{"id":12455,"date":"2026-09-30T15:59:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T13:59:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/?post_type=job_listing&#038;p=12455"},"modified":"2026-10-11T00:16:37","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T22:16:37","slug":"manta-monitoring-array-for-nanoparticle-tracking-and-assessment-australia","status":"expired","type":"job_listing","link":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/?post_type=job_listing&p=12455","title":{"rendered":"MANTA: Monitoring Array for Nanoparticle Tracking and Assessment &#8211; Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Organization:<\/strong> University of Auckland<\/p>\n<p><strong>Department:<\/strong> Engineering Science<\/p>\n<p><strong>Project:<\/strong> MANTA \u2013 Monitoring Array for Nanoparticle Tracking and Assessment<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Auckland, New Zealand<\/p>\n<p><strong>Position:<\/strong> PhD \u2013 Applied Doctorates Scheme<\/p>\n<p><strong>Project ID:<\/strong> 2.11<\/p>\n<h3>Project Overview<\/h3>\n<p>The University of Auckland is offering a funded PhD opportunity through the <strong>Applied Doctorates Scheme (ADS)<\/strong> for the project <strong>\u201cMANTA: Monitoring Array for Nanoparticle Tracking and Assessment.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The project aims to transform large-area deployable structures, including dragsails used for satellite disposal, into an <strong>impact-sensing capability<\/strong> for detecting and characterising orbital debris, micrometeorites and cosmic dust.<\/p>\n<p>The research addresses the growing challenge of detecting small objects in space that can be difficult to monitor using conventional ground-based systems. The project will investigate how thin-film deployable structures can detect hypervelocity impacts and how these structures can operate reliably in demanding space environments.<\/p>\n<p>The PhD is hosted by the University of Auckland&#8217;s Department of Engineering Science in collaboration with industry partner <strong>Frond Space Systems Limited<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>Research Objectives<\/h3>\n<p>The project will investigate:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Impact sensing fundamentals for thin-film deployable structures.<\/li>\n<li>Detection and characterisation of hypervelocity impacts.<\/li>\n<li>Applications to orbital debris monitoring.<\/li>\n<li>Detection of micrometeorites and cosmic dust.<\/li>\n<li>Effects of vacuum conditions on sensing performance.<\/li>\n<li>Effects of thermal cycling on long-duration performance.<\/li>\n<li>Effects of cumulative material wear on deployable sensing structures.<\/li>\n<li>Experimental validation of impact-sensing approaches.<\/li>\n<li>Potential applications of distributed sensor networks for debris population studies.<\/li>\n<li>Applications to lunar and interplanetary dust research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Key Research Activities<\/h3>\n<p>The successful candidate will:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Investigate how hypervelocity impacts on thin-film structures can be detected and characterised.<\/li>\n<li>Study the behaviour and performance of sensing structures under relevant space-environment conditions.<\/li>\n<li>Assess the effects of vacuum, thermal cycling and cumulative wear.<\/li>\n<li>Develop a staged experimental testing programme.<\/li>\n<li>Progress testing from laboratory-scale proxies toward representative impact facilities.<\/li>\n<li>Investigate how distributed sensing networks could support orbital debris monitoring.<\/li>\n<li>Explore applications in planetary science, including lunar and interplanetary dust environments.<\/li>\n<li>Combine theoretical and experimental approaches to develop a practical sensing capability.<\/li>\n<li>Work with academic and industry collaborators to translate research findings toward flight-ready applications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Research Areas<\/h3>\n<p>The project is particularly relevant to candidates interested in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dynamics.<\/li>\n<li>Impact sensing.<\/li>\n<li>Materials science.<\/li>\n<li>Data analysis.<\/li>\n<li>Experimental engineering.<\/li>\n<li>Space systems.<\/li>\n<li>Orbital debris monitoring.<\/li>\n<li>Micrometeorite and cosmic dust detection.<\/li>\n<li>Deployable structures.<\/li>\n<li>Sensor technologies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Academic and Industry Collaboration<\/h3>\n<p>The project is hosted by the <strong>Department of Engineering Science at the University of Auckland<\/strong> and is undertaken in partnership with <strong>Frond Space Systems Limited<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Academic supervision is provided by <strong>Prof. Mark Battley<\/strong>, while <strong>Benjamin Taylor, CEO of Frond Space Systems Limited<\/strong>, provides industry supervision.<\/p>\n<p>This structure provides an opportunity to combine academic doctoral research with practical industry engagement and the development of technologies intended for real-world aerospace and space applications.<\/p>\n<h3>Applied Doctorates Scheme<\/h3>\n<p>MANTA is part of the <strong>Applied Doctorates Scheme<\/strong>, which brings together a cohort of 22 PhD students across New Zealand in the Aerospace, Defence and Security area.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to technical doctoral research, the scheme provides opportunities to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Develop advanced business and entrepreneurial skills.<\/li>\n<li>Engage with industry leaders.<\/li>\n<li>Build professional and research networks.<\/li>\n<li>Gain experience translating research into practical applications.<\/li>\n<li>Develop capabilities relevant to science, technology and innovation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Candidate Profile<\/h3>\n<p>The project welcomes candidates with a background in <strong>engineering or physics<\/strong> who have an interest in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dynamics.<\/li>\n<li>Sensing.<\/li>\n<li>Materials.<\/li>\n<li>Data analysis.<\/li>\n<li>Experimental research.<\/li>\n<li>Theoretical research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The project is particularly suited to candidates who enjoy combining experimental and theoretical work and who are interested in translating research methods into a practical, flight-ready capability.<\/p>\n<h3>Eligibility and Citizenship<\/h3>\n<p>The project has specific citizenship eligibility requirements associated with the nature of the research.<\/p>\n<p>Eligible citizenships listed for the project include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>New Zealand<\/li>\n<li>United Kingdom<\/li>\n<li>Canada<\/li>\n<li>Australia<\/li>\n<li>United States<\/li>\n<li>Japan<\/li>\n<li>South Korea<\/li>\n<li>Albania<\/li>\n<li>Belgium<\/li>\n<li>Bulgaria<\/li>\n<li>Croatia<\/li>\n<li>Czech Republic<\/li>\n<li>Denmark<\/li>\n<li>Estonia<\/li>\n<li>Finland<\/li>\n<li>France<\/li>\n<li>Germany<\/li>\n<li>Greece<\/li>\n<li>Hungary<\/li>\n<li>Iceland<\/li>\n<li>Italy<\/li>\n<li>Latvia<\/li>\n<li>Lithuania<\/li>\n<li>Luxembourg<\/li>\n<li>Montenegro<\/li>\n<li>Netherlands<\/li>\n<li>North Macedonia<\/li>\n<li>Norway<\/li>\n<li>Poland<\/li>\n<li>Portugal<\/li>\n<li>Romania<\/li>\n<li>Slovakia<\/li>\n<li>Slovenia<\/li>\n<li>Spain<\/li>\n<li>Sweden<\/li>\n<li>Turkey<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Applicants must also be able to obtain a suitable visa by <strong>March 2027<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>Funding<\/h3>\n<p>MANTA is a <strong>funded PhD project<\/strong> within the Applied Doctorates Scheme.<\/p>\n<p>The supplied project information confirms funding but does not specify an exact stipend amount, tuition coverage or other monetary funding details. Applicants should therefore consult the ADS information and University of Auckland admission materials for the applicable funding conditions.<\/p>\n<h3>Application Process<\/h3>\n<p>Applicants for University of Auckland projects must follow the specific ADS application process.<\/p>\n<p>First, applicants must apply for doctoral admission through the <strong>University of Auckland application portal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>When applying for admission, candidates should:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Select the option relating to alternative doctoral funding.<\/li>\n<li>Enter <strong>\u201cApplied Doctorates Scheme\u201d<\/strong> as the alternative funding source.<\/li>\n<li>Include the required ADS project information in the Statement of Research Intent.<\/li>\n<li>Identify MANTA and the relevant supervisor.<\/li>\n<li>If applying for multiple University of Auckland ADS projects, identify one primary project and supervisor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>After completing the University of Auckland application, candidates receive a unique University of Auckland ID and application number. These details are then required to continue with the ADS application.<\/p>\n<h3>ADS Application Documents<\/h3>\n<p>The Applied Doctorates Scheme application requires:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Curriculum vitae.<\/li>\n<li>Transcripts of the qualifying programme.<\/li>\n<li>Expression of Interest for each project applied for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Expression of Interest should be a maximum of <strong>300 words<\/strong> and address:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Why the candidate is interested in the Applied Doctorates Scheme.<\/li>\n<li>How the project aligns with the candidate&#8217;s career goals.<\/li>\n<li>What relevant skills or experience the candidate brings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Application Deadline<\/h3>\n<p><strong>10 October 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Applications must be submitted before the deadline specified by the Applied Doctorates Scheme. No applications will be accepted after the deadline.<\/p>\n<h3>Project Contacts<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Academic Supervisor:<\/strong><br \/>\nProf. Mark Battley<br \/>\nDepartment of Engineering Science<br \/>\nUniversity of Auckland<\/p>\n<p><strong>Industry Supervisor:<\/strong><br \/>\nBenjamin Taylor<br \/>\nCEO, Frond Space Systems Limited<\/p>\n<p><strong>Project ID:<\/strong> 2.11<\/p>\n<h3>External Project Information<\/h3>\n<p>Project information and application guidance are available through the Applied Doctorates Scheme and University of Auckland application process.<\/p>\n<h3>External Link<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.auckland.ac.nz\/en\/study\/study-options\/find-a-study-option\/applied-doctorates-scheme.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MANTA: Monitoring Array for Nanoparticle Tracking and Assessment \u2013 University of Auckland<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12456,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","job_listing_type":[502,49,124,507,739,296,497],"job_listing_category":[351,396,479,322,604],"job_listing_location":[819],"job_listing_tag":[],"class_list":["post-12455","job_listing","type-job_listing","status-expired","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","job_listing_type-fixed-term","job_listing_type-full-time","job_listing_type-fully-funded","job_listing_type-phd","job_listing_type-phd-opportunity","job_listing_type-phd-position","job_listing_type-research","job_listing_category-materials-science","job_listing_category-nanoscience","job_listing_category-nanotechnology","job_listing_category-research","job_listing_category-research-development","job_listing_location-new-zealand","is-featured"],"metas":{"_job_featured_image":"","_job_category":{"351":"Materials Science","396":"Nanoscience","479":"Nanotechnology","322":"Research","604":"Research &amp; Development"},"_job_type":{"502":"Fixed Term","49":"Full Time","124":"Fully Funded","507":"PhD","739":"PhD Opportunity","296":"PhD position","497":"Research"},"_job_tag":[],"_job_apply_type":"external","_job_apply_url":"https:\/\/bpb-ap-se2.wpmucdn.com\/blogs.auckland.ac.nz\/dist\/e\/1107\/files\/2026\/07\/Guidance_for_Applicants_ADS_Second_Call_for_Students.pdf","_job_apply_email":"","_job_salary_type":"","_job_experience":"","_job_qualification":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing\/12455","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/job_listing"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12455"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing\/12455\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12457,"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing\/12455\/revisions\/12457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12455"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"job_listing_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing_type?post=12455"},{"taxonomy":"job_listing_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing_category?post=12455"},{"taxonomy":"job_listing_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing_location?post=12455"},{"taxonomy":"job_listing_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanohelp.eu\/careers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing_tag?post=12455"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}