Civil Engineering: Fully Funded PhD studentship in Hybrid High-Fidelity CFD for Industry: Next-[...]

Swansea University; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 21,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK university is offering a PhD position focused on high-order numerical methods for aerodynamic simulations. The successful candidate will work on innovative strategies that blend low-order and high-order meshing techniques, vital for enhancing the accuracy of transient simulations. The scholarship includes full tuition coverage and an annual stipend. Candidates must have at least a 2.1 undergraduate degree or equivalent. This role involves collaboration with industry leaders, providing hands-on experience in cutting-edge CFD technologies.

Benefits

Full tuition fees coverage

Annual stipend at UKRI rate

Qualifications

• Strong background in numerical methods and algorithm design required.
• Experience with computational fluid dynamics is highly regarded.
• Familiarity with hybrid numerical strategies is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Investigate and develop numerical and algorithmic components for the project.
• Collaborate with industrial teams on next generation CFD technologies.
• Evaluate ideas on complex, realistic configurations.

Skills

Numerical analysis

Algorithm development

Aerodynamic simulation

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

Education

2.1 level undergraduate degree or Master's with Merit

Job description

Organisation/Company Swansea University Department Central Research Field Engineering » Civil engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country United Kingdom Application Deadline 2 Feb 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/London) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

High-order discontinuous Galerkin methods are gaining traction in industrial aerodynamic simulation workflows, including those at Airbus and Dassault Aviation, because they offer significantly improved accuracy for unsteady flow problems. Their principal strength is the lower numerical dispersion and dissipation they introduce compared with the low-order finite volume and finite element schemes that currently dominate industrial solvers. In practical terms, this means that vortices, waves, and other flow disturbances can travel long distances without losing their shape or energy artificially, which is essential for high-fidelity transient simulations. However, despite these advantages, the widespread industrial use of high-order methods remains limited, largely because their integration into established development pipelines requires changes in meshing, solver technology, and verification practices.

The project is designed to reduce this barrier by creating a practical approach that blends existing industrial strengths in low-order mesh generation with the benefits of high-order accuracy. While low-order meshes are straightforward to produce and well supported by mature tools and workflows, generating high-order curved meshes of arbitrary polynomial order is considerably more complex, especially around intricate aerodynamic surfaces. Instead of replacing current industrial meshing practices, the project proposes a hybrid strategy: low-order schemes will continue to be used in the near-field region around aerodynamic obstacles, where mesh generation is well understood and geometrically demanding, while high-order methods will be applied in the far-field, where the flow is smoother and mesh curvature requirements are less stringent. By combining the robustness of low-order meshes with the superior accuracy of high-order techniques, the project will enable meshes originally created for steady-state simulations to be repurposed effectively in transient scenarios, thereby increasing efficiency and accelerating industrial adoption of high-order CFD technologies.

As the PhD researcher on this project, you will investigate and develop the numerical and algorithmic components needed to make this hybrid high order to low order strategy practical for aerodynamic simulation. You will work within a technically focused research group that maintains active engagement with industrial teams exploring next generation CFD technologies, giving you direct insight into real development workflows and emerging technologies in the engineering sector. Through this project you will gain specialist expertise in high order flow simulation, hybrid numerical strategies and large-scale transient solvers, areas that are becoming increasingly important yet remain uncommon across the wider simulation community. You will have the opportunity to evaluate ideas on complex, realistic configurations and develop a skill set that is highly valued in both academic research and advanced engineering computation.

Note for international and European applicants: details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page.

Please note that the programme requires some applicants to hold ATAS clearance. Further details on ATAS scheme eligibility are available on the UK Government website .

ATAS clearance IS NOT required to be held as part of the scholarship application process. Successful award winners (as appropriate) are provided with details as to how to apply for ATAS clearance in tandem with a scholarship course offer.

UK & International students

EPSRC DLA studentships are available to home and international students. Up to 30% of our cohort can comprise international students. Once the limit has been reached, we are unable to make offers to international students. We are still accepting applications from international applicants. International students will not be charged the fee difference between the UK and international rates. Applicants should satisfy the UKRI eligibility requirements.

PhD: Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University).

Additional Information

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £20,780 for 2025/26).

Selection process

Please see our website for further information