Current PhD Studentships

School of Physical Sciences at The Open University

Based in Milton Keynes

The School of Physical Sciences offers three full-time, fully funded PhD studentships available to start in October 2024. 

STFC CASE studentships:

SI1. Radiation damage in detectors: what really happens to silicon imaging detectors in orbit?

SI4. EMCCD detector development for space applications: from the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to future mission opportunities THIS PROJECT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE

(Both SI1 and SI4 are 3.5-year CASE studentships funded by STFC, open to UK-based and international students, with an extended placement at the industrial partner and being co-supervised by industrial supervisors.)

A2. Spotting Ice! (SPICE): infrared light-field tracking of icy particles

(A2 is a 3.5-year CASE-Plus studentship funded by STFC with a potential for a 12-month placement at the industrial partner. It is open to UK-based and international students, with an extended weekly working at the industrial partner who is co-located in Milton Keynes and being co-supervised by industrial supervisors.)

In addition, we offer the following projects and expect to recruit to only one of them: 

A3. Jet/environment interactions over cosmic time

SI5. Scientific CCD-in-CMOS imagers for astronomy

P6. Ab initio studies of Interparticle Coulombic Electron Capture

(A3, SI5 and P6 are funded for 3 years and 3 months and are open to UK-based and international students.)

How to apply

If you would like to apply then please read the guidance on applying for a PhD studentship here and e-mail the following to STEM-SPS-PHD@open.ac.uk by the application deadline 18^th April 2024:

• a completed Application form UK if you are classed as a home student, or Application form non-UK if you are an international student.
• an up to date CV.
• a list of individual courses taken and grades obtained.
• a personal statement.
• any other relevant information that you think may support your case for consideration.

You do not need to submit a research proposal, as it is already defined by us. You are encouraged to contact the lead supervisor of the project(s) for any informal enquiries.

Interviews will take place remotely in the week beginning on 22^nd April 2024. 

Funding and Eligibility

Unless stated otherwise, the studentships are funded for 3 years and 6 months, attract a stipend of £18,622 per year (2023/24 rate) directly payable to the student, and cover the home-student University fees. 

To be eligible for funding, applicants must meet the UKRI academic requirements. We normally require that the candidates have at least a 2:1 at UK BSc or MSc level, but some projects may differ – please check the project description or confirm with the main supervisor of the project you are interested in. 

 Advice and Guidance

Please contact STEM-SPS-PHD@open.ac.uk with any questions about general administration, eligibility, suitability, funding or the nature of the PhD research. Our PhD administrators Debbie Briggs/Charlotte Coakley and postgraduate research tutor Konstantin Stefanov will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

If you have questions about specific projects, please contact the lead supervisor named on the project.

We are committed to widening participation and awarding PhD studentships to a diverse community of applicants. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups. Equal Opportunity is University policy.