This is an exciting opportunity to participate in a cutting-edge interdisciplinary research project supported by an industrial collaborator. Automotive designers strive to offer drivers and passengers luxurious transportation. An important aspect of this is the interior environment of the vehicle, particularly the ways in which vehicle occupants experience tranquillity, serenity and calm. Many factors influence this, including multi-sensory perceptions, design features and vehicle dynamics. A focus on these factors not only has the potential to improve customer satisfaction but also reduce driver workload, increase usability and generally make the vehicle a special place to be.
The project will treat the experience of tranquillity as a phenomenon that can be measured and influenced. That phenomenon will be defined, decomposed and assessed through attention to artefacts and practices across a range of sectors and disciplines. Focusing on the automotive context, the project will develop a comprehensive model of what tranquillity is, the factors that influence it and how to design for it. Attention to design contexts and design processes will be key to ensuring that useful measurements, methods and representations are developed. In particular, the project will support designers to achieve driver and passenger experiences that surpass current best-in-class benchmarks. Beyond the automotive sector, the project might also contribute to our understanding of how other spaces can be designed to support the required user experiences.
The project is coordinated by an academic supervisor at the University of Cambridge and an Industrial supervisor at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). It falls within the remit of the Cambridge Engineering Design Centre (EDC), but interactions with other groups are expected, across and beyond the Engineering Department. The academic supervisor will be Professor Nathan Crilly who has over twenty years' experience researching human behaviour as it relates to users, consumers, inventors and designers. This work will make conceptual, empirical and methodological contributions, with support from the academic and industrial contexts. A broad range of training and development opportunities will be available, tailored to the needs and aspirations of the successful applicant. More information on the academic supervisor and EDC collaborations with JLR are available here: https://www-edc.eng.cam.ac.uk/people/nc266.html and here https://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/news/engineering-better-car-experience.
Four years of full funding is provided by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and JLR through an Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award (IDLA, formerly called iCASE awards). Consequently, the successful applicant will receive a full UKRI stipend and a budget for equipment, project expenses and international travel. There will be opportunities to interact with JLR throughout the project and during an extended three-month visit to JLR Coventry (with all expenses covered). The expected start date is January 2026. Information on annual leave and other benefits are listed here: https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/support-ukri-studentship-holders
EPSRC IDLA studentships are fully-funded (fees and maintenance) for students eligible for Home fees. EU and international students may be considered for a small number of awards at the Home fees rate. Full eligibility criteria can be found via the following link; https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/fees/what-my-fee-status.
Applicants should have (or expect to obtain by the start date) at least a good 2.1 degree (or equivalent) in a subject related to design or human behaviour (including, but not limited to, engineering, design, architecture, psychology, cognitive science and neuroscience). It would be an advantage to have experience, capabilities or interests in one or more of the following practices: concept development, method development, research design and research communication.
To apply for this studentship, please send your one-page cover letter and two-page CV to Professor Nathan Crilly [
[email protected]]. The message header should be "JLR PhD Application". Emails should arrive no later than 1 September 2025. Applications may close early if the position is filled before this date.
Please note that any offer of funding will be conditional on securing a place as a PhD student. Candidates will need to apply separately for admission through the University's Graduate Admissions application portal; this can be done before or after applying for this funding opportunity. The applicant portal can be accessed via: www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egegpdpeg. The final deadline for PhD applications is 2 October 2025, although it is advisable to apply earlier than this.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
