MSCA Doctoral Candidate fellow (Fixed Term)

The University of Nottingham, Faculty of Engineering, UK, invites applications for four Full-Time 36-month PhD positions (Doctoral Candidate DCs) starting 01/01/2027. Funded by the European Commission's Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network, researchers will develop innovative solutions to improve the design, development, and sustainability of circular power electronics converters.

Applicants must apply for a specific PhD project matching their background. The four available PhD projects are:

DC4 - Modular power electronics converters design and applications
The main objective is to develop modular power converters and explore their diverse applications with improved performance, repairability, recyclability and minimised environmental impact across the entire lifecycle.

DC9 - Auto-inspection and fault detection methodologies for power electronics converters
Under a high level of components integration to achieve high power density, the fault and location of power electronics components can be hardly located and detected. The main objective is to develop intelligent auto-inspection and fault detection methodologies, to automatically identify and predict the location and class of the faults, which enhances the repairability of power converters.

DC11 - Repairable PCBs for power electronics applications: manufacturing, repairability, and end-of-life considerations
Current PCBs are made from glass-reinforced epoxy resins, which are challenging to repair and have little end-of-life value. This project aims to evaluate the potential to replace cross-linked epoxies with more easily repairable and recyclable alternatives.

DC14 - Life cycle analysis and cost of circular power electronics
The overall aim is to quantify the implications of circular power electronics concepts on resource utilisation, environmental impact, and financial viability. Open-source models and data sets will be generated as appropriate for circular power electronics materials, components, and processes (manufacturing, repair, remanufacture).

Eligibility Requirements:
- You must meet all official MSCA DC eligibility rules.
- You must hold a Bachelor's and/or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Circular Economy, Sustainability, or a closely related discipline.
- Strong independent research, critical thinking, and innovation skills.
- You must be fluent in English with excellent communication and teamwork capabilities for international collaboration.
- You must have a willingness to undertake a research secondment at a consortium institution.
- Previous lab/research group experience and peer-reviewed publications are desirable.

Salary:
Highly competitive gross salary including living, mobility and family allowances (if applicable) in accordance with MSCA regulations. The gross salary is funded in EUR and paid in GBP. An additional amount of circa £4,871 to £5,196 per annum will be paid if the successful candidate meets the MSCA family eligibility criteria at the time of recruitment or acquired during the fellowship.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to online interviews. Submitting an application consents to sharing your data with an international recruitment committee.