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Meng Yuan

2 weeks ago

Fully Funded PhD Positions in Control, Robotics, and Learning-Based Optimisation Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

The Wellington Doctoral Scholarship provides NZ$32,000 per year plus tuition fees for up to three years. Chinese citizens may also apply for the CSC–VUW Joint PhD Scholarship. International PhD students in New Zealand pay domestic tuition fees, and their partners can apply for an open work visa.

Deadline

Nov 1, 2026

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Country

New Zealand

University

te herenga waka—victoria university of wellington

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Keywords

Computer Science
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mathematics
Industrial Engineering
Reinforcement Learning
Model Predictive Control
Robotics
Mechatronics
Control System
Renewable Energy Systems

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About this position

🚀 PhD opportunities are available in control, robotics, and learning-based optimisation at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

The project sits at the intersection of model predictive control (MPC) and reinforcement learning (RL), with applications to safe, efficient, and adaptive controllers for real engineering systems. Research directions include robotic manipulators and high-precision motion control, quadruped robots and loco-manipulation, and energy systems such as battery fast charging and home/building energy management with EVs.

The supervisor is Meng Yuan, a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in the School of Engineering and Computer Science, working in the Mechatronics Group and closely with the Sustainable Energy Systems Research Group. The lab is building a hardware platform with a robotic arm and a quadruped robot, so the role includes substantial hands-on experimental work.

Funding: The Wellington Doctoral Scholarship offers NZ$32,000 per year plus tuition fees for up to three years. Chinese citizens are also encouraged to apply for the CSC–VUW Joint PhD Scholarship. The post notes that international PhD students in New Zealand pay domestic tuition fees.

Eligibility highlights: background in control, mechatronics, electrical or mechanical engineering, applied mathematics, or computer science; strong MATLAB and Python skills; and strong interest in engineering research. Publications are a plus for scholarship applications.

Application window: the next round closes on 1 November 2026.

How to apply: email [email protected] with the subject line “PhD Application – Your Name – Research Interest” and attach your CV, transcripts, a one-page research statement, and a representative paper or thesis. More details are available on the supervisor’s homepage.

Funding details

The Wellington Doctoral Scholarship provides NZ$32,000 per year plus tuition fees for up to three years. Chinese citizens may also apply for the CSC–VUW Joint PhD Scholarship. International PhD students in New Zealand pay domestic tuition fees, and their partners can apply for an open work visa.

What's required

Applicants should have a background in control, mechatronics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, applied mathematics, or computer science. Strong programming skills in MATLAB and Python are expected, and genuine curiosity about engineering problems is emphasized. Publications are a strong plus for scholarship applications.

How to apply

Email [email protected] with the subject line "PhD Application – Your Name – Research Interest". Attach your CV, transcripts, a one-page research statement, and a representative paper or thesis. See the homepage for more details.

More information can be found here

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