PhD Studentship: Decommissioning Cultures and Communities: understanding culture change from operation to decommissioning in a large nuclear facility (NDA funded)

The University of Exeter’s Department of Geography is inviting applications for a PhD bursary funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency to commence on 10 September 2026. For eligible students the studentship will cover Home tuition fees plus an annual tax-free stipend of at least £22442 for 4 years full-time, or pro rata for part-time study. The student would be based in Geography, in the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy at the Streatham Campus in Exeter. Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship exploring how workers, families and communities adapt to large-scale industrial change in the UK nuclear sector. Focusing on the transition from operations to decommissioning at the Sellafield site, this project examines how identity, culture and community evolve in response to changing work environments. Sellafield is central to the UK’s nuclear decommissioning mission and the largest site within the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) estate. For decades, it has shaped the economic and social fabric of West Cumbria, employing multiple generations of local families. As facilities move from fuel reprocessing to decommissioning, workers face significant changes to their roles, skills, and sense of purpose, reshaping their relationship with work, employer and community.

This PhD takes a psychosocial, community-focused approach to understanding these transitions. It will explore themes including decommissioning culture, workforce skills, and psychological safety, identifying barriers to trust and wellbeing in high-hazard, mission-driven environments. The research moves beyond organisational perspectives to examine how workplace, home and community relationships interact to shape experiences of change. Using qualitative social science methods, the successful candidate will undertake in-depth biographical and narrative interviews with workers and their families, alongside analysis of archival materials such as the “Sellafield Stories” collection of oral histories. The project will generate a rich understanding of how communities connected to major infrastructure adapt over time, and how institutions can better support them. The research directly supports the NDA mission by enhancing workforce engagement, strengthening community relationships, and ensuring social value is maintained through transition. Findings will help organisations better manage change, foster psychological safety, and support both current and future workforces. The studentship provides training in qualitative research, community engagement and stakeholder communication. You will develop expertise in participatory methods, working with hard-to-reach groups, and analysing complex concepts such as identity, trust and belonging. Training is delivered through the University of Exeter’s Researcher Development Programme, with opportunities in publishing, policy engagement and dissemination. You will join a supportive and experienced supervisory team with extensive expertise in nuclear communities and public engagement, and benefit from a vibrant interdisciplinary research environment as a member of the Nuclear Societies research cluster. The studentship includes a generous research and training allowance. The student will be expected to undertake a four-month secondment with the NDA at the Sellafield site and to attend international conferences. The successful candidate will be required to obtain BPSS security clearance prior to receiving any funding and starting the project. The collaboration involves a project partner who is providing funding [and other material support to the project], this means there are special terms that apply to the project, these will be discussed with Candidates at Interview and fully set out in the offer letter. The collaboration with the named project partner is subject to contract and full details will be confirmed at offer stage.

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