2025 PhD Opportunities
STUDY FOR A WATER PHD AND EARN WHILE YOU LEARN
The CDT is excited to offer the below PhD opportunities starting in October 2025.
Students will receive an enhanced stipend of £24,000 per year with fees paid for eligible students.
These vacancies may be filled before the closing date so early application is strongly encouraged.
| Proposal title | Primary sponsor | University partner |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding the retention and treatment of highway runoff pollutants within roadside bioretention systems – and implications for design and long-term maintenance https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-funding/search-funding/?code=WRII2502 | EPSRC & HR Wallingford | Newcastle University |
| Building a Digital Twin of the Tees estuary to evaluate the resilience of nature based solutions for nutrient (N & P) capture https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-funding/search-funding/?code=WRII2503 | EPSRC & Northumbrian Water Ltd | Newcastle University |
| Nitrous oxide fluxes in the wastewater industry: Measurements monitoring, and mitigation. Application link available soon | EPSRC & Severn Trent | Newcastle University |
| Energy-SuDS: The potential of heat exchange in Sustainable Drainage Systems for decarbonising heating and cooling https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-funding/search-funding/?code=WRII2501 | EPSRC & Mitsubishi Electric R&D Centre Europe B.V. | Newcastle University |
| Water-neutral and zero-waste oligonucleotides manufacturing for a sustainable pharmaceutical industry https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/research/phd/water-neutral-and-zero-waste-oligonucleotides-manufacturing | EPSRC & GSK – Medicines Research Centre | Cranfield University |
| Reimaging and intensifying total nutrient removal secondary biological treatment processes to meet net zero targets (NutriZero) Application link available soon | EPSRC, Yorkshire Water, Southern Water, Stantec, & Microvi | Cranfield University |
| Tackling algae and algae-derived challenges in drinking water https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/research/phd/tackling-algae-and-algae-derived-challenges-in-drinking-water | EPSRC & UKWIR | Cranfield University |
| PhD in water chemistry: maximising PFAS forever chemical removal from drinking water https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/research/phd/phd-in-water-chemistry-maximising-pfas-forever-chemical-removal-from-drinking-water | EPSRC, Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water, & Thames Water | Cranfield University |
| Impacts of Blending Drinking Water from Desalination into Existing Distribution Systems https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/impacts-of-blending-drinking-water-from-desalination-into-existing-distribution-systems/?p181590 | EPSRC & Anglian Water | University of Sheffield |
| Scaling up of innovation in water utilities https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/scaling-up-of-innovation-in-water-utilities/?p181592 | EPSRC & Yorkshire Water | University of Sheffield |
| Influence of weather-induced ground movement on behaviour of buried water pipes https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/influence-of-weather-induced-ground-movement-on-behaviour-of-buried-water-pipes/?p181591 | EPSRC, Yorkshire Water, & RPS | University of Sheffield |
| A simple approach to tailoring biofilms for effective removal of micropollutants during wastewater treatment Application link available soon | EPSRC & Southern Water | University of Sheffield |