Materials Engineering : Fully Funded SU/ Rolls-Royce PhD Studentship: Mechanism (RS767)

Funding provider: Faculty of Science & Engineering / Rolls-Royce 

Subject area: Materials Science & Engineering 

Project start date: 1 October 2025 (Enrolment open from mid-September) 

Supervisors: Professor Robert Lancaster, Professor Mark Whittaker, Professor Helen Davies, Dr Spencer Jeffs 

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Materials Engineering  

Each student will undertake a placement within Rolls-Royce for a period of up to 6 months. 

The student may be required to attend a professional course in Rolls-Royce as part of their study. 

Mode of study: Full-time. 

Project description: 

MECHANISM will advance our fundamental knowledge of the in-service operation, processing characteristics and mechanical/physical behavioural response of advanced structural materials within extreme environments as well as continuing to develop step-change advances in viable alloy and composite compositions. The resulting techniques and understanding will enable the sustainable life-cycle of advanced materials, supporting design (digitally enabled), repair (aftermarket) and advanced manufacturing technologies, whilst supporting more efficient and environmentally friendly power systems into the future, reducing the impact of carbon technologies where possible.This fundamental life-cycle understanding is a key enabler to maintain competitiveness for UK power systems in the highly competitive international market, recognising the growing interest in new transportation technologies such as electrification, hybrid power systems, marine, and land-based freight. These goals will be delivered through a research-driven understanding of the fundamental mechanical properties of these advanced structural materials which will operate in highly demanding stress and environments throughout their life cycle. 

This research is driven by the necessity to understand the underlying scientific principles of advanced structural materials whilst creating a platform for knowledge exchange across the Rolls-Royce group (including civil aerospace, defence and submarines); a forum that is currently lacking. Such an initiative will enable solutions derived from one sector to be disseminated across the business to advance overall knowledge. 

Across this field, there are multiple fundamental, scientific challenges to overcome, including but not limited to: mechanical and physical behaviour of materials, effects of environment upon corrosive behaviour, wear and fatigue, plastic deformation, crack growth behaviour over a range of temperatures, fundamental understanding of metallurgical properties required to enable repair, characterisation of the anisotropic response of composite systems, and material processing (including novel additive manufacture). These challenges are highly complex, and the relative experience and track record of previous materials research is essential to underpin and deliver successful outcomes.  

MECHANISM comprises of four individual PhD projects, as follows: 

1. Evaluation of the Effect on Microstructure and Material Performance of Nominal and Failed Process Conditions of the Binder Jet Process and Subsequent Heat Treatments – Rolls-Royce Submarines 
2. Extreme testing methods for Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) material for aeroengines – Rolls-Royce Aerospace 
3. Evaluation of the Effect of Significant Rate Improvement Methods on Process Defects, Microstructure and Material Performance for Laser Powder Bed Fusion 316LN Stainless Steel – Rolls-Royce Submarines 
4. Investigate Liquation Mechanisms and Semi-Solid State Compression Behaviour of an Advanced Nickel Superalloy – Rolls-Royce Aerospace 

Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or a similar relevant science discipline.

Scholarship open to UK fee-eligible students only.

The studentship covers tuition fees and an annual tax-free living stipend in line with the current UKRI 24/25 rate - £19,237.

Funds for other expenses (e.g. conferences, fieldwork): £3,000 for the duration of the funded period.

To apply, please complete your application online with the following information:

1. Course choice – please select:  

   Materials Engineering/ PhD / Full-time / 3 Years / October

   In the event you have already applied for the above programme previously, the application system may issue a warning notice and prevent application, in this event, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk where staff will be happy to assist you in submitting your application.

2. Start year – please select 2025
3. Funding (page 8) –

• ‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select No
• ‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter ‘RS767 - Mechanism'

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email):

• CV
• Degree certificates and transcripts
• A cover letter
• Two references
• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable)
• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)
• Confirmation of submission of EDI Form

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.