The NZPS Privacy policy can be found here.
Detailed information can be found at the NZPS DTP website: http://nzps-dtp.ac.uk
PhD students will be registered at one of the four partner universities, but may be based at the British Antarctic Survey. All students will have cross-institutional supervisory teams and many projects will be co-developed with industry partners.
All PhD Researchers will also be paired with an external partner from sectors involved in decarbonisation or seeking to decarbonise for a 3-month placement.
PhD projects will address carbon reduction in environmental science, covering all NERC science domains – atmospheric science, climate change, ecology, geosciences, environmental chemistry, hydrology, oceanography, cryosphere and terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments – with a polar focus. To ensure relevance to and career opportunities for graduates across a wide range of sectors, industrial partners will be consulted and engaged with to develop projects plans and programme training.
There are three main thematic areas that we are focused on to achieve the NZPS programme aims:
- Low-carbon technologies (this may include autonomous vehicles, platforms and sensors, and renewable energy).
- AI and Computing (this may include numerical modelling, digital twins, data management and analysis, and machine learning techniques).
- Earth Observation (satellites and remote sensing techniques).
Alongside their research, all students will complete a Net Zero Case Study. There will be an annual Net Zero Prize, to motivate progress, raise awareness of decarbonisation and highlight excellence.
More information on the Programme will be available in the coming weeks.
Recruitment Schedule:
| 15/10/25 | Call for NZPS project proposals. |
| 17/10/25, 11.00-12.00 am | Information session and Q&A |
| 22/10/25, 16.30-17.00 | Information session and Q&A |
| 29/10/25, 16.30-17.00 | Information session and Q&A |
| 03/11/25, 10.00 am | Deadline for receipt of project proposals. |
| w/c 24/11/25 | NZPS Recruitment Committee meets. Any requests for project proposal amendments and iterations are communicated to applicants. |
| w/c 24/11/25 | Supervisory teams informed of results of project selection process and studentships advertised. Please note: feedback to unsuccessful teams may be limited. |
| 07/01/26 | Application deadline for studentship candidates. |
| w/c 02/02/26 | NZPS Recruitment Committee meets to select interview candidates. |
| By 06/02/26 | Candidates notified of interview selection process outcome. |
| w/c 23/02/26 | In-person interviews at Northumbria University (option for online interviews) – over 2 days. |
| w/c 23/02-02/03/26 | NZPS Recruitment Committee meets to select interview candidates. |
| w/c 02/03/26 | Interview outcomes communicated to candidates and offers made. |
| 18/03/26 | Deadline for successful candidates to accept studentships. |
| October 2026 | Successful applicants start studentships. |
Version Control:
Recruitment Schedule added: 20.10.2025
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