Project: Safety of Autonomous Robots for Nuclear Decommissioning

Supervisor: Professor A Cavalcanti

Start date: 15 September 2025.

We are offering an exciting fully-funded PhD opportunity, to start in September 2025.

We're looking for a candidate with a passion for robotics to join RoboStar, a centre of excellence for software engineering for robotics. Our work covers various aspects of model-based software engineering including modelling, simulation, testing and verification.

Our postgraduate researchers benefit from the significant real-world impact of RoboStar's research. Successful completion of the PhD programme could potentially lead to exciting career prospects with our project partners.

If you have strong programming and software engineering skills, then we'd love to hear from you. In return, we are offering a fully-funded studentship with a range of training opportunities and the chance to collaborate with industrial partners.

Our funded PhD studentships are open to applicants paying UK (Home) tuition fees.

Background

Robots can perform repetitive, difficult and time-consuming jobs, increasing operational efficiency across industries. The nuclear industry relies on physical protections to ensure robotic safety, creating a barrier to innovation.

Aims and objectives

The proposed research focuses on the development and demonstration of automated testing techniques for design and evidencing of robotic control software for nuclear decommissioning. The goal is to improve assessment of reliability for operational confidence, and to support safety cases.

Working with the UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL), The research will provide guidance on good practice, and associated techniques and tools to implement it, demonstrated in the development of a robot for nuclear decommissioning. In more detail, the research will:

Investigate how to mitigate the risks of using software;
Establish a pathway to certifying software;
Identify practices of programming suitable to the nuclear sector (architectures and languages);
Address scalability and usability of advanced and automated testing techniques in the nuclear sector;
Demonstrate robotic remote manipulation at National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF) using techniques developed in this work.

The advances will enable adoption of innovative solutions to nuclear decommissioning, accelerating the pathway to deploy demonstrably trustworthy robots according to industry-relevant good practice.

The project will utilise the industrial-scale National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF) Hot Robotics Facility at the United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory, Workington.

Training and support

You'll receive training in broad research skills that will help you throughout your project. You'll also benefit from a full training programme covering topics such as security, research management and leadership, collaborations, employability, public engagement and communication.

In addition, York Graduate Research School works alongside the Department to offer high quality training, peer to peer support, professional development advice, and opportunities to engage others with your research.

Location

You will be based in the Department of Computer Science at the University of York - an exciting and welcoming hub for innovation and collaboration with a modern and inclusive working environment. In our lakeside home on Campus East, you'll benefit from world-class laboratories and collaboration spaces.

The University of York is located a short distance from York city centre. Our historic city is consistently voted as one of the friendliest, safest and best places to live in the UK.

Funding

This PhD studentship is funded by the UK National Nuclear Laboratory
You will be paid an annual living allowance of £23,500 (academic year 2025/26)
The living allowance will be paid to you in regular instalments, and usually increases each year in line with inflation
The studentship will cover postgraduate research fees at the UK (Home) rate for the duration of the PhD programme
A Research Training and Support Grant will be provided to support your research-related activities.

Entry requirements

This funded PhD opportunity is open to individuals eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK (Home) rate.
You should hold or expect to achieve the equivalent of at least a UK upper second class degree in computer science, software engineering, or a similar relevant discipline.
We are willing to consider your application if you do not fit this profile, providing you are able to demonstrate that you have sufficient computer science knowledge and experience to succeed on the programme.
We're sorry, on this occasion this opportunity is not available to international students, or to individuals who wish to study via distance learning.

How to apply

For more information about this opportunity, please go to our webpages: https://www.york.ac.uk/computer-science/research/groups/software-engineering-for-robotics/phd-studentships/

Applications close on Friday 30 May at 23:59 GMT and early application is recommended. If we are impressed by your application, we will invite you to immediate interview and a decision will be made shortly afterwards.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email ana.cavalcanti@york.ac.uk.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From £23,500.00 per year

Benefits:

Casual dress
Flexitime
On-site gym
On-site parking
Transport links
Work from home

Education:

Bachelor's (required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in York YO10 5GH

Application deadline: 30/05/2025

Expected start date: 15/09/2025

UNIVERSITY OF YORK

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Funded PhD Studentship: Safety of Autonomous Robots for Nuclear Decommissioning [RoboStar]