PhD Studentship - Process Industries: Net Zero CDT: Optimising Green Methanol Utilisation for Net-Zero Offshore Vessels

Overview

Newcastle University is offering a four-year PhD studentship focused on optimising green methanol utilisation for net-zero offshore vessels, starting on 1 October 2027. Part of the EPSRC CDT in Process Industries: Net Zero, the research aims to address fuel and energy losses in methanol fuel systems on board ships by investigating fuel evaporation, modelling vapour behaviour, and designing capture, recirculation, or combustion strategies. The successful candidate will work alongside naval architects and engineers from O.S. Energy to design, model, and test a closed-system concept with the goal of achieving class approval and demonstrating the technology on a methanol-fuelled offshore support vessel. Co-supervision will be provided by academics from the Process Intensification Group at Newcastle University.

What you get

The award covers 100 percent of tuition fees restricted to UK Home students and provides a tax-free annual living allowance based on the UKRI rate, noting a rate of £21,805 per annum for the 2026/7 period. In addition, a research training support grant of £20,000 is included.

Who can apply

Applicants must hold or expect to gain a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or an international equivalent in a relevant subject. Candidates are required to have a strong background in engineering, particularly chemical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline, or chemistry. Additional requirements include enthusiasm for research, the ability to work independently, excellent analytical skills, and strong verbal and written communication skills. This opportunity is exclusively available to UK Home students.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted through the university application portal by registering and creating a postgraduate application. Applicants need to search for the course title using the programme code 8856F, leave the research area field blank, and select PhD in Process Industries; Net Zero as the programme of study. In the further details section, candidates must provide a mandatory personal statement, enter the studentship reference code PINZ02-27, enter the research project title under the research proposal section, and upload a CV. Only one application per studentship is permitted.

Key dates

The application closing date is 7 January 2027. The project start date is 1 October 2027.