PhD Studentship: AI Enabled Supply Chain Resilience in Food Manufacturing
Type of Studentship: PhD (4 years)
Funding Source: Fully funded 4-year PhD (BBSRC Food Consortium Collaborative Training Partnership award)
Theme of project: Supply chain mapping, Artificial intelligence modelling
Primary Host Institution: Queen’s University Belfast
This PhD will develop AI-enabled methods to assess and monitor supply chain resilience in food manufacturing, moving beyond traditional self-reported supplier assessments. Working closely with Samworth Brothers, one of the UK’s leading food manufacturers, the project will apply advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence to identify emerging risks across critical ingredient and supplier networks, providing timely, decision-ready insights for industry.
The project offers the opportunity to address a high-impact, real-world industrial challenge while developing advanced technical skills in AI, data science and risk modelling. The student will work with complex industrial datasets, collaborate directly with supply chain and technical specialists, and produce research with clear academic and commercial relevance.
The Collaborative Training Partnership (CTP) is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, welcoming applications from all backgrounds and fostering an environment where every researcher can thrive.
The studentship is suited to candidates from data science, computer science, engineering, supply chain analytics or related quantitative disciplines who have an interest in applying advanced methods to real industry challenges. The student will be enrolled at Queen’s University Belfast, with flexible working arrangements across the four-year programme, alongside regular engagement with industrial partners and visits to food manufacturing sites.
This studentship forms part of a BBSRC-Food Consortium Collaborative Training Partnership (CTP) Food Consortium Collaborative Training Partnership from Campden BRI. In addition to doctoral research, the CTP offers cohort-based training within a community of up to 240 researchers working across food systems research, an industry placement, training in innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialising ideas via participation in the Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (www.yescompetitions.co.uk) during the second year. The programme is designed to build strong technical capability, professional networks and wider experience beyond a traditional PhD, supporting future careers in either industry or academia.
Supervisory Team:
Queen’s University Belfast: Dr Nick Birse (Primary Supervisor)
Samworth Brothers: Dr Danny Bayliss, Mr Kerry Whiteside
Start date: October 2026
Duration of award: 48 months
Terms and conditions: Fully funded for four years by the Food Consortiums Collaborative Training Partnership and Samworth Brothers. The studentship covers UK tuition fees plus enhanced annual UKRI stipend (£21,805 tax free for October 2026 entry plus an additional £1,800 per year as an industrial top-up).
Entry requirements
The minimum entry requirements for PhD study is a 2.1 honours degree, or equivalent, in a relevant subject, or a good honours degree together with a Masters degree.