The University of Manchester is offering a fully funded 3.5-year PhD studentship in Magnon Spintronics for Neuromorphic Computing. The project focuses on developing nanoscale magnetic devices for energy-efficient, brain-inspired computing, combining research in computer science, condensed matter physics, spintronics, and machine learning. Funding is restricted to students eligible for UK home student status.
Important Dates / Deadline
- Application Deadline: November 2, 2026
- Expected Start Date: October 2026
- Duration: 3.5 years
- Study Mode: Full-time
Organization
The University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Location / Study Destination
Manchester, United Kingdom.
Who Can Apply
Country Eligibility: Restricted to UK home students.
The advertised funding is available to applicants who qualify for UK home student status. This is a fee-status eligibility restriction rather than an explicit British nationality requirement. Applicants from other countries are not confirmed as eligible for this funding unless they meet the applicable UK home student criteria.
Applicants must also:
- Hold or expect to obtain at least a UK 2:1 honors degree, a master’s degree, or an international equivalent in a relevant science or engineering discipline.
- Have an academic background relevant to physics, materials science, engineering, computing, or related fields.
- Demonstrate strong research potential and motivation to solve complex scientific problems.
- Be interested in interdisciplinary research involving magnetism, spintronics, and emerging computing technologies.
Key Benefits / Funding
- Fully Funded PhD: Tuition fees are covered for eligible students.
- Annual Stipend: £21,805, tax-free, at the 2026/27 UKRI rate.
- Stipend Increase: The annual stipend is expected to increase each year.
- Funding Duration: 3.5 years.
- Research Training: Opportunities to develop advanced computational, simulation, optimization, and modeling skills.
- Research Collaboration: Access to interdisciplinary research involving physics, materials science, engineering, and computer science.
Main Requirements
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Strong academic preparation in a relevant science or engineering discipline.
- Motivation and ability to investigate challenging research problems.
- Good communication, documentation, and time management skills.
- Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research.
- Willingness to work across physics, materials science, engineering, and computing.
The PhD research will focus on three main objectives:
- Automated Nanomagnetic Device Design: Develop design workflows combining micromagnetic simulations, machine learning, and conventional optimization methods.
- Magnonic Neuromorphic Computing: Design and optimize magnonic devices for wave-based computing, including nonlinear activation functions and hardware-based multiply-accumulate operations.
- Device Performance Evaluation: Assess energy efficiency, thermal noise sensitivity, scalability, fabrication feasibility, areal density, and computational throughput.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should contact the main supervisor directly by email.
Main Supervisor: Dr. William Griggs
Email: william.griggs@manchester.ac.uk
Application steps:
- Prepare information about your current level of study and academic background.
- Summarize relevant academic, research, or technical experience.
- Write a paragraph explaining your motivation to undertake this PhD project.
- Email the information to Dr. William Griggs before the application deadline.
Early applications are recommended because the advertisement may be withdrawn before the stated deadline.
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DSO782/phd-studentship-magnon-spintronics-for-neuromorphic-computing
Documents Needed
The initial email should include:
- Details of the applicant’s current level of study.
- Academic background and qualifications.
- Relevant academic, research, or technical experience.
- A paragraph explaining motivation for the PhD project.
Important Notes
- Funding Restriction: The studentship is advertised for UK home students only. International applicants without UK home fee status should not assume that they are eligible for the advertised funding.
- Full Funding: The studentship covers tuition fees and provides an annual tax-free stipend for eligible students.
- Early Application: The opportunity may close before November 2, 2026.
- Start Date: The advertised October 2026 start date precedes the November 2, 2026 application deadline. Applicants should clarify the intended start date with the supervisor.
- Research Focus: The project combines nanoscale magnetism, machine learning, device optimization, and neuromorphic computing.