PhD positions in Experimental and Theoretical Particle Physics

Physics World; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned research institution in the United Kingdom seeks applicants for PhD positions in Particle Physics. The studentships cover tuition fees and provide a tax-free stipend. Candidates should have a strong 2:1 class UK Master's degree or equivalent. Opportunities for funding and international research collaborations are available, alongside comprehensive training and resources.

Benefits

Tax-free yearly stipend

Access to local computing facilities

Research Training Support Grant

Qualifications

• Strong research or professional experience is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research in Particle Physics.
• Participate in competitive selection process.
• Engage in international collaborations.

Education

Strong 2:1 class UK Masters honours degree or equivalent

Job description

Overview

The Particle Physics group at the University of Manchester is looking for excellent applicants to fill prestigious PhD positions in Particle Physics (https://www.hep.manchester.ac.uk/study/).

The group (https://www.hep.manchester.ac.uk/) is one of the largest research groups in the UK with over 100 members, composed of both world-leading experimental and theory research groups.

The experimental research takes place within large international collaborations and spans the energy frontier (ATLAS, FCC), quark flavour (LHCb, BES-III), lepton flavour (g-2, Mu2e), neutrino physics (DUNE, MicroBooNE, SBND, SuperNEMO, FASER) and the dark sector (Darkside-50, Darkside-20k, FASER). We also carry out research into new detector technologies and new data acquisition strategies for future experiments and host one of the largest and most successful Tier‑2 distributed computing centres in the UK.

The particle theory group interests cover QCD and collider physics and physics beyond the Standard Model including quark flavour, lepton flavour, collider BSM, and cosmology and astroparticle physics.

Funding

The main avenue of funding for PhD studentships in the group is through the UK national research council for particle physics, STFC, through which we have a limited number of studentships each year (including a limited number for international applicants). There are a number of other funding opportunities, including prestigious scholarships for both home and international applicants, which can be browsed at https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/funding-fees/funded-programmes/.

By applying, you will automatically be considered for all potential funding schemes and projects. The source of funding or project are typically only decided after interview, at the point at which we make you an offer.

Application Timeline

Early applications are recommended. Applications before 1st December 2025 are strongly encouraged for full consideration of all potential funding schemes. Applications submitted after the 31st January 2026 will be considered for future rounds of funding should positions remain available.

Start Dates and Stipend

Most studentships are expected to start in October 2026 but options for early or delayed start are possible, subject to available funding.

Studentships cover tuition fees plus a tax‑free yearly stipend to cover living expenses. All students will be provided with all necessary resources to do their research, including a laptop, access to our local distributed computing facilities, a dedicated training programme, and a supervisory team. Most experimental students will have the opportunity to spend around one year fully‑funded at the experimental site (e.g. CERN, Fermilab). In addition, a separate Research Training Support Grant will be awarded for travel and subsistence to attend conferences, summer schools, and working meetings throughout the PhD programme.

Selection Process

We run a competitive selection process in two steps, first evaluating candidates based on CV and research/professional experience, followed by interviews with a gender mixed panel. The minimum requirement for application is a strong 2:1 class UK Masters honours degree or equivalent. Substantial professional or research experience is advantageous.

Application

The starting point for all applications is the portal https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/programmes/list/05510/phd-particle-physics/.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the Particle Physics postgraduate coordinators: Dr. Elena Gramellini ([e-mail]) & Dr. Michaela Queitsch‑Maitland ([e-mail]) [Experiment] or Christoph Englert ([e-mail]) [Theory] to register their interest in one or more schemes.

For questions about the application portal, please contact our Postgraduate Admissions office at: [e-mail].