EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear (SATURN) trains the next generation of researchers to lead in nuclear fission, supporting the UK's energy and net-zero goals.
About SATURN-CDT
Since the 2004 Energy Act, nuclear fission has been a vital part of the UK's Energy and Net Zero Strategies. As nuclear energy remains key to a low-carbon energy future, the UK is recognised globally for its expertise in safe and efficient decommissioning, and managing nuclear legacies.
SATURN CDT equips future leaders with expertise in decommissioning, advancing nuclear technologies, and shaping nuclear policy. Our programme is at the forefront of developing skilled professionals to lead in these critical areas, ensuring sustainable and secure energy for the future.
The CDT brings together a consortium of UK universities, including Manchester, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and Strathclyde in an effort to work towards building the skills base needed to support the UK’s net zero targets.
PhD Opportunities
Join a visionary journey to shape a future where clean nuclear energy powers cities, industries, and homes, transforming our relationship with the environment and paving the way to a sustainable world by embarking on one of our PhD programmes.
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Supervisors:
Professor Colin Boxall, Lancaster University
Dr Richard Wilbraham, Lancaster University
Dr Luke Townsend, NWS Ltd
About the Project
In the UK, spent nuclear fuel is due for disposal in a geological disposal facility (GDF) and in order to enable this a robust, scientifically underpinned safety case is required. Developing a safety case relies upon reliable and thorough fundamental scientific evidence to support claims and arguments that the characteristics and behaviour of spent nuclear fuel are understood to the required level.
Of the many facets associated with spent fuel, one key area of understanding that requires development is the chemistry and location of important fission products (such as 79Se) in the spent fuel matrix. As real spent fuel presents challenges, from safe handling to limitations on the techniques available for analysis and characterisation, SIMFUELs present an opportunity to develop the knowledge base of spent fuels under lower radioactivity conditions. To this end, this project aims to develop representative SIMFUELs to better understand the chemistry of key fission products, such as 79Se, in the UO2 spent fuel matrix.
Once developed, corrosion testing of the SIMFUEL will be performed to understand how the presence of Se in the matrix affects the behaviour of the material; providing important underpinning for how spent fuel may behave under repository conditions. Producing SIMFUELs relevant to the UK spent fuel inventory is of significant importance to ongoing and future spent fuel research programme.
This project is a collaboration between Lancaster and Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) Ltd. Experimental work will be conducted primarily in Lancaster’s UTGARD (Uranium-Thorium beta-Gamma Active R&D) Lab
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills and Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
You should address your background and suitability for this project in your personal statement.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University and Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) Ltd through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
About the Project
This four-year PhD project aims to support the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) mission to advance sustainable fusion energy and maximize its scientific and economic benefits. Future fusion reactors will harness the reaction between deuterium and tritium to produce significant amounts of low-carbon energy. Since tritium is a scarce resource, it must be generated in-situ through the transmutation of lithium, necessitating the design of a sophisticated breeder blanket that surrounds the plasma chamber. The breeder blanket operates under extreme environmental conditions, including high temperatures and intense neutron irradiation. These conditions span multiple time and length scales and involve various interdependent physical phenomena, making accurate prediction and design challenging. Consequently, developing breeder blankets requires multiphysics models that account for neutron and thermal transport, stress and strain, and fluid mechanics. UKAEA’s current multiphysics models include a basic framework for tritium transport through materials. However, this existing model lacks the capability to account for complex phenomena such as radiation-driven diffusion. Therefore, the primary goal of this project is to develop advanced tritium diffusion models for fusion reactors and integrate them into UKAEA’s multiphysics modelling framework. These models will be further parameterized using atomistic simulation techniques, including classical Molecular Dynamics (cMD) and Density Functional Theory (DFT). Once fully implemented and parameterised the multiphysics model will be employed to develop advanced breeder blankets for reactors, such as the UK Government’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP).
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
Candidates interested in applying should first send an email expressing interest to SATURN CDT as soon as possible and by the closing date: 31 May 2025.
Funding Notes
Supported by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), UKRI/EPSRC and Lancaster University through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£19,237) (all tax free).
Supervisors:
Dr David Cheneler - Lancaster University
Dr Stephen Monk - Lancaster University
Dr James Graham - Sellafield Ltd
About the Project
Proposed here is the development of an automated detection and fingerprinting method using machine learning and spectra unfolding techniques for the real-time, in-situ monitoring and determination of weak beta-emitting radionuclides found in groundwater around nuclear sites without the need for sampling. This will utilise state-of-the-art technology recently developed by the research team, capable of detecting beta-emitting radionuclides in water.
Remote monitoring of groundwater sites is notoriously difficult owing to the array of chemical and physical contaminants that can potentially be found due to the varied past uses of sites, such as Sellafield, including non-nuclear activities. Detection and identification of beta-emitting radionuclides such as 3H, 40K, 90Sr, 125Sb, etc. in boreholes is a complex but important task due to the emission of ionising radiation, which can be hazardous to human health. Hence the requirement to monitor groundwater to ensure it meets national and international legislation. This task is difficult as the beta particles emitted have broad, overlapping energy spectra, and are absorbed within a very short distance from creation in water. Currently, the assay of radionuclides producing weak beta radiation is undertaken via the sending of samples to 3rd party labs for extraction and analysis – a costly and time-consuming method.
This project will build on a previous successful NDA bursary funded project ‘In-situ Real-time Monitoring of Waterborne Low Energy Betas’ (NNL/UA/006) led by the research team here. In this project, a prototype system was developed [1, 2] capable of detecting weak beta-emitting radionuclides, such as tritium, in groundwater. The detectors developed were designed to fit in boreholes and detect radionuclides in water without having to remove samples from the borehole. An efficient data management system [1] was also developed to facilitate extended testing and communications required for deployment.
The proposed project will use this technology directly but extend the functionality to automatically detect and quantify the concentrations of individual weak beta-emitting radionuclides, such as tritium and 14C, in the presence of 90Sr, which is the dominant high-energy beta-emitting radionuclide in groundwater on site at Sellafield. The research will focus on developing machine learning algorithms to extend total beta analysis to individual weak beta-emitting radionuclides, automating the analysis, and negating the need for sampling and laboratory separation and chemical analysis. It will become far cheaper to screen boreholes frequently.
Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisor Dr David Cheneler to discuss their interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting an application, also register their interest with the SATURN CDT for this project.
Applicants should have a minimum of an upper second-class honours degree in electronic engineering, mechatronic engineering, computer science, or a related technical subject.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University and the NDA through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants, the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
References
[1] Compact Back-End Electronics with Temperature Compensation and Efficient Data Management for In Situ SiPM-Based Radiation Detection. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23084053 [2] Laminated Flow-Cell Detector with Granulated Scintillator for the Detection of Tritiated Water. https://doi.org/10.3390/radiation3040017
Supervisors:
Professor Colin Boxall, Lancaster University
Dr Thomas Carey, UKNNL Ltd
Dr Adam Lang, Environment Agency
About the Project
The UK government is updating its guidance to help responsible authorities prepare for an uncontrolled release of radioactivity to the urban environment, due to either a nuclear accident or a radiological terrorist attack. Previous radiation emergencies in the UK and overseas have shown that decontamination of buildings and infrastructure after either such event can produce large volumes of waste which can be difficult to manage.
Historical nuclear accidents indicate that the nature of caesium-137 (137Cs) contamination on different grades of concrete can be markedly different following a radioactive fallout event in an urban environment. These inconsistencies can significantly influence the efficacy of a candidate decontamination technique and the resulting waste volume. Complexities in radionuclide contamination behaviour therefore make it challenging to develop robust decontamination and waste management strategies for radiation incidents.
This PhD project aims to fill this gap by investigating the physical and chemical processes which promote 137Cs accumulation on urban concrete materials during a radiation incident. Decontamination and waste management implications of 137Cs contamination phenomena will also be assessed.
This project will aim to:
Through use of non-radioactive Cs surrogates and 137Cs (spiked) samples, explore the interactions between 137Cs fallout and UK concrete construction materials using laboratory rigs and advanced characterisation techniques
Determine the effectiveness of decontamination methods for removing 137Cs from urban concrete infrastructure and evaluate the waste volumes and activities generated
The outputs of this project will be used to inform UK radiation emergency planning. This includes improving models developed by the UK and/or international partners to estimate the waste consequences of recovering from urban contamination events.
This project is a collaboration between Lancaster University, The UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and the UK’s Environment Agency (EA). Experimental work will be conducted primarily in Lancaster’s UTGARD (Uranium-Thorium beta-Gamma Active R&D) Lab using non-radioactive Cs surrogates and 137Cs (spiked) samples, with opportunities to conduct specific higher activity 137Cs-based radiological tests within the facilities at the National Nuclear Laboratory.
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training):
You should address your background and suitability for this project in your personal statement.
SATURN_Nuclear_CDT
Supervisors:
Professor Colin Boxall
Dr Fabrice Andrieux
Matthew O’Sullivan, Sellafield Ltd
Tom Bainbridge, Sellafield Ltd
Since the 1950s, Sellafield site has been the hub of the UK nuclear industry. Across this time the site has been used for various activities including, experimental reactors, commercial power generation, fuel and waste storage and fuel reprocessing.
These activities have generated aluminium wastes that are planned to be retrieved from existing facilities and held in modern storage facilities before eventual conditioning for disposal within a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). This includes British Experimental Pile fuel (BEP0) from the Windscale Pile reactors (stored within ponds) as well as miscellaneous aluminium items disposed of to the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) which received primarily Magnox swarf resulting from de-canning of Magnox fuel between the 1960s and the 1990s.
To appropriately manage these wastes, Sellafield must understand aluminium behaviour in different storage environments. Evidence for the corrosion of aluminium in the environments at Sellafield is limited and often contradictory. Experimental trials have previously concluded that aluminium will not corrode in the presence of Magnox corrosion product. Observations have been made from inspection of material in the ponds that some aluminium items have corroded whilst others have not. Whereas observations from retrieval activities so far in MSSS indicate that the aluminium waste items in this facility are likely to have largely corroded away.
The aim of this project is to study the corrosion of aluminium in environments analogous to current and future storage conditions at Sellafield. The results of this project will influence strategy for retrieval, storage conditioning and disposal of nuclear wastes.
This project is a collaboration between Lancaster University and Sellafield Ltd. Experimental work will be conducted primarily in Lancaster’s UTGARD (Uranium-Thorium beta-Gamma Active R&D) Lab.
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
Supported by Sellafield Ltd, UKRI/EPSRC and Lancaster University through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants, the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
Supervisors:
Dr Stephen Monk - Lancaster University
Dr David Cheneler - Lancaster University
Dr Jeremy Andrew - NRS Dounreay
About the Project
Due to space and dose constraints, human access is rarely achievable within pipework across the nuclear estate. However, pipe-crawling robots are a current hotbed of research activity with numerous devices developed for similar applications.
This project involves the development of a modular robot/sensor network capable of traversing 50 mm pipework featuring swept bends and T-pieces. This follows on from another PhD study concerned with the development of an inchworm locomotive (in collaboration with Dounreay). Within this project, the successful candidate will develop several interchangeable modules.
A High-Resolution Imaging module using standard machine learning techniques at the front to provide vision data enabling navigation whilst also providing information to the user concerning contaminants such as residual liquor.
Corrosion Sensing module utilising one of numerous options for corrosion sensing in the literature. We would anticipate using ultrasonic methods as they appear to be the most suitable within pipes of this nature. Other groups have also looked at using fibre optics to determine corrosion levels – so there are numerous options to try.
A spray delivery module utilising an electrically actuated system which will be developed with a syringe mechanism. This module could utilise a decontaminant such as nitric acid or a rapid drying fixative depending on exact application.
A bespoke radiological instrumentation module – involving bare photodiodes to monitor alpha particles, B-10 coated ones to detect neutrons and CeBr3 detectors to detect gamma and beta via discrimination algorithms. All sensors will provide spectroscopic (energy) discrimination to enable specific nuclide identification. This is a significant challenge (low alpha in presence of high beta for example).
A Ramen Spectroscopy module which will be used to better determine analytes within the pipework such as liquor.
It is intended that the device be connected via umbilical containing both optical fibre communications (limited in length by factors such as friction) and power leads.
This project would suit a candidate with interests in areas such as electronics and robotics, although any weaknesses will be rectified via training courses to optimise chances of project success. This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisor Dr Stephen Monk to discuss their interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting an application, also register their interest with the SATURN CDT for this project.
Applicants should have a minimum of an upper second-class honours degree in electronic engineering, mechatronic engineering, computer science, or a related technical subject.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University, UKNNL and the NDA through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free). Please note: this opportunity is only for UK students due to funding and security reasons.
References
[1] Blewitt, Gabrielle, David Cheneler, Jeremy Andrew, and Stephen Monk. "A review of worm-like pipe inspection robots: research, trends and challenges." (2024).
Supervisors:
Professor Colin Boxall, Lancaster University
Dr Mick Bromley, Lancaster University
Dr Josh Turner, UKNNL Ltd
Jo Pugh, Sellafield Ltd
About the Project
Ruthenium is a fission product possessed of two relatively long-lived stable isotopes: Ru-103 (half life = 39.8 days) and Ru-106 (half life = 1 year). Both isotopes are present in UK spent fuel and so have had to be accounted for during the reprocessing or disposal of that fuel. At a number of stages during the processing of spent fuel, ruthenium can be exposed to high nitric acid, high temperature conditions that may lead to its transfer into the gas phase as ruthenium tetroxide. Two such stages are the dissolution of spent fuel into concentrated nitric acid at the start of reprocessing, and the vitrification of ruthenium into a glass waste form after reprocessing has occurred.
Volatilisation is to be avoided as the resultant gas phase ruthenium may then redeposit within metal pipework elsewhere in the plant which will then have to be decontaminated. However, ruthenium volatilisation occurs at unexpectedly low temperatures. Whilst RuO2 is not seen to volatilise below 900oC, gaseous ruthenium oxides have been seen to evolve from solutions of Ru in nitric acid at temperatures as low as 150oC – making the management of ruthenium difficult during reprocessing and vitrification.
Thus, given its volatile nature and high specific radioactivity ruthenium presents a strong challenge to the nuclear industry in effectively managing its abatement. Key challenges are to fully understand the highly complex solution/solid state chemistries that obtain not only under conditions relevant to dissolvers, evaporators and vitrification plants, but also in the decontamination methods used in its clean up. Using a combination of chemical, analytical and engineering approaches, we shall seek to address these challenges in this PhD.
This project is a collaboration between Lancaster University, The UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and Sellafield Ltd. Experimental work will be conducted primarily in Lancaster’s UTGARD (Uranium-Thorium beta-Gamma Active R&D) Lab.
This project is offered through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training).
You should address your background and suitability for this project in your personal statement.
Funding Notes
Supported by UKRI/EPSRC, Lancaster University, UKNNL and Sellafield Ltd through the SATURN CDT (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear Centre for Doctoral Training), this studentship is available to start from 1st October 2025. For UK applicants the studentship is fully funded for 4 years, covering fees and a maintenance grant (£20,780) (all tax free).
