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PhD Studentship: The long, the short and the sticky - finding the mass of natural polymers by NMR
The University of East Anglia is offering a PhD project, supervised by Dr Matthew Wallace, to develop NMR methods that measure the chain length and aggregation of natural polymers, including seaweed extracts from an industrial partner, which are used as texturing agents in foods. The project is in competition for a Faculty of Science funded studentship for UK applicants, starting 1 October 2027.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Experience
- Experience not specified
- Salary / stipend
- UK tuition fees + stipend £21,805/year for 3 years
- Apply by
- 24 Feb 2027
- Job type
- Fellowship
- Work mode
- On-site
- Function
- Research
Who can apply
2:1 bachelor's in chemistry, pharmacy, pharmacology, physics or related
Review the original notice to confirm the requirements. Related degrees are not automatically equivalent; the recruiting organisation decides eligibility.
What you’ll do
- Develop and apply advanced NMR methods to measure the chain length and aggregation state of natural polymers, including seaweed extracts
- Design experiments and NMR pulse sequences with Dr Rob Evans (University of Manchester)
- Build models linking polymer Brownian motion with diffusion along concentration gradients at high dilution
- Create a toolset for determining overall molecular mass distribution that could extend to other aggregating systems
- Use complementary techniques such as dynamic light scattering and chromatography
What the employer asks for
- At least a 2:1 bachelor's degree in chemistry, pharmacy, pharmacology, physics or a related discipline
- Funding is available to UK applicants
Pay, benefits and perks
- Home tuition fees and an annual stipend for 3 years, if the project wins a Faculty of Science studentship
- Current UEA stipend rate is £20,409, subject to any agreed inflation uplift
How to apply
Read the full notice and follow the instructions on the original application page.
Closing date; start 1 October 2027
Skills for this role
What employers ask for in Research (JRF / SRF / PhD / Postdoc) roles. named in this notice
- NMR spectroscopy
- Diffusion NMR and pulse sequence design
- Mathematical modelling
- Dynamic light scattering
- Chromatography
- Data analysis
- PhD
- Junior Research Fellow
- JRF
- Senior Research Fellow
- SRF
- Postdoctoral
- Research Associate
- Food Technology research
- GATE XL
- ICAR NET
Prepare for the interview
Questions commonly asked for Research (JRF / SRF / PhD / Postdoc) roles. Practise answers with an example and a number.
- Summarise your dissertation or main research project in two minutes for a non-specialist panel.
- Why this group or lab, and how does your experience fit the project described in the call?
- How did you design your experiments and choose the statistical analysis?
- Which analytical techniques have you used hands-on, and what were their limitations?
- What would be the first three months of work on this project if you were selected?
- Tell us about a result that did not work and what you did next.
Before you apply
- Read the original notice end to endDates, eligibility and the application route are decided by the employer, not by FSD.
- Tailor your resume to this vacancyMatch the keywords in the requirements. Resume Studio shows what is missing.
- Prepare a short research statementOne page on your project experience and why this group or call fits.
- Line up refereesMost calls ask for two or three referees; tell them in advance.
- Check the funding termsFellowship amount, duration, HRA and eligibility (NET / GATE) differ between calls.
Source & editorial check
UK (home) students only. Supervisor Dr Matthew Wallace. Reference WALLACEM_U27SCI.
Original posting: 2026-11-03
Checked 2026-11-05 · Updated 2026-11-05
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