The Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering has seen 100% of its research impact rated as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, underlining the wide-ranging positive impacts that our research has on the world (REF, 2021).
In choosing Loughborough for your research, you’ll work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from our Doctoral College, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career. Find out more.
Project details
This PhD project is aligned to the EPSRC Made Smarter Innovation: Centre for People-led Digitisation, a research collaboration between Loughborough, Bath and Nottingham universities. The vision of the Centre is to be the world-leaders in providing people-led solutions to support manufacturing to have right-first-time digitalisation.
Digital technologies have the potential to transform manufacturing by increasing productivity and opening up new business opportunities. However, the UK has had lower levels of adoption than some of our competitors. While this may appear a purely technical challenge to overcome, in practice many of the most pressing barriers can be attributed to a ‘human’ element e.g., a digital skills gap, implementation that fails to support human capability, employee resistance and a lack of senior management support or vision. The emerging concept of Industry 5.0, built upon Industry 4.0, places emphasis on a human-centric approach and the wellbeing of the worker at the centre of the production process.
The PhD will explore inclusive design for industrial digital technologies to gain understanding of user needs and variations and enable a change in the mindset from people operating the equipment to equipping the operator. The aim is to develop new knowledge or methodologies that support manufacturing organisation to achieve sustainable digital technology adoption. There is an opportunity to engage with a range of academic and industry partners to achieve maximum impact.
Entry requirements
Our entry requirements are listed using standard UK undergraduate degree classifications i.e. first-class honours, upper second-class honours and lower second-class honours.
Entry requirements for United Kingdom
As a transdisciplinary research centre, we welcome highly motivated candidates who have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) from a relevant subject to apply. A relevant master’s degree and/or experience in one or more of the following will be an advantage: design, manufacturing, human factors, user-centred design, and UI/UX.
English language requirements
Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website.
How to apply
All applications should be made online. Under programme name, select ‘Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering’. Please quote reference number: FP-MG-2022.
To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents.
Continue with Facebook
