineering, or a closely related subject, is essential.
• A strong background or relevant experience in high-voltage engineering, electrical machines, power electronics, dielectric/insulation materials, or related areas would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of numerical/FEM simulation tools such as COMSOL Multiphysics and MATLAB.
• Programming/coding and experimental hardware skills are desirable.
• Strong analytical and mathematical skills.
• Passion for research and willingness to learn.
• Good presentation, communication and scientific writing skills.

Application details: To apply for this PhD position, please email the following documents to Hadi.Naderiallaf@nottingham.ac.uk 

• Cover letter outlining your motivation behind applying for this project. 
• Curriculum vitae (CV) detailing your academic background, research experience, and relevant skills.
• Academic transcripts of your qualifying degrees.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview, and the successful candidate will be required to make a formal online application through the University portal.

Eligibility: Due to funding restrictions this position is only available to UK candidates.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr. Hadi Naderiallaf (Hadi.Naderiallaf@nottingham.ac.uk) We look forward to hearing from you. 

Closing Date: 01 Dec 2026
Category: Studentships

This exciting opportunity is based within the thriving Optics and Photonics Research Group in Faculty of Engineering which conducts cutting edge research spanning exploration to translation, with curiosity driven projects all the way through to application in the clinic.   

Vision

We are seeking PhD student that is motivated and enthusiastic and keen to push the boundaries of what is currently possible when imaging with an optical microscope. Combing the latest in optical developments with the recent surge in AI, this project aims image the centre of a live intact root for the first time. Something that is currently not possible.

Motivation 

This project will address a long-standing issue in plant biology: the inability to image the centre of live, intact, plant roots. The ability to observe dynamic cellular processes at the centre of a live root for the first time will unlock entirely new lines of biological inquiry, crucial for areas such as sustainable agriculture and food security. Such an imaging system would allow for studies of a plant’s resilience to drought, salinity, and water logging, as well as responses to fungal infections and nanoparticle uptake. It is very common that new optical microscopy techniques are developed to image mammalian tissue, and that these approaches are very slow to translate across to plant biosciences where the impact could be huge and as a result exciting opportunities get missed.  

When we use light to image deep into complex samples there is a common problem that occurs – the light gets distorted and scattered by the structures present in the sample and as a result a nice quality focus and hence a nice image cannot be produced at depth into the sample. At Nottingham we have been working on this problem for several years and have developed methods that shape the incoming light with the equal but opposite distortion to that imposed by the sample to produce a high-quality image deep into the sample of interest. Recently we have been using AI and machine learning to predict the distortion present and significantly speed up this correction process.

This PhD project will take the latest in AI-informed wavefront correction techniques and tailor them to imaging deep into plant roots. It will use a range of state-of-the-art optical microscopes based in the Optics and Photonics Research Group in the Faculty of Engineering, plus those housed in Plant Biosciences at the Sutton Bonnington campus. Data sets will be generated using simulated and experimental data and these will be used to train networks to predict the common distortions that occur when imaging into plant roots. From here we can either correct for these distortions using the hardware in the microscope or in software using reconstruction algorithms. This is an exciting multidisciplinary PhD project that promises to make cutting-edge advances in all research areas involved.

Aim

This project combines practical hands-on optics experimentation with training neural networks to develop the next generation of optical microscopes. You will have the opportunity gain skills in optical instrumentation and imaging, AI and machine learning, and in plant biology and sample handling.

Your base will be in the Optics and Photonics Group in the Faculty of Engineering and from here you will work with a team of academics and researchers across Engineering, Computer Science and the Biosciences.

You will be supervised by Amanda Wright (Optics and Photonics Research Group, Faculty of Engineering), Mike Somekh (Optics and Photonics Research Group, Faculty of Engineering), Mike Pound (Computer Vision, Computer Science Department), and Darren Wells (Plant and Crop Biophysics, School of Biosciences).

Who we are looking for

An enthusiastic, self-motivated, resourceful student, who likes working as part of a team and is keen to take on a new challenge. An understanding of optics and/or machine learning is desirable but not essential, along with general coding skills.

1^st or a 2:1 in a relevant field (for example Physics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, or Biosciences).

Funding support

After a suitable candidate is found, funding is then sought from the University of Nottingham as part of a competitive process (this will cover home tuition fees and UKRI stipend)

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The Faculty of Engineering provides a thriving working environment for all PGRs creating a strong sense of community across research disciplines. Community and research culture is important to our PGRs and the FoE support this by working closely with our Postgraduate Research Society (PGES) and our PGR Research Group Reps to enhance the research environment for PGRs. PGRs benefit from training through the Researcher Academy’s Training Programme, those based within the Faculty of Engineering have access to bespoke courses developed for Engineering PGRs. including sessions on paper writing, networking and career development after the PhD. The Faculty has outstanding facilities and works in partnership with leading industrial partners. 

Please contact Amanda Wright with your CV and supporting statement to apply for this project – amanda.wright@nottingham.ac.uk 

Closing Date: 02 Feb 2026
Category: Studentships