Application Deadline: 09 June 2026
Details
Water management in the UK is undergoing a major transformation, with the recent Independent Water Commission review calling for a shift toward more regional, integrated planning approaches that can simultaneously address multiple challenges such as flood risk, drought resilience, water supply, water quality, and ecohydrological processes. Greater Manchester is leading this transition and provides a unique testbed for developing integrated water management systems. This PhD builds on existing work in the Upper Irwell catchment, where hydrological, water quality, and optimisation models have already been piloted, and contributes to a broader effort to develop the digital infrastructure required for physically based, AI facilitated, integrated water system modelling in a real-world planning context.
Research questions
This project will investigate how integrated modelling frameworks can be developed to better support multi-objective water management. Key questions include: how best to link and couple different components of the water system (e.g. water resources, flood, and sewer models); what levels of process representation and model complexity are most appropriate; how to design robust data pipelines and computational infrastructure for integrated modelling; and how these tools can be used to generate actionable evidence for regional, cross-sector decision-making. The research will also explore how model integration influences system understanding, uncertainty, and the effectiveness of interventions across multiple water-related hazards. The project will be supported by the Greater Manchester Integrated Water Management team.
The i-Risk Doctoral Focal Award
i-Risk PhD research offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the generation of new knowledge in the forefront of informatics. i-Risk cohorts will advance understanding and deliver innovative tools and solutions for multi-hazard systemic risk resilience and sustainability practice. Doctoral Researchers will undertake a structured training programme and partner co-created interdisciplinary research projects.
Our Vision
The vision of i-Risk is to train the next generation of research practitioners and leaders who will be at the forefront of collaborative research and:
1. Integrate informatics with understanding of evolving risk throughout the environment
2. Collaborate with a broad range of partners from industry, government agencies, global organisations (e.g., the United Nations) and Non-Government Organisations to ensure research directly informs policy and practice, delivering widespread impact.
Core Research Themes
i-Risk builds on 4 leading UK institution’s long-standing strengths at the vanguard of informatics, multi-hazard risk, and resilience research, with unparalleled facilities and >70 multidisciplinary academic supervisors for subject-specific support, providing students with an exceptional research environment.
i-Risk has four core research themes:
1. Observations, monitoring and understanding.
Deploying nascent technologies and intelligent observation/monitoring/experimental approaches to gather rich data to understand evolving hazards.
2. Modelling and understanding processes/risk.
Developing data analytics approaches/tools to model and understand intertwined natural, social, and engineering systems, enabling analysis and characterisation of multi-hazard systemic risks.
3. Forecasting, prediction and early warning.
Predicting and forecasting hazard risks for timely, reliable warnings, facilitating elective risk mitigation and community/infrastructure resilience.
4. Risk communication and management solutions.
Delivering innovative tools and solutions supporting sustainable multi-hazard systemic risk management, rendering hazard/risk information accessible to/intelligible by end-users/stakeholders, advancing sustainability practice and policy.
Eligibility
Applicants should have a strong quantitative background, with experience in hydrological or environmental modelling, data analysis, or computational methods. They should be confident in programming in Python, and have an interest in developing and applying integrated modelling approaches on the cloud. An enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research and working with external partners (e.g. government agencies, water companies) and strong communication skills is essential.
We strongly recommend that you contact the supervisor(s) for this project before you apply
You will need to submit an online application through our website here: https://uom.link/pgr-apply
Please quote the advert reference IRISK-26-UOM06 in your application. This PhD is being advertised as part of the Informatics for Multi-hazard Risk and Resilience (i-Risk) NERC Doctoral Focal Awards (DFA) in the Environmental Sciences.
Further details about i-Risk can be seen on their website https://github.com/i-risk-dfa.
Please note that your application will be assessed upon:
• Motivation and Career Aspirations
• Potential & Intellectual Excellence
• Suitability for specific project
• Fit to i-Risk
Please familiarise yourselves with i-Risk before applying. During the application process candidates will need to upload:
• A two-page personal statement split into two sections:
- one page dedicated to your research interests in informatics and disaster risk reduction, the i-Risk DFA and your rationale for your choice of project
- one page dedicated to answering the following questions:
1. Tell us about a time when you identified a new approach to a problem. What was your decision-making process? (~150 words)
2. Tell us about a time where you have performed data analytics. What was the task? What made it difficult? How did you handle it? (~150 words)
3. Tell us about a goal have you set for yourself that you have successfully achieved. How did you stay motivated? (~150 words)
4. Describe a situation where you demonstrated that you can constructively handle setbacks. How did you troubleshoot the problem? (~150 words)
• A curriculum vitae giving details of your academic record and stating your research interests
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates (translated if not in English)
• You will be asked to supply contact details for two referees on the application form (please make sure that the contact email you provide is an official university/ work email address as we may need to verify the reference)
• English Language certificate (if applicable)
You are encouraged to contact potential supervisors by email to discuss project specific aspects of the proposed project prior to submitting your application. If you have any general questions please contact irisk@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk. If you have any technical questions about making an application, please contact our admissions team by emailing FSE.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk.
Your application will not be processed without all of the required documents submitted at the time of application, and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Please note that interviews are anticipated to be held remotely via Microsoft Teams week commencing 29 June 2026.
Funding Notes
This 3.5-year PhD studentship is open to Home (UK) and international students. Exceptional candidates will be considered for the i-Risk Doctoral Focal Award (this will include an annual tax-free stipend of £20,780 and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year). The start date is October 2026.
We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline.
