Durham University
5 days ago
PhD Studentship in Efficient Physical AI, Robotics, Deep Learning, and Computer Vision at Durham University Durham University in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Full funding availableDeadline
Aug 15, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
Durham University
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About this position
Durham University is advertising a fully funded PhD studentship in Efficient Physical AI, with a focus on robotics, deep learning, computer vision, vision-language-action models, reinforcement learning, continual learning, and edge deployment of compact robot foundation models.
The project explores how to build capable robot intelligence with limited real-world data and constrained compute. Research directions may include data-efficient training, imitation learning, offline RL, policy distillation, multimodal perception, model compression, world models, and hybrid architectures for real-time deployment on embedded hardware.
The studentship is delivered in collaboration with Intel, including industrial co-supervision. Durham highlights access to strong facilities such as Bede HPC, GPU clusters, LiDAR, RADAR, drones, cameras, embedded devices, and robots including humanoids, quadrupeds, UGVs, and aerial platforms.
Supervision is by Dr Amir Atapour-Abarghouei, Dr Chris Willcocks, and Prof Toby Breckon at Durham University, with Dr Samet Akcay from Intel as co-supervisor. The team notes publication support, research training, hardware/compute access, and opportunities for Intel engagement.
Eligibility: applicants should have a relevant undergraduate or master’s degree in computer science, AI, engineering, mathematics, physics, or a related field; strong programming skills; interest in ML, computer vision, robotics, embodied AI, or autonomous systems; and the ability to do independent research. Experience in robotics, RL, foundation models, or efficient inference is desirable but not required. The award is available to Home fee-status applicants only and covers Home tuition fees plus a tax-free stipend.
Deadline: 15 August 2026. To apply, email your CV, transcripts, and supporting documents to [email protected] for an initial discussion. Interviews are expected shortly after, with a proposed October 2026 start date.
Funding details
Full funding including tuition fees and living expenses is available for this position. The scholarship covers all educational costs and provides a monthly stipend.
How to apply
Please submit your application including a cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, and contact information for two references. Applications should be sent via the online portal before the deadline.
More information can be found here
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