Funded PhD Studentship: Robotics for farming deployment

Project Title: Robotics for farming deployment
Primary supervisor: Prof. Fernando Auat Cheein
Co supervisors: TBC

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join our research team working at the intersection of robotics, artificial intelligence, and agriculture. The project will focus on the development and application of robotic systems with articulated arms for fruit handling, harvesting, and other farming operations.

The successful candidate will investigate the integration of vision systems and AI techniques for perception, decision-making, and control, enabling robots to operate reliably in complex agricultural environments. The research will involve design, experimentation, and validation of robotic approaches tailored to real-world farming needs.

Applicants must hold a minimum of an upper second class (2:1) honours degree, or equivalent in a relevant discipline, or a 2.2 alongside a relevant Master's degree with Merit, or potential for research based on alternative qualifications/experience judged acceptable by the university.

The studentship benefits from a yearly stipend, paid in monthly instalments. For 2026/7 this equates to £21,805.00 per year, with potential increases each academic year in line with UKRI.

International applicants would need to be able to fund the difference between home and overseas fees (£16,960.00 for the 2026/7 academic year) with a proportion being paid in full before Visa documentation can be issued. Please note that due to time constraints for Visa applications, the start date must be February 2027.