This exciting fully funded PhD, with an enhanced stipend of £31,805 per annum (with fees covered) through the EPSRC TechExpert Pilot scheme, is sponsored by the NERC Doctoral Focal Award in Engineering Biology for Environmental Applications (EngBio4Env) and the Water Research Centre (WRc). This project addresses the challenge of interpreting intermittent coliform detections in drinking water systems, where positive results can arise from multiple biological and operational causes. It combines microbiology, genomics, proteomics, and AI-driven analysis to distinguish between true treatment failures, environmental ingress, and stress-induced recovery of bacteria. The goal is to improve understanding of bacterial survival in water systems and develop tools that support faster, more reliable decision-making for utilities.
Safe and resilient drinking-water supplies depend on understanding how bacteria respond to treatment and persist within complex infrastructure. Coliforms are important warning organisms, but a positive result does not reveal whether bacteria survived disinfection, entered through a network fault, regrew within a biofilm or recovered after sub-lethal stress. Resolving this uncertainty is a timely challenge at the intersection of public-health microbiology, water engineering, engineering biology and data science.
This PhD will develop an engineering-biology-enabled approach to classify stressed coliforms and support rapid incident triage. The student will combine controlled stress-and-recovery experiments with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, genome and plasmid sequencing, and interpretable machine learning to identify markers of injury, persistence and recovery. The most informative markers will be used to create a validated decision-support framework and a contained cell-free proof-of-concept biosensor for WRc and water-sector laboratories.
This project will be based at Cranfield University, a leading postgraduate-only university with strong expertise in water and wastewater engineering, nature-based solutions, environmental biotechnology, and micropollutant remediation. The studentship is sponsored by the NERC Doctoral Focal Award in Engineering Biology for Environmental Applications (EngBio4Env) and WRc. EngBio4Env provides an exciting interdisciplinary training environment across engineering biology, environmental science, and innovation. WRc is a leading water-sector research and consultancy organisation with expertise in drinking-water microbiology, coliform typing, microbial risk assessment and technology translation. It will provide industrial supervision, end-user insight and support for validation, benchmarking and routes to adoption across the water sector.
The project will generate new insight into how coliforms survive treatment, persist within biofilms and regain culturability. Expected outputs include a curated isolate and data resource, a validated marker panel, transparent classification rules and a proof-of-concept sensing tool. These outputs could help WRc and water utilities distinguish likely treatment breakthrough, regrowth and ingress more quickly, target investigations and remedial action proportionately, reduce avoidable repeat testing and support earlier responses to potential loss-of-control events.
This is a fully funded PhD with an enhanced tax-free stipend of £31,805 per annum, full fees covered for four years, and additional support for training. The successful candidate will benefit from interdisciplinary training through EngBio4Env and access to Cranfield’s expertise and facilities in wastewater treatment, micropollutant analysis, molecular microbiology, and environmental modelling. The project will offer opportunities for collaboration with industrial and external partners, conference participation, advanced technical training, and wider engagement with the engineering biology research community.
At the end of the project, the candidate will be very well positioned to have a highly successful career in the water sector, environment sector / consultancy or in an academic role. We will help you develop into a dynamic, confident and highly competent researcher with wider transferable skills (communication, project management and leadership) with an international network of colleagues.
At a glance
- Application deadline05 Aug 2026
- Award type(s)PhD
- Start date28 Sep 2026
- Duration of award4 year (full-time)
- EligibilityUK
- Reference numberCRAN-0093
Entry requirements
Applicants should have a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or an equivalent qualification, in a relevant discipline. This project would suit candidates from subjects including Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Water Engineering, or other related science or engineering degrees. Experience of, or a good understanding of, wastewater treatment, environmental microbiology, molecular biology, or biotechnology would be advantageous. Candidates should be self-motivated, have strong communication skills for regular interaction with academic and industrial partners, and demonstrate a keen interest in interdisciplinary and applied environmental research.
Funding
Sponsored by the NERC Doctoral Focal Award in Engineering Biology for Environmental Applications (EngBio4Env) and Water Research Centre (WRc) (through the Planet Care Challenge programme), this PhD studentship will provide a bursary of £31,805 (tax free) and cover registration fees for four years. Extra training and placement (overseas/industry) costs will be covered, subject to supervisor approval.
To be eligible for this funding, applicants must be classified as a Home fee status student. Eligibility for Home fee status is determined with reference to UK Department for Education rules. As a guiding principle UK or Irish nationals who are ordinarily resident in either the UK or Republic of Ireland pay Home tuition fees. All other students (including those from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) pay Overseas fees. Further advice can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website.
Sharing data
UKRI would like to have a better understanding of the students its training provision attracts and supports. Diversity information on all applicants/recruits applying for UKRI funded studentships will be shared with UKRI. The data will be aggregated and will not be shared as individual data or used to report on individuals or specific universities. The data will be used to analyse general trends in student populations across UKRI's portfolio.
Diversity and Inclusion at Cranfield
We are committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion in our CDT program, and warmly encourage applications from students of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups. We particularly welcome students with disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, and those who identify with diverse ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses. Cranfield strives to provide an accessible and inclusive environment to enable all doctoral candidates to thrive and achieve their full potential.
At Cranfield, we value our diverse staff and student community and maintain a culture where everyone can work and study together harmoniously with dignity and respect. This is reflected in our University values of ambition, impact, respect and community. We welcome students and staff from all backgrounds from over 100 countries and support our staff and students to realise their full potential, from academic achievement to mental and physical wellbeing.
We are committed to progressing the diversity and inclusion agenda, for example; gender diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through our Athena SWAN Bronze award and action plan, we are members of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) and Working Families, and sponsors of International Women in Engineering Day. We are also Disability Confident Level 1 Employers and members of the Business Disability Forum and Stonewall University Champions Programme.
Cranfield Doctoral Network
Research students at Cranfield benefit from being part of a dynamic, focused and professional study environment and all become valued members of the Cranfield Doctoral Network. This Network brings together both research students and staff, providing a platform for our researchers to share ideas, identify opportunities for collaboration and create smaller communities of practice. It aims to encourage an effective and vibrant research culture, founded upon the diversity of activities and knowledge.
Doctoral Researchers’ Core Development (DRCD) Programme
An important part of the research journey is developing key skills that will benefit a research students research and professional development. As a research student at Cranfield, you will be expected to attend the DRCD programme which comprises of four 1 week units which cover the key stages of your research journey. Workshops are held face to face, providing the opportunity for you to network and collaborate with your peers during these valuable development sessions. For further details visit Cranfield's Doctoral Network.
How to apply
For further information please contact:
Name: Dr Francis Hassard
Email: francis.hassard@cranfield.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1234 758302
This vacancy may be filled before the closing date so early application is strongly encouraged.
Note, your application will not be considered unless all relevant documents have been uploaded. For more information please visit Applying for a research degree.
