Manchester Metropolitan University
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Funded PhD in Lightweight Trust-Aware Private Federated Learning for Secure UAV Swarms under Model Poisoning Attacks Manchester Metropolitan University in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Doctoral teaching assistant position combining a PhD with a university teaching contract. The role is approximately 60% research and 40% teaching, grade 6, with a current salary of £31,236. Home PhD tuition fees are covered for the duration of the 6-year award.
Deadline
Oct 4, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
Manchester Metropolitan University
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About this position
Manchester Metropolitan University is advertising a funded PhD on Lightweight Trust-Aware Private Federated Learning for Secure UAV Swarms under Model Poisoning Attacks. The project sits at the intersection of computer science, artificial intelligence, cyber security, federated learning, privacy-preserving computation, edge intelligence, and UAV systems.
The research aims to develop secure and robust methods for UAV swarms that collaboratively train AI models without sharing raw data. The successful candidate will study poisoning and backdoor attacks, non-IID data, intermittent communication, trust metrics, and privacy-aware aggregation methods that reduce the influence of compromised UAVs while preserving learning from honest participants.
This is a part-time PhD studentship with a 60/40 research-teaching split, starting January 2027 if successful. The award runs for 6 years and includes a teaching contract, advanced research training, and teaching experience. Training areas include AI, cyber security, federated learning, privacy-preserving computation, edge intelligence, and UAV simulation. The post also mentions possible collaboration linked to the National Edge AI Hub through Newcastle University.
Funding: grade 6 salary of £31,236, plus payment of home PhD tuition fees for the duration of the award. This opportunity is for home students only; applicants must have the right to work in the UK and visa sponsorship is not available.
Eligibility highlights: applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, an undergraduate and preferably a postgraduate qualification in computer science, artificial intelligence, cyber security, data science, or a closely related discipline. Strong programming skills (preferably Python/C#), machine learning or deep learning experience, and interest in secure distributed AI, federated learning, adversarial machine learning, UAV systems, or edge intelligence are expected. Desirable experience includes privacy-preserving computation, network security, model poisoning attacks, simulation tools, deep learning frameworks, or open-source research code.
How to apply: submit the online application for a part-time PhD in Computing & Digital Technology, complete the Doctoral Project Applicant Form, and upload your CV and covering letter via the University Admissions Portal. You can also email documents to [email protected]. Quote reference SciEng-DTA Jan 2027-MR-AI Security UAV.
Deadline: 4 October 2026.
Funding details
Doctoral teaching assistant position combining a PhD with a university teaching contract. The role is approximately 60% research and 40% teaching, grade 6, with a current salary of £31,236. Home PhD tuition fees are covered for the duration of the 6-year award.
What's required
Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, an undergraduate and preferably a postgraduate qualification in computer science, artificial intelligence, cyber security, data science, or a closely related discipline. Essential requirements include good programming skills, preferably in Python/C#, experience with machine learning, deep learning, or experimental AI evaluation, interest in secure distributed AI, federated learning, adversarial machine learning, UAV systems, or edge intelligence, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, independent research ability, and good written communication skills. Desirable experience includes federated learning, privacy-preserving computation, network security, model poisoning attacks, simulation tools, deep learning frameworks, or open-source research code. Home students only; applicants must have the right to work in the UK and visa sponsorship is not available.
How to apply
Complete the online application form for a part-time PhD in Computing & Digital Technology. Fill in the Doctoral Project Applicant Form and upload your CV and covering letter in the University Admissions Portal, or email them to [email protected]. Quote reference SciEng-DTA Jan 2027-MR-AI Security UAV.
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