Find out more about the latest work opportunities and vacancies at UCL Mechanical Engineering.

PhD Studentship in Mapping the Human Brain from the Micron to Whole Organ via Coupled Synchrotron Imaging and Poroelastic Modelling
Deadline: 12 August 2023
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to develop a computational platform to combine image processing and mechanistic modelling to improve the current understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, such as stroke. The successful applicant will assist with reconstruction of high-resolution human brain models from HiP-CT images, focusing on vasculature and permeability distribution. The student will then use the multiple-network poroelastic model to obtain high-accuracy fluid dynamic characteristics, such as blood flow and CSF pressure, in the brain, which can be used to identify abnormalities in stroke patients, help early diagnosis and provide a virtual tool to evaluate different treatments.
PhD Studentship in Developing a Novel Device to Characterise Organ Mechanics During Ultra-High Resolution X-Ray Imaging
Deadline: 12 August 2023
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship using a novel technique, Hierarchical Phase-Contrast Tomography or HiP-CT, that allows imaging of whole organs down to the cellular level. The successful candidate will develop a novel tool similar to a laparoscopic probe that can locally deform blood vessels or muscle tissue in an ex vivo animal and human organs whilst performing ultra-high resolution synchrotron tomographic imaging. The project will be conducted as part of CZI-funded Human Organ Atlas project and will critically enhance our understanding of the interaction between tissue and medical devices.
PhD Studentship in Optical Imaging for Corneal Biomechanics
Deadline: 10 July 2023
Applications are invited for a fully funded studentship to work on the development and application of imaging technologies to measure corneal biomechanics and quantify and model the effects of interventions such as refractive surgery, corneal crosslinking and novel treatments for keratoconus. The goal of this research is to enable earlier and more specific diagnosis of diseases such as keratoconus and to develop new, safer, patient-customised procedures for treatment of disease and to address vision correction in the general population. The successful candidate will join a world-leading institution in medical imaging, with an established network with world-leading refractive surgeons, leading companies in ophthalmic device development, and active collaborations with research groups both in the UK and internationally.
PhD Studentship in Dynamics of Droplets & 3D Inkjet Printing
Deadline: 15 March 2023
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship under the supervision of Rafael Castrejon-Pita within the Manufacturing Futures Laboratory. The project is focused on the dynamics of Liquid Droplets for applications in Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) and inkjet printing. The project will involve major collaborations with industrial partners and will use techniques such as High-Speed Imaging, Image Analysis, and Machine Learning to characterise and optimise printing parameters and properties. The project will see
PhD Studentship in Formation, Impact and Coalescence of Droplets: Beyond Existing Models
Deadline: 15 March 2023
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship under the supervision of Rafael Castrejon-Pita within the Manufacturing Futures Laboratory. The project is mostly devoted to the study of the formation, impact and coalescence of droplets and looks to overcome existing limitations of theoretical and numerical models. The project will investigate the breakup of complex fluids, wettability dynamics, and the impact and motion of liquids onto solid surfaces. All these topics are important in several practical contexts, such as inkjet and sprays, and have recently become one of the major themes of research in fluid mechanics. The project will involve major collaborations with industrial partners and will use experimental techniques such as High-Speed Imaging, Image Analysis, and Holographic methods to characterise the dynamics of droplets.
PhD Studentship in Modelling, Design and Optimisation of Three-Dimensional Metamaterials for Extreme Conditions
Deadline: ongoing
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to model, design and optimise three-dimensional micro- and nano-architected metamaterials for engineering applications in extreme environments. The PhD research will be conducted in one, or more, of the following topics: (i) multifunctional carbon microlattices, (ii) highly morphable metamaterials, (iii) damage tolerance enhancement through engineered metamaterials, and (iv) multi-objective topological optimisation through latticing. The successful candidate will benefit from research training in mechanical engineering, solid and structural mechanics, high-performance computing, and experimental methods.
PhD Studentship in Improving Additive Manufacturing Productivity Using Correlative Chemical and X-ray Imaging
Deadline: ongoing
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to develop next-generation chemical imaging techniques to study metal vaporisation during additive manufacturing (AM). Combining this new technology with our flagship X-ray imaging experiments, the project will provide a detailed understanding ofn the fluid flow behaviour and defect formation during AM. You will join a research group that aims to develop novel process monitoring technologies to improve machine intelligence that enables machines/users to observe, understand, evaluate, and deploy optimum process parameters.
PhD Studentship in Making Additive Manufacturing Sustainable Using Functionalised Coatings
Deadline: ongoing
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to develop next-generation functionalised powder materials to improve the laser absorption of powder materials, and then upscale the production of these materials for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and other powder-based additive manufacturing processes. You will perform extensive materials characterisation techniques and use flagship X-ray imaging experiments to design next-generation engineering tools for process and product optimization.
PhD Studentship in Shaping the Additive Manufacturing Process through an Engineering Lens
Deadline: ongoing
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to develop novel processing technologies to minimise metal vaporisation during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) to produce components with smooth surfaces. The end goal is to develop a sustainable manufacturing framework to produce next-generation advanced propulsion components with desirable properties.
PhD Studentship in Multi-Scale Modelling of Shear Transformations in Advanced Materials for Nuclear Fusion
Deadline: ongoing
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to develop new computational models to describe across the scales how steel nanostructure forms during shear transformations and use this understanding to develop new alloys with improved mechanical performance. We offer a unique opportunity to collaborate with a highly interdisciplinary team of academics and industrialists using state-of-the-art techniques on computational modelling and material characterisation.
PhD Studentship in Craniofacial Biomechanics
Deadline: ongoing
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to optimise management of craniosynostosis from a biomechanical point of view. The long term goal of the work is to provide advice to surgeons on when to operate and how best to manage the condition from a biomechanical point of view to ensure the best possible outcome for the child. This project is a joint collaboration between UCL Mechanical Engineering and several UK/EU partners.