Research Opportunities at the Forefront of Technology

About us
The Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Loughborough University is one of the largest Engineering Schools in the United Kingdom.  Approximately 850 undergraduates, 200 MSc students and 130 PhD researchers are supported by almost 100 academic and technical staff.  We offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses whose graduates enjoy employment prospects second to none.  Teaching quality league tables put Loughborough University in first place and our own teaching quality was rated at an excellent 23 out of 24.  Close links with industry are a key theme of the way we work and an important element in generating new research funds currently in excess of £5M/year, putting us amongst the highest earners of any UK university.

Our research interests and opportunities for you

Our vibrant research programmes are undertaken within the School’s 13 research groups. Follow the links below for more information.

• Dynamics
• Healthcare Engineering
• Manufacturing Organisation
• Manufacturing Processes
• Manufacturing Systems Integration
• Manufacturing Technology
• Mechanics of Advanced Materials
• Mechatronics
• Optical Engineering
• Product Realisation Technologies
• Rapid Manufacturing
• Sports Technology
• Thermo-fluids and Combustion

Each group is led by one or more senior members of academic staff, each a world-leader in their research field.  Research grants, principally from the UK Research Councils and the EU, and extensive industrial sponsorship support a range of Research Assistant posts and Research Studentships as well as enabling purchase of dedicated and specialised equipment.
As a Research Assistant you would be appointed to the University staff for a fixed term during which you would register for a higher degree.  The minimum starting salary is £18k.  Research Studentships are more readily available, funded by the Research Councils, industry, the School or a combination of these.  Studentships attract a living allowance in the range £8k to £12k per year tax free, usually for 3 years and sometimes topped-up by up to a further £3k, and full fees can also be part of the award.  In both cases, your initial registration would usually be for a MPhil degree, transferring with satisfactory performance to PhD after one year.  As a guide, the research required for MPhil and PhD degrees takes 2 and 3-years respectively, dependent on the rate of progress you make.  There is also the possibility of studying part-time for a MPhil or PhD whilst based in industry, either through the Teaching Company Scheme or by individual arrangement.  To apply for any of these positions you would normally be expected to offer either a first or upper second class honours degree or its equivalent.
These are challenging positions demanding theoretical, practical and creative skills that will take you to the leading edge of the technological area that you are working in.  Opportunities for international travel come through the need to present your work at international conferences and publication of your work in prestigious scientific journals will ensure that your achievements take their rightful place in the worldwide research community.

What to do next

Working for a higher degree requires sustained hard work and finding the project that is right for you is very important.  The information provided in this pack will allow you to make a start at identifying areas of interest.  You can use the enclosed sheets to identify specific topics or, if you have your own ideas, you can use them to find the best fit with a member of staff in one of our research groups with whom you can discuss the matter further.  For further information, contact our Research Admissions Coordinator whose details are given below: