PhD Studentship: Design and Manufacture of Complex Three-Dimensional Electrical Steels

University of Nottingham - The Manufacturing Technology Centre UK, and the University of Nottingham

Qualification Type:PhD Location:Nottingham Funding for:UK Students Funding amount:£25,000 - please see advert Hours:Full Time Placed On:13th April 2026 Closes:15th May 2026 This project offers an exciting opportunity to undertake industrially linked research with engineering teams of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and academics within the Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) Research Institute, University of Nottingham. The project will be supported by the state-of-the-art electric motor manufacturing platforms at both locations.

Project Description

Electrification is a main enabler for decarbonised transportation. Ambitious roadmaps to achieve the “Net Zero” target by 2050 in the UK require step-change performance of electrical motors from a state-of-the-art continuous power density of 2-5 kW/kg to 10-25 kW/kg by 2035. Incremental improvements in electrical machines built from simple stacks of 2D laminations will not suffice to bridge the power density gap required for next generation electric vehicle traction or aerospace propulsion. A radical approach to how electrical machines can be designed and built with 3D architectures that enable significantly boosted electromagnetic, mechanical and thermal performance is yet to be developed.

The project will motivate the PhD student to revolutionise electrical machine design and development based on programmable 3D electrical steel technology enabled by advanced manufacturing processes and emerging magnetic materials for applications across automotive, aerospace, and power generation. Starting from modelling and parametric design of complex 3D laminated and hybrid cores, the PhD student will design and develop new motor topologies and experimentally characterise their magnetic, mechanical and thermal performance. The optimised design for manufacturing workflow will be demonstrated on application-relevant prototypes, evidencing improvements in power density, efficiency and manufacturability over conventional 2D solutions.

Funding:

• A three-year fully funded studentship
• A generous tax-free annual stipend of £25,000 plus full-time home tuition fees paid.
• An additional £2,000 per annum for consumables and travel.

Requirements:

• The candidate should have a 1st or high 2:1 degree in electrical/mechanical engineering, physics, mathematics, or related scientific disciplines.
• Skills in numerical tools and programming are desirable (MATLAB, python, C++ etc).
• Any experience or capabilities in engineering design or manufacturing methods would be advantageous.

Eligibility and Application

• Due to funding restrictions, the position is only available for UK home candidates.
• As sponsored by MTC, the successful candidate would need to pass the sponsors own security checks before starting the PhD.
• Start date: 10th April 2026
• Closing date: 15th May 2026

For further information please email Professor Chris Gerada (University of Nottingham) and Will Pollitt (MTC).

Facilities

The MTC is an independent Research and Technology Organisation aimed at de-risking and accelerating the adoption of disruptive technologies within the UK manufacturing sphere. Supported by the UK government, the MTC works closely with industrial partners and other research organisations to deliver world leading innovation across all levels of the UK’s industrial landscape, from SMEs and start-ups to OEMs and large-scale global manufacturers.

The PEMC Institute is home to Driving the Electric Revolution Midlands Industrialisation Centre and the UK Electrification of Aerospace Propulsion Facilities, which have received over £20m of funding in the last three years. This 5000m2 institute with state-of-the-art facilities for research into electrification technologies, hosting 21 academics, 60 post-doctoral researchers and over 80 PhD students, will be made available for this project. The university actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.