The University of Southampton is offering fully funded PhD positions through the Black Futures Scholarship program and in the area of implantable brain machine interfacing. The Black Futures Scholarship is designed for talented Black and Mixed-Black heritage UK-domiciled students who wish to pursue a PhD at Southampton. The scholarship provides a tax-free stipend of £20,780 per year for 3.5 years, full UK tuition fees, and a £1,200 annual training and support grant. Applicants must be ordinarily resident in the UK, eligible for UK fees, and from specific Black or Mixed-Black backgrounds as defined by HESA. In addition, Dr. Majid Zamani, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) and Lead of the BrainL∞p Research Lab, is seeking highly motivated PhD candidates with governmental funding to work on implantable brain machine interfacing. Candidates should have a master's degree in machine learning, electronics engineering, or neuroscience from a prestigious university, be proficient in deep learning techniques (such as CNN, Autoencoder, LSTM, GAN), and have strong programming skills in MATLAB and Python. Familiarity with digital hardware architectures, FPGA design, and experience in computational modelling and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using COMSOL are also desirable. A high GPA (UK upper second-class honours or 2:1) and an IELTS certificate are required for entry into Electronics and Computer Science at Southampton. To apply for the Black Futures Scholarship, identify a PhD project from the university's current offerings or propose your own, then apply online for both the PhD project and the scholarship scheme. For the brain machine interfacing position, send your CV and a one-page cover letter detailing your expertise to Dr. Zamani at [email protected]. The deadline for the Black Futures Scholarship is Friday, 27 February 2026. Early application is encouraged due to the competitive nature of the funding. For more information, visit the University of Southampton's Black Futures Scholarship page or contact the Doctoral College at [email protected].

The University of Southampton is offering a PhD position in the BrainL∞p Research Lab, led by Lecturer (Assistant Professor) Majid Zamani. This opportunity is open to exceptional candidates from the UK, EU, and associated EU countries. The research areas include machine learning, electronics engineering, and neuroscience, with a focus on deep learning techniques (CNN, Autoencoder, LSTM, GAN), digital hardware architectures, FPGA design, computational modelling, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using COMSOL. Applicants should have a master's degree in a relevant field from a prestigious university, strong programming skills in MATLAB and Python, and familiarity with the listed research areas. Entry requirements include a high GPA (UK upper second-class honours or 2:1 equivalent) and an IELTS certificate. The position offers a fee waiver for eligible applicants, covering the difference between UK and international tuition fees for 3.5 years. This waiver can be combined with other funding sources such as UKRI, EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, industry or government funding, or self-funding. No separate application for the fee waiver is required; it will be applied automatically if eligibility criteria are met. To apply, candidates should send their CV and a one-page cover letter outlining their expertise to [email protected]. For more information, applicants can refer to the university's official scholarship page and the LinkedIn announcement. The University of Southampton is a leading institution in the UK, providing a supportive environment for research in cutting-edge fields such as machine learning, electronics engineering, and neuroscience.