PhD Studentship in Computer Science: Autonomous Resilience in Heterogeneous IoT Networks Newcastle University in United Kingdom

[100% home fees covered and minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026-27 UKRI rates). International applicants must cover the difference between Home and International fees.]

PhD Studentship in Computer Science: Autonomous Resilience in Heterogeneous IoT Networks at Newcastle University offers a unique opportunity to advance the reliability and autonomy of modern IoT systems. The project is situated within the School of Computing and is supervised by Dr. Yinhao Li. It is fully funded for UK/EU applicants (meeting residency criteria), covering 100% home fees and providing a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026-27 UKRI rates). International applicants are welcome but must cover the difference between Home and International fees.

Research Focus: The studentship addresses the challenges of maintaining resilience in large-scale, heterogeneous IoT networks, which underpin smart cities and industrial IoT (IIoT) environments. Traditional fault tolerance mechanisms are insufficient for the dynamic, complex nature of these systems. This research aims to develop a next-generation architecture that fuses distributed computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to enable IoT systems with self-diagnosis and self-healing capabilities. Key technologies include federated learning, graph neural networks, blockchain, Bayesian deep learning, and deep reinforcement learning.

Core Challenges: The project tackles adaptive fault monitoring using real-time diagnosis, uncertainty modeling in dynamic environments, trustworthy autonomous recovery with verifiable AI-driven decision engines, and scalability across diverse device types and interconnections. The goal is to create a resilient framework capable of real-time root cause analysis and automated recovery, moving beyond static maintenance to autonomous, trustworthy operation.

Eligibility: Applicants must have or expect to gain at least a 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject. A strong background in computer science or systems engineering is required. Knowledge of AI/ML algorithms, especially graph neural networks and reinforcement learning, is highly advantageous. Interest in distributed computing, IoT architecture, and system resilience is essential. Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills. International applicants may require an ATAS clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa.

Application Process: Applications must be submitted via NewcastlePortal. Select 'Create Postgraduate Application', search for programme code 8050F in Computing Science, and choose 'PhD Computer Science'. Provide a personal statement and enter studentship code COMP2176 in the 'Studentship/Partnership Reference' field. Write your research proposal based on the project title and your own statement. The application deadline is 13 May 2026, and the studentship starts on 21 September 2026. For further information, contact Dr. Yinhao Li.

Why Apply? This studentship offers the chance to work at the intersection of distributed computing, AI, and IoT, contributing to the development of resilient, autonomous systems for smart cities and industrial applications. The project is well-funded and provides a supportive research environment at Newcastle University.