Postgraduate research opportunities Sustainable manufacturing of space systems
ApplyKey facts
- Opens: Friday 15 August 2025
- Deadline: Sunday 31 August 2025
- Number of places: 1
- Duration: 3.5 years
- Funding: Home fee, Stipend
Overview
This project will investigate how to incorporate space manufacturing decisions earlier in the space systems design process, and specifically with a focus on enabling a more sustainable manufacturing of space systems. Key to this will be capturing the coupling between the design of space systems and current and future manufacturing methods and technologies, and developing an early-phase design aid for making manufacturing decisions that support sustainable goals.Eligibility
We are looking for you to have:
- a Masters degree with Merit or Distinction classification (or equivalent) in Engineering Design, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Sustainability, or a related field
- At least one (ideally both) of the following:
- experience (as demonstrated through past research, projects or work experience) working with sustainability/life cycle assessment (potentially outside aerospace) and a strong motivation/passion to learn about spacecraft design
- solid understanding of space systems engineering (as demonstrated through past research, projects or work experience), including satellite or spacecraft design and a strong motivation/passion to learn about sustainability
- proficient in programming (for example, Python, MATLAB) or alternatively, skilled at generating and running code through generative AI tools
- a collaborative mindset and an independent working style
- strong interpersonal skills with a focus on effective communication (written and oral) in English
Any additional skills relevant to the position (exposure to generative design, or extensive work with generative AI), and other research achievements (funded research projects, publications, awards) are desirable but not expected.
If English isn't your first language, you'll need an IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent with no individual score below 5.5.
Project Details
As space activities intensify, with an increasing number of launches and spacecraft, the role of considering how space systems are manufactured and assembled on Earth will become increasingly important. Specifically, thinking about how to design the manufacturing and assembly of space systems in ways that enable sustainable practices will be key.
Objectives
This project addresses these challenges by focusing on the following key objectives:
- characterise the coupling between space system design decisions and manufacturing processes
- model manufacturing processes, with a focus on modeling of sustainability factors relating to different manufacturing processes
- develop a design assistant tool that, given spacecraft design architecture, assists in making decisions around the design of the production and manufacturing systems for the space system
Key contributions
- a literature review on the state-of-the-art of manufacturing techniques employed in the space sector (for satellites, launchers, or both) and around capturing design and manufacturing couplings
- models for manufacturing processes/technologies adopted in the space sector that, given key product parameters (such as sizes), can predict both performance and sustainability-related metrics of the space system
- a method for recommending/assisting in making trade-offs when designing/selecting manufacturing/assembly processes for space systems
Further information
Interviews with qualified and promising candidates will be conducted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Funding details
This PhD project is funded by the Strathclyde Centre for Doctoral Training in Space Manufacturing. It covers UK home tuition fees and an annual tax-free stipend. Additional funding may be available to cover travel to conferences and academic events, software and equipment costs.
Home Students
To be eligible for a fully funded UK home studentship you must:
- Be a UK national or UK/EU dual national or non-UK national with settled status / pre-settled status / indefinite leave to remain / indefinite leave to enter / discretionary leave / EU migrant worker in the UK or non-UK national with a claim for asylum or the family member of such a person, and
- Have ordinary residence in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or British Overseas Territory, at the Point of Application, and
- Have three years residency in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, British Overseas Territory or EEA before the relevant date of application unless residency outside of the UK/ EEA has been of a temporary nature only and of a period less than six years
While there is no funding in place for opportunities marked "unfunded", there are lots of different options to help you fund postgraduate research. Visit funding your postgraduate research for links to government grants, research councils funding and more, that could be available.
Supervisors
Dr Johannes Norheim
Strathclyde Chancellor's Fellow
Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management
Apply
Number of places: 1
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Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management
Programme: Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management
Contact us
For further details please contact Dr. Johannes J. Norheim at johannes.norheim@strath.ac.uk.