Full-time Funded PhD position in London - (open to home and international applicants)

PhD Scholarship in Intelligent Cloud-Native Sustainability Platform

London South Bank University | LSBU Business School | London, UK

• Start Date: September 2025

• Funding: Full tuition fee waiver for 4 years (no stipend)

• Eligibility: Open to UK and international applicants

• Reference: CSP5/BUS (quote in all correspondence)

• Deadline for Expression of Interest: 20 June 2025

• Location: LSBU Business School, London

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Project Overview

Join a cutting-edge research project to develop Carbon Awareness as a Service (CAaaS)—a platform integrating real-time carbon monitoring, predictive analytics, and adaptive scheduling to help industries reduce emissions without compromising productivity.

The project includes:

• Real-time telemetry, region-specific emissions visualisation, and dashboards

• AI-powered forecasting and optimisation for energy-intensive workload scheduling

• Subscription-based models, carbon-credit integration, and ethical data sharing via distributed ledgers

• A cloud-native, event-driven platform designed for continuous improvement through pilot studies

This research is positioned at the intersection of AI, green computing, and cloud systems, advancing both environmental goals and operational efficiency.

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Research Themes

• Real-time emissions telemetry and visual analytics

• Forecasting and prescriptive optimisation for carbon-aware scheduling

• Secure, auditable data pipelines and carbon-credit integration

• Policy alignment and lifecycle assessment for sustainable digital operations

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Ideal Candidate Profile

• First-class undergraduate and Merit/Distinction MSc degree in Computer Science, Software, or Electrical/Electronic Engineering

• Strong background in AI/ML and optimisation (e.g. MILP)

• Knowledge of distributed systems, OS scheduling, virtualisation

• Programming fluency in C++, Java, or C# and Linux scripting

• Research potential (e.g. thesis, publications)

• IELTS 7.0 minimum (no sub-score <7) for international applicants

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How to Apply

1. Expression of Interest: Email the following to Dr Kasra Kassai (kasra.kassai@lsbu.ac.uk) with the subject line: CSP5/BUS

• CV

• Summary of academic background and relevant experience

• Motivation paragraph for applying to this PhD

2. Formal Application:

• Submit your application through the LSBU portal

• Include a 1,000-word research proposal aligned with this project

• Upload your personal statement, qualifications, and CV

• Selected candidates will be invited for an online interview

• Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis – early submission recommended

Note: This is a fee-waiver only scholarship. Applicants must self-fund living costs, visa, and associated expenses.

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Supervision

• Primary Supervisor: Dr Kasra Kassai

• Second Supervisor: Professor Ian Mackie

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Why Choose LSBU

• Member of Business & Economics Insight Research Group

• Member of Smart Internet Technologies Hub (SITHub)

• Member of Data x Digital Research Centre

• Ranked #3 globally for reducing inequalities (THE Impact Rankings 2024)

• Highest paid graduates among London modern universities (LEO 2024)

• Doctoral training support via London Doctoral College

• Located in London – QS Best Student City (six years in a row)

“The passion of the individuals in the research environment and the commitment that everyone shows is inspiring.”

— Ashley Howard, PhD, LSBU