4-year fully funded PhD scholarship in Quantum Optimisation Techniques for Telecommunication Networks

About the Project

Duration of study: Full time - 4 years fixed term

Starting date: Available from October 2025

Application deadline: No closing date, the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

Primary Supervisor: Dr Alfonso Ruocco, Associate Professor in Optical Communications & Networks

Motivation

Modern telecommunication networks are becoming increasingly complex, dynamic, and data-intensive. Optimising these networks, across routing, resource allocation, traffic management, and fault tolerance, is critical for ensuring efficiency, reliability, and scalability. However, many of these optimisation problems are computationally intractable using classical methods due to their combinatorial nature. Quantum computing, particularly quantum optimisation algorithms and quantum annealing, offers a promising alternative by potentially providing speed-ups for solving such complex problems.

Project Description

This PhD project aims to explore Quantum Optimisation Techniques for Telecommunication Networks. This PhD project aims to explore and develop quantum optimisation techniques tailored for telecommunication networks. The research will involve mapping real-world network optimisation challenges into quantum-compatible formulations, evaluating the performance of state-of-the-art quantum algorithms, and proposing novel quantum-classical hybrid methods where necessary.

Funding

The position is supported by EPSRC Industrial Doctoral Landscape Awards (IDLA) in partnership with BT. This is a fully funded 4-year studentship to cover the Home student's tuition fees plus a stipend for living costs. Full funding is available for UK students. International applicants are welcome to apply; however, funding for overseas candidates is not guaranteed.

Qualifications required

Candidates should have or expect to achieve an excellent degree(s) in Electronic Engineering or a related discipline.

The candidate should pass the entry requirements of PhD programme at UCL EEE.

How to apply

Applications must be made using the UCL online application system by using the UCL postgraduate study application form. Please mark it to the attention of Dr Alfonso Ruocco.

Contact

For informal inquiries please contact Dr Alfonso Ruocco a.ruocco@ucl.ac.uk who will be happy to answer any queries about the project.