PhD Studentship: Improving the Sustainability of Engineering Plastics

Department: Materials
Title: Improving the sustainability of engineering plastics
Application deadline: 27/02/2026
Research theme: Polymers and composites

How to apply: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-2425

UK only

This 3.5-year PhD studentship is open to Home (UK) applicants and EU applicants with indefinite leave to remain. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26; subject to annual uplift), and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2026.

We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline.

Engineering plastics are embedded in every facet of our lives from the automotive sector to construction and electrical goods due to their superior thermal, mechanical or chemical stability. The complex polymer formulations, multi-material components, and diverse use-case scenarios for such plastics create barriers that must be understood at the end of the product lifetime to create a sustainable future. To date much attention has been given to the recycling of plastic packaging but there is a lack of understanding about the required processes for engineering plastics which require higher performance specifications.

This studentship forms part of the EPSRC Manufacturing Hub for a Sustainable Future in Engineering Plastics, a collaboration between The University of Manchester, Warwick University and University College London. This studentship will apply fundamental polymer science to respond to common challenges identified through the Hubs collaboration with over 65 industrial partners to tackle the most pressing industrial issues in stability and recycling of engineering plastics. A project at the interface between polymer science and industry the studentship will use a suite of analytical tools to understand the properties of engineering plastics and understand their stability and behaviour during recycling leading to improved quality of recyclate and enhanced properties of recycled engineering plastics. The project has a focus on transport, built environment and electrical goods sectors.

We are recruiting an enthusiastic and collaborative student with experience in materials science, polymer chemistry, or a related discipline, with a strong focus on recycling processes and sustainable materials. This studentship will be based at the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at the University of Manchester. The project is a collaboration between two of the Manufacturing Hub academics, Prof. Mike Shaver (Director of the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub) and Dr. Niamh Fox (Lecturer in Polymer Science) to drive industrially relevant change in sustainable engineering plastics. 

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline.

To apply, please contact the main supervisors; Dr Niamh Fox - niamh.fox@manchester.ac.uk and Prof Shaver - michael.shaver@manchester.ac.uk. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.

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