Advancing Aluminium Extrusion for Automotive Applications—Integration, Digitalisation, and Sustainable Innovations

Brunel University London invites applications for a fully funded, full-time EPSRC Industrial CASE (ICASE) PhD studentship in aluminium extrusion for automotive side sill structures. The project starts on 1st October 2025 and is hosted by BCAST, a leading research centre specialising in processing metallic materials for lightweight applications. For more information, please visit the BCAST website. Constellium, a global leader in advanced aluminium products and systems sponsors the project.

Project Overview: This PhD project aims to advance digital manufacturing techniques for extruding 6xxx series aluminium alloys focusing on automotive applications. The research will involve developing integrated process modelling techniques and digital process control systems while considering energy efficiency and economic feasibility. This work is closely aligned with the Materials Made Smarter Research Centre (MMSRC), contributing to multidisciplinary research in digital manufacturing.

Key Beneits:

Collaboration with Industry: The studentship offers the opportunity to engage directly with Constellium’s industrial research engineers, gaining valuable insights from leading experts in the field. This collaboration enhances the practical relevance of your research and strengthens your profile for future roles in academia and industry.
Career Prospects: The skills developed through this project spanning advanced process modelling, digitalisation, and sustainability are highly sought after in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and sustainable manufacturing. Therefore, you will be well-positioned for research, development, and industrial innovation roles.
Comprehensive Support: Successful applicants will receive a tax-free stipend starting at approximately £23,000 per year, alongside full coverage of home tuition fees for up to 48 months (4 years).

Academic Environment: This PhD position will provide opportunities to work within the dynamic environment of BCAST and Constellium University Technology Centre, both recognised for their contributions to digital manufacturing and sustainable innovations. You will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and collaborate with leading researchers in physics-based and data-driven modelling.

Do not hesitate to contact Prof. Hamid Assadi (hamid.assadi@brunel.ac.uk) for an informal discussion about the project.

Eligibility

Applicants will have or be expected to receive a first or upper-second-class honours degree in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a similar discipline. A postgraduate master’s degree is not required but may be an advantage.

Applicants should demonstrate their abilities in numerical modelling or applying simulation software to scientific / engineering problems. In addition, applicants should be highly motivated, able to work independently and in a team, collaborate with others and have effective communication skills.

To be eligible to apply for this studentship, applicants should be “UK Residents” as defined by the EPSRC. Please check your suitability here

To be treated as a home student, candidates must meet one of these criteria:

Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements)
Have settled status
Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements)
Have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

How to apply

Please submit your application documents (see list below) in one PDF file by noon on 10 January 2025
to cedps-pgr-office@brunel.ac.uk. Interviews will take place in March 2025.

Your up-to-date CV;
Your statement (300 to 500 words) summarising your background, skills and experience;
Your Undergraduate/Postgraduate degree certificate(s) and transcript(s);
Evidence of your English language skills to IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent, 6.0 in all sections), if appropriate;
Contact details for two referees, one of whom can be an academic staff in BCAST.

Remember to state the project title in the subject of your email.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Hamid Assadi - Prof Hamid Assadi is the Head of Virtual Engineering Centre and Professor of Solidification at Brunel University London. He studied Materials Engineering at Shiraz University, and received his PhD in Materials Science and Metallurgy from University of Cambridge in 1996. His work experience includes a professorship at Tarbiat Modares University, as well as several visiting appointments at Helmut Schmidt University, Max Planck Institute for Iron Research, and German Aerospace Centre (DLR).