MPhil/PhD Studentship in Trustworthy Agentic AI for Security Assessment and Resilience in Cyber-Physical Systems

Investing in excellence: studentship opportunities

The University of Derby has an opportunity for a full-time postgraduate research studentship in the Data Science area of research in the College of Science and Engineering.

The successful applicant will receive a maintenance stipend (based on the minimum stipend defined by UKRI, currently £21,805 for the academic year 2026/27) and home MPhil/PhD tuition fees (£5,238 - subject to amendment) only up to the target submission date.

The intended intake period is January 2027.

International applicants may need to defer to March 2027 to allow sufficient time for CAS issuance and visa processing.

Please note: If your application is successful and you are assessed as international for fees purposes, you will need to pay the difference between the home fees and the international fees.

The successful applicant will be expected to complete their MPhil/PhD within 3 years on the MPhil/PhD route, contribute to the College REF submission and get involved in the wider research activities of the College.

Applicants will become part of a friendly and welcoming team and will be supported and managed by their supervisors.

The vacancy details are as follows:

Project description

This PhD project explores how trustworthy agentic AI can improve cyber security assessment and resilience in cyber-physical systems, including connected infrastructure, industrial environments and IoT-enabled services. As organisations increasingly rely on interconnected IT, OT, IoT and cloud technologies, assessing cyber risk consistently and transparently becomes more difficult, particularly where systems are safety-sensitive or operationally constrained.

The project will develop AI-assisted methods that interpret security requirements, translate them into executable assessment workflows and support evidence-based analysis across heterogeneous environments. Using an existing hybrid experimental testbed that combines real devices and virtual infrastructure, the research will evaluate these methods under realistic cyber-physical scenarios. The project is well suited to candidates interested in cyber security, AI, IoT, critical infrastructure or resilient digital systems.

Purpose/objectives

This project aims to investigate how agentic AI can be used responsibly to support cyber security assessment in complex cyber-physical environments while maintaining trust, explainability and evidence-based decision-making.

• Develop agentic AI methods for translating security requirements into executable assessments
• Design practical and trustworthy approaches to AI-assisted cyber resilience
• Evaluate the proposed methods using hybrid IoT/CPS experimentation in realistic heterogeneous environments
• Produce prototypes, empirical evidence and publications in trustworthy AI and cyber-physical security

Potential project impact

This research has the potential to deliver both academic and practical impact in cyber resilience.

• Improve how organisations assess cyber risk across interconnected IT, OT, IoT and cloud environments
• Contribute practical trustworthy AI methods for security-critical and public-service settings
• Create a strong foundation for future research, collaboration and external funding in secure digital infrastructure

To apply

Please review our entry requirements before submitting your application and check out the 'Getting Started' section below.

Completed applications should be submitted via our online application system. It is important that you quote the funding reference: QR_SE_TRUSTWORTHY_2627

Apply online

Closing dates for applications: 8 November 2026.

Interviews: 20 November 2026 to 26 November 2026.

If you have not been invited for an interview by the interview date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful.

For other enquiries which are subject-specific please contact:

Dr Yan Lin Aung - Y.Aung@derby.ac.uk

Professor Farid Meziane - F.Meziane@derby.ac.uk

Getting started

Before you begin your application, make sure you have the following:

Studentship funding reference code

It is important that you quote the funding reference: QR_SE_TRUSTWORTHY_2627 in your application, at the top of your personal statement.

Required Documents

Before submitting your application, please ensure you upload all required documents to enable us to assess your application fully. References may be provided at a later stage.

Personal statement

A 500-word personal statement outlining your suitability for the studentship project. This is a mandatory requirement and you must upload it into your application. You should include your reasons for applying for the studentship, your experience in the field, how you feel you would benefit from studying and relevant information about your previous studies.

Your CV

A CV outlining your academic and professional experience.

Qualifications

Your qualification details including grades and dates taken. You will have the opportunity to upload scanned copies of your qualification certificates and transcripts in the application. If you have no formal qualifications, you can also state this in your application.

Photo ID

A scanned copy of your photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence. This will help us verify your application to study with us.

Academic references

Two signed academic references. This is optional at application stage but highly encouraged. If successful in your application, two academic references will be a mandatory requirement of admission. The references should be in written format, signed and dated from either a supervisor or tutor from your most recent studies.

For international applicants

The University of Derby has a network of international agents and representatives in different regions. For postgraduate research degree applications, depending on your country of origin, you may need to apply through an agent. You can contact any of our agents and apply to study with us through them.

Some agents may charge for provision of services so please check this directly with the agent. Please be aware that, if you apply directly to the University without going through an agent, we may contact you and you will be required to re-apply through an agent or representative before your application can be considered.