The Management of Project (MoP) Research Group is a vibrant ecosystem of cutting-edge research initiatives and activities within the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE). The group delivers a very successful suite of MSc programmes in project management and it is at the forefront of several strands of research within project management and engineering management. The group has successfully delivered impact-laden research in collaboration with national and international organisations within industry, academia and government. Notable research endeavours include Project X (funded by the Economic and Social Research Council), the Discovering Safety Research programme via the Thomas Ashton Institute, and studies for UK government, Association of Project Management (APM), Project Management Institute (PMI) Association and several other funding agencies.
Drawing on the research successes of the group and as part of significant research investment by the Department of MACE, this studentship forms part of a cluster of PhDs to further enhance our research activity. More information about research themes and academic staff within the MoP research group can be found at https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/mop/.
Project Brief: The construction industry is well noted for its contribution to national economies. The industry provides the built environment and is an engine of economic activities providing employment to many. In spite of the socio-economic benefits of construction, it is associated with huge costs in the form of occupational accidents, deaths, injuries, illnesses and dangerous occurrences. Safety and health hazards are commonplace on construction projects and these are further compounded by the dynamism and transience of construction works. The emergence of industry 4.0 presents opportunities for addressing the occupational safety and health challenges of the construction industry. However, the realisation of such opportunities requires research to investigate the potentials of industry 4.0 technologies in facilitating the management of OSH risks in construction. This project will investigate the role of industry 4.0 technologies, particularly robotic devices, in improving the safety and health of construction workers.
The PhD student will also have the opportunity of engaging with relevant industrial contacts of the supervisory team as well as the members of Thomas Ashton Institute (https://www.ashtoninstitute.ac.uk/).
Application information: Information about the application process and a link to the online application form can be found at https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/admissions/how-to-apply/. The online application form does not list individual project titles; when submitting an application, please select the Management of Projects PhD programme. Take note of the application checklist and provide the requested documents.
Please include a research proposal for the project you wish to apply for. The title of the proposal should be the title of the project. The proposal should be 3-5 pages and cover: research background (including the knowledge gap); aim and objectives; methodology; expected contribution/impact; and references.
When completing the application include the name of the lead supervisor as the potential supervisor.
Applicants must have obtained or be about to obtain either a First class UK honours degree or the combination of an Upper Second class UK honours degree and a UK master’s degree awarded with Merit or higher (or international equivalents), in an appropriate area of management, engineering or technology e.g. construction engineering and management, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, project management.
In addition, applicants must have the following skills/qualities: show awareness of relevant topics e.g. industry 4.0/Construction 4.0 technologies, robotics, and health and safety management.
Desirable skills/qualities include: Evidence of high-quality research about relevant topic(s) and the ability to produce publications of international standard; and considerable construction-related work experience.
Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.
We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.
We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles. We consider offering flexible study arrangements (including part-time: 50%, 60% or 80%, depending on the project/funder), carer support funds for conferences, and peer support networks for parents and carers.
All appointments are made on merit.
The University of Manchester and our external partners are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.
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