Development of an Adaptive Predictive Maintenance Framework for Industrial Systems

Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD position to start in October 2024

About the position:

The School of Engineering at University of Sunderland, UK is pleased to announce a fully funded (tuition fee waiver + monthly stipend) PhD position. The three-year research position offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated, self-driven, and talented individual to contribute to the area of predictive maintenance in modern industrial systems.

The proposed PhD research topic is related to the field of smart factories and embedded systems. The proposed research seeks to design a framework for predicting required maintenance in industrial systems. In the said framework, the sensor data will be collected using IoTs, and a prediction model will be proposed using machine learning techniques. The research outcomes will enhance equipment reliability, safety and improve overall operational efficiency.

The successful candidate will be expected to identify key equipment that require predictive maintenance in modern industrial systems. Moreover, the candidate will need to identify the appropriate sensors to acquire and preprocess the data, develop machine learning models, design the visualization tool, implement, and validate the framework on real systems. The successful candidate will also be expected to publish the research findings in renowned/high impact journals of the domain.

Qualification and Requirements:

• Strong academic background in electronics engineering/computer engineering/computer science (preferably an honours degree both at the bachelor and master level).
• Strong programming skills and prior experience of programming and development in Python, C/C++.
• Proficiency in oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrable team skills, passion to pursue a career in research/academia.
• Prior experience of research, paper writing/publication is highly desirable.
• Prior knowledge of machine learning algorithms is highly desirable.
• This PhD position is strictly on-campus. Distance or remote learning cannot be supported.
• As a part of this studentship, the successful candidate will be supporting in lab demonstrations (6 hours per week for about 24 weeks every academic year).

Funding Notes:

• The tuition fees are fully covered for UK students by the Faculty of Technology of the University of Sunderland.
• Overseas students are welcome to apply, but they will have to cover the difference between overseas and UK fee.
• With this PhD scholarship, candidates are expected to support the research culture at the Faculty, with demonstration support in workshops etc (6 hours per week).
• The candidate is expected to start in October 2024. For informal inquiries please contact Dr. Umer Farooq (Umer.Farooq@sunderland.ac.uk)

Applications should be submitted through the University’s website (link below) quoting the title of the PhD. Submit your CV, academic transcripts, and a 1-page statement about your background and why you are interested in this programme.

https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/doctor-philosophy-phd/

Deadline for submissions is 14th of June 2024.