PhD Studentship - Ultra-High-Speed Electronic Sensors and Instrumentation

Details

Summary:

We have an exciting PhD scholarship in Electronic Engineering Sensor Systems at the University of Sheffield. The project is entitled "Ultra-High-Speed Electronic Sensors and Instrumentation". Current sensor systems, e.g. for non-contact temperature, chemical sensing are relatively low speed. We are working with collaborators on projects that require sub-microsecond sensing, including studying the time evolution of fireballs for defence and security applications; and measuring the processes within jet engines with Rolls Royce. The scholarship provides £15k tax free stipend (equivalent to a £20k salary), and there would be considerable opportunities for the stipend to be supplemented further (beyond £25k) by tax-free income from commercial projects for the candidate with the right skillset. The candidate will be provided with a Research Training Support Grant of £4500, and will be provided with additional funding on consumables to enable them to carry out their research.

This position is ideally suited to a candidate who wishes to develop expertise in the design of electronics and associated instrumentation, specifically related to optical sensing based applications, in either or both analogue and digital electronics. During the project, the candidate will be given opportunities to work with a wide range of collaborators, within both academia and in industry. Upon the completion of the PhD, the candidate will be ideally placed to pursue a successful career within electronics and instrumentation in either academia or industry.

Project Description:

The project is expected to involve the development of Ultra-High-Speed electronic circuitry and instrumentation with an optical sensor at its core, including design of analogue and/or digital electronics. By incorporating such Ultra-High-Speed systems within various applications, we would be able to uncover important patterns within the thermal and spectral signatures during the processes. This could lead to process optimisation within certain applications, reducing the carbon footprint of the process, whilst enabling the discovering of new phenomena within other applications. The candidate will be supported within their research by an experienced team of multi-disciplinary researchers; team working and collaboration are highly valued traits within the research group. Results will be disseminated in high quality journal papers, and the candidate will have the opportunity to present their research at conferences.

About the Research Group:

The project will take place within the Sensor Systems Group within the Electronic and Electrical Engineering department. The group specialises in the development of novel optical sensor based instrumentation, for both academic and industrial application. The group work with several industrial collaborators, including Tata Steel and Rolls-Royce. The candidate will benefit from working within a large research group, learning from experienced members of staff and other PhD students, from a diverse range of backgrounds and disciplines.

Academic Requirements:

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Bachelors/Masters Honours degree in Electronic Engineering, Physics or a closely related discipline. The student should have skills in, or would like to develop skills in, electronics design related to measurement instrumentation, including analogue and/or digital electronics. The studentship is available to home applicants only, and will start in October 2022.

Application and enquiries:

For more information and informal enquiries about this position, please contact Dr. Matthew Hobbs ([email protected]). To apply for this position, please submit a CV and covering letter via e-mail, or via the Apply Link: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/phd/apply