PhD Studentship in Data-Driven Audio and Acoustic Engineering (deadline 3 July 2026)

[Enzo De Sena]

Dear ML News, (Apologies for cross-posting!)

Please see a fully funded PhD Studentship opportunity below, open to candidates of all nationalities. Please feel free to forward to anyone who may be interested. Thank you!

Best regards,
Enzo

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PHD STUDENTSHIP IN DATA-DRIVEN AUDIO AND ACOUSTIC ENGINEERING University of Surrey (UK)
Post Type: in-person, full time
Location: Guildford (35 minutes by fast train from London) Support package: up to £150k, including stipend (UKRI rate) and tuition fees (international level) Closing Date: Friday 3 July 2026 23:59 (UK Time)
Start Date: October 2026
Supervisor: Prof Enzo De Sena

This fully funded PhD studentship is aligned with AURORA³, the UK’s only National Strategic Infrastructure in audio and acoustics, currently being built at the University of Surrey. AURORA³ will enable fast, accurate and reproducible data collection to support cutting-edge research in audio, acoustics, and AI. It will consist of a state-of-the-art acoustic anechoic chamber equipped with a spherical loudspeaker array and a world-first variable acoustics room enabling reverberation times as well as room volume to be precisely controlled. AURORA³ is supported by a £2.2 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), in addition to sizeable contributions from the University of Surrey and the thirty AURORA³ partners and key users.

The PhD studentship will support AURORA³’s early research activities, including e.g. validation of the infrastructure, design and execution of large scale measurement campaigns and/or perceptual studies, and development of data driven models for room acoustics and spatial audio. The specific research direction will be finalised after enrolment so that it aligns with strategic priorities of AURORA³ and take into account the successful applicant’s background and areas of expertise.

The PhD student will be hosted by the Institute of Sound Recording (IoSR). The IoSR is an internationally-leading centre for research in acoustic engineering. Established in 1998, it comprises a team of seven PhD students, two research fellows, one research infrastructure engineer, and four academics, currently supported by £4.4 millions of research funding. The successful candidate will join an active AURORA³ research team, including one of the current PhD students and the research infrastructure engineer, both of whom are full-time on AURORA³. The IoSR is also home to the world-renowned Tonmeister degree in Music and Sound Recording, which has produced a stream of highly successful graduates who have collectively received numerous accolades, including three Oscars, twelve Grammys, six Emmys, and twelve BAFTAs. 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

You will have a Masters in a relevant discipline or at least a 1st or 2:1 Bachelors degree (or equivalent). You will be able to demonstrate excellent mathematical, analytical and computer programming skills. Advantage will be given to applicants with experience in one or more of the following: signal processing, room acoustic modelling, deep learning, acoustic measurements (e.g., microphone-based recordings), psychoacoustics, or design and execution of formal listening experiments. Furthermore, you will have excellent research skills evidenced by a significant Bachelors/Masters research project, involving experimental research, appropriate use of the literature and/or computer-based simulations, and a formal dissertation-style report. You will be enthusiastic about working in a team.

At Surrey we are committed to providing an inclusive environment that offers equitable opportunities for all. We are seeking to increase the diversity within our community and would particularly encourage applicants from underrepresented groups, such as women, people from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities. 

HOW TO APPLY

To reduce the workload on our Admissions team as well as reducing administrative burden on non-shortlisted applicants, we are using a two-stage application process for this studentship:

Stage 1: you apply via the following MS Form by Friday 3 July 2026 23:59 (UK Time): https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/FVzjhhLAEw . This stage involves answering two questions about your motivation and uploading your CV and academic transcripts. Applications are assessed as they are received, so please submit your application whenever it is ready, without waiting until the deadline.

Stage 2: if your application is shortlisted for an interview, you will be notified by 6 July 2026 and you will then have to apply through the University website on https://www.surrey.ac.uk/postgraduate/audio-engineering-phd by 12 July 202623:59 (UK Time). The University website application includes additional personal details, residency status, evidence of English qualification, official English translation of transcripts (if not in English), and details of two referees. 

Interviews will be held 27-31 July, and you will receive a final decision shortly thereafter. 

Informal enquires are welcome and should be made to Prof Enzo De Sena [e.de...@surrey.ac.uk]. 

FUNDING

- Standard UKRI stipend for 42 months (currently £21,805 per year, tax free)
- Tuition fees at national (currently £5,238 per year) or international level (currently £24,300 per year) for 36 months
- Research Training Support Grant (£1,750)

For a total of up to £150k.

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Enzo De Sena
Professor (Full Professor)
Director, Institute of Sound Recording
Department of Music & Media
University of Surrey
Stag Hill, University Campus, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK

Office: 08aBC03
Email: e.de...@surrey.ac.uk
URL: desena.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/enzodesena