A three-year PhD studentship in joint communications and sensing

Application deadline: Friday, December 18, 2026
Funding: Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

About the Project

A three-year PhD studentship in joint communications and sensing

The Project:

Supported by £6m ERDF funding, the DSP Centre was established in September 2019 to utilize the research team’s established world-leading expertise in digital signal processing (DSP) to develop cutting-edge technical solutions for 5G and beyond. Over the past seven years, the DSP Centre has established:

• Dedicated teams conducting research, knowledge transfer and commercialization, as well as skills training.
• Advanced research facilities equipped with state-of-the-art equipment worth £5.5m in total.
• A “future-proof” 5G network testbed with three unique features:
• Providing end-to-end 5G connectivity to end-users.
• Consisting of a 57km fibre loop installed along the A55 North Wales Expressway and across two major bridges, as well as internally developed prototypes.
• Extendibility from a local network to a regional/national network.
• World-first real-time DSP design and implementation testbed.
• A semiconductor laser chip characterization testbed.
• Rigorously verified comprehensive numerical simulation platform.
• An advanced MSc DSP teaching lab.
• A strong industrial partner pool with >35 major telecommunications companies worldwide covering the whole telecommunications value chain.

A short summary of the DSP Centre’s overall achievements is outlined below:

• A large number of cutting-edge technologies proposed and experimentally verified in optical transceivers, networking devices, optical amplifiers, transmission systems (single-mode/multi-mode fibre, RF, optical wireless (OW) and their convergence) and access network architectures, as well as ultrafast semiconductor laser dynamics.
• Secured and successfully delivered >45 R&D projects with a total budget of >£30m from various national/international, public/private funding sources.
• Published >500 research papers in international-leading professional journals and major global telecommunications conferences.
• Developed 12 patentable technology portfolios.
• Contributed to the UK government’s telecommunications policies.

In September 2026, the DSP Centre was awarded three large projects: two from the EPSRC and one from the Flintshire & Wrexham Investment Zone – Research and Innovation Programme. The EPSRC projects enable the DSP Centre to conduct fundamental research in exploring advanced telecommunications technologies at device, system and network architecture levels. The Investment Zone project is strategically designed to accelerate the further development of the Advanced Manufacturing Cluster in Flintshire and Wrexham by enhancing business’ connectivity, resilience, and productivity, and also fostering the creation of a sophisticated, advanced manufacturing-driven digital ecosystem to establish in the North Wales region as a direct result of the innovation-led industrial growth.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Undertaking theoretical and/or experimental research in one or more of the aforementioned projects, under close supervision provided by dedicated academic staff from the DSP Centre;
• Regularly documenting and disseminating research results using various means including publication in high-quality journals, and presentations in professional conferences, workshops and project meetings;
• Operating and maintaining research lab equipment;
• Attending training courses when required;
• Providing necessary assistance in preparing research proposals;
• Assisting the supervision of undergraduate student projects.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• The post holders will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
• The post holders will be expected to comply with the University’s equality policies and statements, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Scheme.
• The post holders have a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for themselves and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by their actions or inactions. The post holders are also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
• The post holders must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.

Person Specification:

Essential

• A first or upper second class honour degree (or its equivalent) in a physical science, engineering or technological subject;
• In-depth understanding of one or more of the following areas: i) optical/wireless/optical wireless communication subsystems/systems; ii) joint optical communications and sensing; iii) data networks; iv) digital/analogue signal processing; v) mobile communications; vi) high-speed digital circuit design; and vii) computer programming.
• Excellent mathematical, numerical and experimental skills;
• Excellent self-study skills;
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a team or as an individual;
• Passion for independently undertaking academic research;
• Self-motivation: meets objectives on own initiative, committed to continuous professional development and adaptable;
• No specific Welsh language requirement. Candidates will be expected to work positively in a bilingual environment.

Desirable

• A track record of scientific publications in world-leading professional journals and major national/international conferences
• Academic research experience in the relevant areas;
• A background knowledge of 5G/6G technologies and their associated challenges;

Should you wish to discuss the post informally please contact Professor Jianming Tang, Tel +44 (0)1248 382697 or email j.tang@bangor.ac.uk

Applications will only be accepted via our website. However, in cases of access issues due to disability, paper application forms are available by telephoning 01248 383865.

The successful candidates will be expected to commence as soon as possible. The post is for a fixed term period of 3 years initially with the possibility of an extension subject to future funding. Non UK/EU nationals will be required to obtain an ATAS certificate to fulfil the requirements of these posts.

General:

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.

All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references

All candidates must meet the requirements of UK ‘right to work’ requirements*

** If you require Home Office permission to work in the UK, or need to switch your visa status in order to take this job, please note that following the introduction by the Government of immigration limits on skilled workers we recommend you use the following link to information about the routes into employment and to check eligibility requirements:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/

Funding Notes

Standard UKRI stipend of £21,805 (for the 2026/2027 academic year) with waived university tuition fees

The studentship is funded by three projects secured by the DSP Centre: two from EPSRC and one from the Flintshire & Wrexham Investment Zone – Research and Innovation Programme.

Candidates should hold a first or upper second class honour degree (or their equivalent) in a physical science, engineering or technological subject, and have a sound understanding of one or more of the following areas:

• Optical/wireless/optical wireless communications subsystems/systems;
• Joint optical communications and sensing;
• Data networks;
• Digital/analogue signal processing;
• Mobile communications;
• High-speed digital circuit design.