Two stage multi-objective optimisation under uncertainty, with application to power systems
We are recruiting new Doctoral Researchers to our EPSRC funded Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) PhD studentships starting 1 October 2025. Applications are invited for the project title Two stage multi-objective optimisation under uncertainty, with application to power systems.
Successful applicants will receive an annual stipend (bursary) of approximately £21,237, including inner London weighting, plus payment of their full-time home tuition fees for a period of 42 months (3.5 years).
You should be eligible for home (UK) tuition fees there are a very limited number (no more than two) of studentships available to overseas applicants, including EU nationals, who meet the academic entry criteria including English Language proficiency.
You will join the internationally recognised researchers in the Department of Mathematics research and PhD programmes.
The project
The aim of the project is to develop computationally tractable methods for solving two-stage multi-objective optimisation problems under uncertainty, with an emphasis on application in power systems optimisation.
The project will encompass both theoretical aspects of optimisation (deriving optimality conditions for a two-stage problem under uncertainty) and practical aspects which utilise domain knowledge (optimisation problem for integration of renewable power sources into the grid).
Please contact Professor Paresh Date at paresh.date@brunel.ac.uk for an informal discussion about the studentships.
Eligibility
Applicants will have or be expected to receive a first or upper-second-class honours degree in an engineering, computer science, design, mathematics, physics or a similar discipline. A postgraduate master's degree is not required but may be an advantage.
Skills and experience
Applicants will be required to demonstrate the following skills:
- Good programming expertise in a high-level programming language such as MATLAB or Python;
- Working knowledge of basic convex optimisation techniques (LP, QP, SDP) and the associated theory, e.g. KKT type optimality conditions.
- Working knowledge of power systems operations, e.g. through an undergraduate or a postgraduate taught module would be a definite advantage.
- Experience in stochastic programming in another application domain would also be a definite advantage.
You should be highly motivated, able to work independently as well as in a team, collaborate with others and have good communication skills.
How to apply
There are two stages of the application:
- Applicants must submit the online pre-application form by 4pm on Friday, 17 January 2025
- If you are shortlisted for the interview, you will be asked to email the following documentation in a single PDF file to cedps-studentships@brunel.ac.uk within 72hrs:
- Your up-to-date CV;
- Your undergraduate degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) first or upper-second class honours degree essential;
- Your postgraduate master's degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) if applicable;
- Your valid English language qualification of IELTS 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in each section) or equivalent, if applicable; this must be valid up to 31 October 2025.
- Contact details for TWO referees, one of which can be an academic member of staff in the College.
Applicants should therefore ensure that they have all of this information in case they are shortlisted.
Interviews will take place on 13 and 14 February 2025. For shortlisted international/EU applicants’ interviews will be via Microsoft Teams and for UK applicants’ interviews will be in person at Brunel University of London campus.