QuEST creates a range of opportunities for collaboration for staff and students working in quantum-related research across all four faculties at the university.

Looking for PhD opportunities in quantum at Imperial?

QuEST does not recruit PhD students directly. If you are interested in joining Imperial as a PhD student, please check the current opportunities on the relevant department websites. 

Current opportunities

2024/5 academic year quantum student/ECR workshops

QuEST is developing a programme of training and social events for PhD students across the university who are working on quantum science and technology. This will include training in:

  • entrepreneurship for quantum
  • understanding policy for quantum researchers 
  • science communication for quantum 
  • quantum computing tools
  • quantum careers.

All training is being developed primarily for the quantum DTP cohort, but will be open to quantum aligned students (undergraduate and postgraduate) and Early Career Researchers across the university. It will be advertised here, via the QuEST internal distribution list and via QTSoc.

Previous opportunities

2024 Quantum for Humanity: QuEST PhD/ECR conference

10.00-17.00, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington campus

This conference is for Imperial ECRs and research students, to find out about the quantum research going on across Imperial, and make connections with peers. It’ll feature keynote speakers, a poster session and breakout discussions. The conference is free to attend but we can't pay for poster printing. 

Keynote speakers are:

Panel moderator: Jessica Wade, Imperial College London

Sign up here.

This event is only open to current Imperial staff and students, and to students who will start their courses in October 2024.

2024 2x PhD internships with QuEST (June-July 2024)

The Centre of Excellence in Quantum Engineering, Science & Technology (QuEST) are seeking to engage two PhD students to work on an innovative training programme to help investors understand Quantum Technologies. The ideal candidates will have an interest in the UK quantum ecosystem and entrepreneurship.

You will be partnered with an academic and involved in gathering information, creating a curriculum, and coordinating training to help investors better understand quantum technologies (QTs) and be able to evaluate investment opportunities in the area. You will help to identify and support Imperial researchers who can deliver the training and design an engagement strategy to attract and educate the investment community. The programme will align with the ambitions of the National Quantum Strategy, and provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals, current state-of-the-art and potential opportunities of QTs. You will gain experience of working with financial entrepreneurs, physicists, engineers, industry partners and policymakers.

Funding is available for PhD students to spend up to 3.5 hours per week from now until 31 July and will be paid at the higher rate for graduate teaching assistants on the same terms. If you're interested, please send your CV and a single paragraph outlining relevant interests and experience to quantum@imperial.ac.uk. Please copy in your main supervisor to confirm that you have discussed this with them and have their support.

2024 10x quantum uplift DTP studentships, academic year 2024/5

In spring 2024 EPSRC awarded Imperial an uplift of about £1M in DTP studentship funding for research in quantum technologies, for the forthcoming intake of PhD students.

To be eligible for support, students must be undertaking research training predominantly in EPSRC’s quantum technologies remit. Funding may be used to support stipend, fees (home rate), and RTSG. Note that in line with 2023 updates to UKRI T&Cs for training grants, RTSG spend must be itemised. A small number of international students can be supported with this funding, but the host department would need to cover the difference between home and international tuition fees.

QuEST is coordinating the allocation of these funds.

At this stage we are inviting departments to alert us to eligible applicants to whom offers have already been made (and may have been accepted) or who are under active consideration. We will make a first allocation from nominations received by 16 February and proceed to consider fortnightly batches thereafter.  

The QuEST management group will confirm eligibility and determine prioritisation. Preference will be given to students who:

  • are supervised by early career academics
  • have cross-departmental collaboration in the supervisory team
  • are from groups under-represented in the quantum technologies field.

QuEST will also be organising some cohort building activities. By submitting nominations, departments and supervisors agree to encourage students' participation in these activities. 

2023 2x QuEST DTP Studentships, academic year 2024/5

QuEST has been allocated two DTP studentships by the Faculty of Engineering for the 2024-25 academic year. We are currently inviting applications for these studentships via engineering departments across the College. 

If you would like to nominate a student for one of these awards, details are below:

Eligibility:

  • Candidates must be incoming PhD students for the 2024-25 academic year, with home-fee status and registered in the Faculty of Engineering.
  • The candidates project must fall within the remit of “Engineering Quantum Technologies”.

The QuEST DTP studentship will provide up to 3.5 years of support (42 months), including:

  • Full funding for home or Ireland tuition fees.
  • A UKRI-level stipend, including London weighting.
  • A consumables fund of £1,000 per annum for the first three years.

Nomination process:

  • If you are interested in nominating a candidate for a QuEST DTP studentship, you should speak to the PG admissions team in your home department, as departments are collating nominations on behalf of QuEST.
  • Departments have been asked to provide a shortlist of eligible candidates to QuEST no later than 8 January 2024, with the outcomes expected to be returned by 26 January 2024.
  • Nominations will need to include a copy of the candidate’s application and a supporting letter from the potential supervisor.

 

2023/24 QuEST Postdoc Seed Funding Call

QuEST Postdoc Seed Funding Call 2023/24

Imperial’s Centre for Quantum Engineering Science and Technology (QuEST) are inviting postdocs to apply for funding to support their own research aligned with QuEST priorities.

The overarching aim of QuEST is to translate discoveries in quantum science into transformative quantum technologies. The funds are intended to help early career researchers develop and validate their ideas and take a step towards independence, e.g. by strengthening their case for an independent fellowship application.

We expect to fund up to nine proposals of up to £5k each for projects that run before 30 June 2024.

Please read the full details below before submitting your application. Your application should be submitted to quantum@imperial.ac.uk no later than Wednesday 10 January 2024, using the QuEST Postdoc Seed Funding - Application Form.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel chaired by Professor Peter Haynes, QuEST Director and representatives from QuEST’s three strategic research areas.

To inspire new research opportunities and aid with your application, we will run a workshop on 1 December 2023. The workshop will provide advice on writing successful proposals, networking opportunities and a sandpit activity to facilitate idea exchange. A separate announcement with registration details will be made shortly.


Eligibility criteria

  • This call is open to all Imperial College London Postdocs with a contract until at least 30 June 2024. (Note: you cannot apply if you have a permanent academic role.)

  • The proposed research activity should be outside of your supervisor’s topic area, and/or you should consider working with a new academic, team, or industrial partner to develop it.

  • The activity must be aligned with QuEST's overarching aim and research areas.

  • The activity must not already have funding from other existing schemes.

  • The activity must be able to be carried out within your 10 development days (in every postdoc contract).

  • We strongly encourage you to discuss participation in this call with your PI/line manager

    Application

  • Applications must be made via the application form by 10 January 2024.

  • The aim of the fund is to promote the advancement of your career; therefore, you need to clearly indicate how your proposed activity is different to your PI’s current research.

  • A clear breakdown of costs with justification must be included in the form (Eligible costs are shown below).

  • All proposals should be pitched at a level as to be understood by a non-specialist.

    Funding

  • The maximum budget per applicant is £5,000.

  • Funds may be used for consumables, software, training, facilities access charges, lab visits, or to set up events (e.g. setting up a workshop on a particular topic).

  • Funds cannot be used to cover salary or conference travel.

  • All expenditure must be incurred by 30 June 2024. Any unspent funds will become eligible for reallocation by QuEST on 1 July 2024.

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

  1. Alignment with QuEST’s overarching aim and research areas.

  2. Scientific excellence of the idea.

  3. Independence from the supervisor/ potential for further funding (e.g. fellowship application).

  4. Feasibility of the proposal to be carried out in ten days.

  5. Justification of budget.

Conditions of Acceptance

Award recipients will be required to:

  • Create a brief summary of their activity for the QuEST website.

  • Provide a summary of the activity on completion with details of the outcomes and next steps.

  • Provide a financial breakdown of how the funds were spent by 15 July 2024.

  • Present a short talk to QuEST members on the activity.

    Timeline

    26 October 2023 – Call opens
    1 December 2023 (14:00-16:00) – Workshop for potential applicants
    10 January 2024 – Deadline for proposals to be submitted to quantum@imperial.ac.uk 
    31st January 2024 – Notification of outcome
    1 February to 30 June 2024 – Project window

2023 QuEST interdisciplinary seed funding call

The overarching aim of the QuEST centre is to bring researchers together from across the College to translate discoveries in quantum science into transformative quantum technologies. QuEST invited applications for funding for short term (2–3 month, £10-15k) research projects to enable the development of new cross-disciplinary collaborations and research directions, and to generate proof-of-concept or preliminary results, with a view to developing a larger funding proposal in the near future.

QuEST funded 3 projects which ran between 1 April and 30 June 2023. Project descriptions are available here.