PhD Studentship: Safety assurance processes for autonomous swarm robotics

About the studentship

Reference

2627-OCT-CATE15

Application deadline

22 May 2026

Start date

1 October 2026

This studentship is based in the College of Arts, Technology and Environment.

The successful candidate will be based in School of Computing and Creative Technologies at UWE Bristol.

We are seeking a motivated and curious student to join the Computer Science Research Centre CSRC, and contribute to our objectives of advancing AI trustworthiness and developing safety assurance methodologies with particular emphasis on autonomous applications.

Multi-Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), particularly autonomous swarm robotic, are increasingly deployed in emergency response and disaster management scenarios due to their significant potential to enhance relief operations and support life-saving missions. Therefore, their safety and reliability must be rigorously verified prior to real-world deployment.

This project aims to develop and exhibit end to end method for assuring the robustness and dependability of autonomous swarm robotics for emergency relief. The scope of this challenge is broad; however, the PhD project will specifically focus on systematic safety engineering of AI components with the aim to bridge the gap between existing AI assurance principles and swarm intelligence policies to meet the rigorous requirements for safe autonomous systems in open environments.

The successful candidate will join the vibrant interdisciplinary environment at the CSRC, with opportunities for collaboration and access to the Bristol Robotics Laboratory BRL, a leading multidisciplinary robotics research center.

They will receive comprehensive support to develop advanced expertise in Explainability and Trustworthiness in Edge AI systems, autonomous systems, and Safety Engineering. The PhD program provides structured training and mentorship in research design, academic writing, and presentation skills, alongside professional development in a range of highly transferable skills, research management, leadership, and graduate teaching assistance.

If you have any questions about the studentship, please contact Sondess Missaoui at sondess.missaoui@uwe.ac.uk.

Eligibility

You will have:

• a Master's or undergraduate degree in Computer Science or a related discipline with significant AI/ML focus
• strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
• a collaborative mindset and commitment to responsible, ethical innovation.

It would be an advantage if you also have:

• experience in developing AI/ML systems using Python or similar tools
• experience on Robotic framework ROS
• experience with Edge AI frameworks (TensorFlow Lite, PyTorch, TinyML).

Funding

The studentship is available from 1 October 2026 for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress and includes a tax-exempt stipend, which is currently £20,780 (2025/26) per annum.

In addition, full-time tuition fees will be covered for up to three years (Home).

How to apply

Please submit your application online. When prompted use the reference number 2627-OCT-CATE15. 

Application deadline

The closing date for applications is 22 May 2026.

Supporting documentation

You will need to upload your research proposal, all your degree certificates and transcripts and a recognised English language qualification is required.

You will need to provide details of two referees as part of your application.

Interview dates

It is expected that interviews will take place on weeks commencing June. If you have not heard from us by July, we thank you for your application but on this occasion you have not been successful.

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