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University of Southampton

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PhD Studentship: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network BlueOcean University of Southampton in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

Available

Deadline

Nov 4, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Southampton

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Keywords

Computer Science
Environmental Science
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Artificial Intelligence
Computer Vision
Earth Science
Underwater Robotics
Probabilistic Modeling
Change Detection
Localization
Robotics
Statistics
ML

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About this position

[Funded PhD studentship via the European Commission / Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network; stipend listed as £43,994 to £47,279 per annum, subject to bi-annual review due to exchange rate.]

PhD Studentship in BlueOcean Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network at the University of Southampton.

This 36-month, full-time PhD project focuses on developing novel robotic monitoring and data processing methods to document change in dynamic seafloor environments over large spatial scales. The research addresses a major challenge in marine robotics and environmental observation: reliably detecting subtle changes in GNSS-denied subsea environments where repeated surveys must be aligned despite navigation drift, evolving scene structure, and sensor noise.

The project will combine advanced robotic localisation, high-resolution mapping, machine learning-based feature detection, and probabilistic modelling. The goal is to robustly recognise and spatially align seafloor scenes across repeat surveys, detect small changes close to sensor detection limits, and model and propagate uncertainty for large-scale change analysis. Validation will use simulation, existing datasets from the University of Southampton’s Smarty200 AUV, and new field data collected with the Ocean Perception group.

Practical experimental work will also take place in the Maritime Robotics and Instrumentation Laboratory, including the dedicated 8x8x6m deep-water tank. The studentship sits within the EU-funded BlueOcean Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network, alongside 13 PhD researchers across leading European institutions, with interdisciplinary training in robotics, sensing, and AI for marine monitoring. The programme also includes access to internationally recognised experts and industry partners, plus up to two three-month secondments with organisations such as CNR (Italy) and Voyis Imaging (Canada).

Eligibility follows European Commission recruitment rules: applicants must not already hold a doctoral degree, can be of any nationality, and must not have spent more than 12 months in the UK in the 36 months immediately before recruitment. The advert notes the University of Southampton’s commitment to equality, diversity, inclusivity, family-friendly support, and sustainability.

Funding is provided through the European Commission, with a salary/stipend listed at £43,994 to £47,279 per annum, subject to bi-annual review due to exchange-rate variation. The application deadline is 04 Nov 2026.

Funding details

Available

What's required

Applicants must not already hold a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment. The position is open to candidates of any nationality, but applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the UK for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before recruitment, in line with European Commission mobility rules. A CV, two reference letters, and degree transcripts/certificates to date are required.

How to apply

Apply through the University of Southampton vacancy page using the provided application link. Submit a CV, two reference letters, and degree transcripts/certificates to date. If applying for this role, also apply for the linked PhD opportunity specified in the advert.

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