The Space Environment and Radio Engineering (SERENE) group at the University of Birmingham (UK) is looking for PhD candidate applicants in a wide range of areas:

Ionospheric modeling for positioning, navigation, and timing: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/ionospheric-modelling-for-gnss-precise-point-positioning-pnt-and-space-weather-resilience/?p197506

Thermospheric modeling for satellite drag prediction: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/thermosphere-modelling-for-satellite-drag-collision-avoidance-and-space-weather-resilience/?p197505

Ionospheric, Auroral, and Ocean clutter modeling for HF radar: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/ionospheric-auroral-and-ocean-clutter-models-for-monostatic-and-bistatic-hf-sensing-systems/?p197504

Successful applicants will join an active and growing group with research focused on ionospheric and thermospheric physics and modeling, data assimilation, HF radar, and space weather operations.

The call will remain open until the positions are filled. For more information about the application process, group, or research area, please feel free to contact Sean Elvidge at s.elvidge@bham.ac.uk or David Themens at d.r.themens@bham.ac.uk… continue to the full article

Read more

We have fully-funded PhD studentships available for entry in October 2026. These PhD studentships include full UK fees, a living allowance (stipend) and additional funding to cover research costs and international travel such as conferences.

The closing date for applications is Monday 1st June 2026. Full details can be found here : www.northumbria.ac.uk/STFCphd

You will join a strong, successful and supportive research team. The very best way to get a taste of this is to come and visit the Research Group in person (see www.northumbria.ac.uk/STFCphd for details).

We value individual differences and diversity and the improved science and scholarship that brings. We therefore encourage applications from under-represented groups and requests for flexible study are welcomed. We offer all applicants full guidance on the application process. For informal enquiries, please email Professor James McLaughlin (james.a.mclaughlin@northumbria.ac.uk).

I would be grateful if you could circulate this amongst your relevant final-year students.… continue to the full article

Read more

The ESA-CAS SMILE mission, due to launch imminently, will image the dayside magnetosphere for the first time in soft X-rays from solar wind charge exchange. Since X-ray emissions are expected to peak at the magnetopause, SMILE offers the possibility of remote sensing magnetopause dynamics for the first time. Through leveraging other spacecraft and ground-based instruments, these can then be linked to the effects felt within geospace and on the ground. This exciting new capability offers many possible opportunities in determining the large-scale response of the first link in the geospace processing chain that ultimately leads to space weather.

This funded PhD project is highly centred on data analysis, computer programming, and data visualisation. Experience with these will be vital. It will also leverage advanced interdisciplinary signal processing and machine learning methods, which it would be an advantage for you to have some familiarity with. Knowledge of basic plasma or space physics would also help, but is not necessarily required upon application.

This project is fully funded by the Department of Physics at Imperial College London for students with ‘home’ fee status. For more information, contact Dr Martin Archer (m.archer10@imperial.ac.uk).

Please refer to the following website for details on how to apply: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/space-and-atmospheric-physics/postgraduate-studies/phd-opportunities/… continue to the full article

Read more

Dr Susanna Parenti (Paris-Saclay) and Prof Andrew Hillier (Exeter) would like to draw your attention to a joint PhD post between Exeter and Paris-Saclay on the modelling and observations of the chromospheric response to solar flares.

Details are available on the Paris-Saclay website: https://adum.fr/as/ed/voirproposition.pl?matricule_prop=70362&site=adumR#version.

For further information please contact Susanna.PARENTI@cea.fr or a.s.hillier@exeter.ac.uk.

Note the application deadline is the 22nd March 2026.… continue to the full article

Read more

PhD Project Tile: Bridging Causality and Forecasting in Space Weather: A Transparent Complex Systems Modelling and Interpretable Machine Learning Framework”

Project Descriptions

Accurate space weather forecasting is essential for safeguarding satellite infrastructure and terrestrial power grids against geomagnetic disturbances and radiation hazards. While data-driven models have gained prominence, balancing high-fidelity predictive accuracy with physical interpretability remains a formidable challenge. This project introduces a novel hybrid framework designed to bridge the gap between causality and prediction in space weather. By integrating information-theoretic causality analysis, Sparse Nonlinear System Identification (S-NSID) and Interpretable Machine Learning (IML), the framework offers a transparent alternative to traditional ‘black-box’ approaches. The process begins with rigorous nonlinear causality tests to quantify information flow between solar wind drivers, such as velocity, density, pressure, and interplanetary magnetic field components, and their corresponding magnetospheric responses. These causal insights act as a principled feature-selection mechanism, ensuring the resulting models are both parsimonious and mathematically explicit. By identifying the sparse functional structures governing Sun-Earth coupling, this research provides a robust, physically grounded tool for real-time risk mitigation and the advancement of predictive space science.

The PhD studentship, funded by the STFC, is intended for home students graduating in a relevant subject (Mathematics, Computing, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Astronomy/Astrophysics, etc.). It includes full UK tuition fees, a living allowance (stipend), and additional funding to cover research costs, collaborative visits, and national and international travel to conferences and workshops.

Application Deadline: March 16th, 2026
Expected Start Date: October 2026

For further information, details on the project and application procedure, please contact Dr. Hua-Liang (Leon) Wei: w.hualiang@sheffield.ac.uk.… continue to the full article

Read more

The Astronomy & Astrophysics Section at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), Dublin, invites applications for a fully funded 4-year PhD position in solar flare physics under the supervision of Dr Laura Hayes, deadline March 16th at 12 noon.

The project will investigate the temporal evolution of solar flares and particle acceleration processes using observations from ESA’s Solar Orbiter mission. The student will analyse coordinated data from STIX (X-ray) and EUI (EUV) to study high-cadence flare variability, time-resolved spectral evolution, energy-dependent timing signatures, and quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs). The work will combine detailed case studies from Solar Orbiter Major Flare Campaigns with statistical analyses of the expanding flare catalogue, with potential inclusion of complementary radio and multi-mission observations.

The PhD will involve Python-based analysis within the SunPy ecosystem and training in open, reproducible research practices. The student will be based at DIAS Dunsink Observatory, registered at Trinity College Dublin, and embedded in the international Solar Orbiter science community. The position is expected to start in September 2026.

Requirements: Honours degree (BSc/MSc) in Physics, Astrophysics, or related field; strong analytical skills; experience with Python and scientific data analysis. Prior solar/space physics experience is desirable but not essential.

Funding: €25,000 per year tax-free stipend plus tuition fees covered at the EU/UK rate (4 years), with additional support for travel and computing.

Applications must be submitted via the DIAS e-recruitment system by 16 March (12:00 GMT). For informal enquiries: laura.hayes@dias.ie. Full information can be found here: https://www.dias.ie/phd-position-in-solar-flare-physics-using-solar-orbiter/

DIAS is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.… continue to the full article

Read more

A 3.5-year PhD studentship is available in the Solar and Magnetospheric Theory group at the University of St Andrews, recruiting now for a start in September/October 2026.

The project will be supervised by Dr Alexander Russell and its goal is to advance understanding of solar flares – sudden releases of magnetic energy in the Sun’s corona that heat solar plasma to tens of millions of kelvin and accelerate particles to high energies. During the PhD, you will investigate how energization of ions and electrons affects the solar flare dynamics and seek to identify signatures that can help reveal how the energy release energizes different types of particles.

The project will involve modelling solar flares using existing computer codes. There may also be an opportunity to analyse solar flare observations during the project. The STFC studentship includes a maintenance grant, tuition fees and an allowance for conferences/training.

Applicants should have a degree in Applied Mathematics, Theoretical Physics, Astrophysics or a closely related subject (by the start date). The minimum academic entry requirement is an upper second class honours degree, although we typically look for applicants with a first class degree and strong performance in relevant modules. Apart from excellent academic qualifications, we expect applicants to have the motivation and enthusiasm to enable them to work on an extended research project. Previous research experience is desirable although not essential. Given the computational aspects of the project, applicants should have prior coding experience.

The host group and wider School of Mathematics and Statistics value diversity and nurture an inclusive community. We are firmly committed to the progression of women, and other historically under-represented groups and hold a Silver Athena SWAN award. All applications will be considered holistically and evaluated on their individual merits, with a focus on identifying individuals with high research potential who can be mentored during the PhD.

For more information, including how to apply, email Dr Alexander Russell at ar51@st-andrews.ac.uk. A closing date will be set in due course and potential applicants are encouraged to make their interest known at their first opportunity.… continue to the full article

Read more

The solar atmosphere hosts rotating magnetised plasma flow structures that channel energy and waves from the solar surface into the corona. Understanding how these swirling structures reorganise magnetic fields and drive energy upward is key to solving one of solar physics’ greatest puzzles: why the corona is millions of degrees hotter than the surface?

This PhD project will investigate how swirling plasma motions interact with magnetic fields to regulate energy transport across solar atmospheric layers. You will analyse cutting-edge solar observations, combined with state-of-the-art high-performance computing magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. Using advanced automated detection techniques, you will identify and study coherent magnetic and flow structures that dominate energy transfer and quantify the associated Poynting flux.

Based within the Plasma Dynamics Group (PDG, https://pdg.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/home) at the University of Sheffield, you will gain expertise in solar observations, numerical modelling, and plasma physics while contributing to breakthrough research on solar atmospheric coherent structures, coronal heating, and solar wind acceleration.

The PhD studentship, funded by the STFC, is intended for home students graduating in a relevant subject (Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy/Astrophysics, etc.). It includes full UK tuition fees, a living allowance (stipend), and additional funding to cover research costs, collaborative visits, and national and international travel to conferences and workshops.

Application Deadline: March 13th, 2026 (please note the very tight deadline)
Expected Start Date: October 2026

For further information, details on the project and application procedure, please contact Prof. Viktor Fedun (v.fedun@sheffield.ac.uk).… continue to the full article

Read more

Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in the solar corona within the Centre for Fusion, Space & Astrophysics at the University of Warwick, UK.

Start date: 1 October 2026
Duration: 4 years
Application deadline: 18 March 2026

Project overview
The successful candidate will work in the research team of the project “A new look at the solar coronal heating problem” (ACDCSUN) funded by the ERC Advanced Grant held by Professor Valery Nakariakov.
The project will involve:
• Analysis of EUV imaging datasets obtained by multiple spacecraft (e.g., EUI onboard Solar Orbiter), including the application of machine learning techniques,
• Modelling MHD wave generation and propagation in structured plasma.

Training & opportunities
The studentship offers extensive opportunities for:
• Advanced scientific training
• Attendance at national and international conferences and workshops
• Research visits to collaborators in the UK, Europe, and worldwide
• Engagement with current and future space missions

We value diversity and the benefits it brings to science and scholarship. We therefore strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups. Requests for flexible or part-time study will be considered.

Guidance on how to apply for a PhD at Warwick is available at:
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/physics/admissions/postgraduate/how-to-apply/

For informal enquiries, please email Professor Valery Nakariakov (V.Nakariakov@warwick.ac.uk).… continue to the full article

Read more

The School of Aerospace at Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen (HIT Shenzhen), is seeking highly motivated PhD students to join our cutting-edge research team. This is an exciting opportunity to work on projects that aim to revolutionize our understanding of solar and stellar activity and its impact on space weather through advanced observations, numerical modeling and innovative machine learning approaches.

Available Research Topics
Successful candidates will work on one or more of the following areas:
1. Physics of the Solar/Stellar Corona: Investigate physics of solar/stellar corona, solar/stellar flares, imaging observation of stellar coronae and CMEs.
2. Space Weather and Geomagnetic Storms: Study and predict impact of space weather on magnetosphere and ionosphere of Earth and habitability of exoplanets.
3. Socioeconomic and industrial impact of space weather: Explore the impact of space weather on everyday life and participate in efforts to safeguard Earth.
4. High-Resolution Numerical Simulations: Develop and implement advanced numerical models of the solar and stellar atmosphere, CMEs, and space weather.
5. AI in Aerospace Science: Apply machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to analyze large datasets from observations and simulations.

Requirements
• A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in physics, astrophysics, plasma physics, applied mathematics, computational physics, computer science, data analysis and AI technology or a related field.
• Background in numerical methods, plasma physics, or solar/stellar physics.
• Experience with programming languages such as Python, Fortran, or C++ is highly desirable.
• For candidates interested in AI, prior experience in machine learning or data science is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• A passion for scientific research and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

What We Offer
• A competitive stipend and full tuition waiver.
• Access to state-of-the-art computational facilities and resources.
• Opportunities to collaborate with leading international research institutions and participate in high-impact scientific projects ranging from space weather monitoring to lunar and Mars missions.
• A vibrant and supportive research environment at HIT Shenzhen, located in dynamic and sunny coastal metropolis of Shenzhen, “China’s Silicon Valley”.
• Training and professional development opportunities, including participation in international conferences and workshops.
• PhD degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Science and Technology

Application Process
Interested candidates should submit the following documents as a single PDF file to yuanding@hit.edu.cn with the subject line “HITSZ PhD Application – Aerospace Science “:
1. A cover letter outlining your research interests and motivation for applying.
2. A detailed CV, including academic qualifications, research experience, and publications (if any).
3. Academic transcripts from your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
4. Contact information for at least two academic referees.
5. (Optional) A brief research proposal (1–2 pages) related to one of the research topics mentioned above.

Home page: https://faculty.hitsz.edu.cn/yuanding?lang=en

Application Deadline: May 20th, 2026
Expected Start Date: September 2026
For further information, please contact Ding Yuan (yuanding@hit.edu.cn).… continue to the full article

Read more