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For Students

PhD

Get in touch to find out more about our PhD Placements and early-stage research funding

Get in touch

Gain industry experience to enhance your PhD or Early Career Research

We offer fully funded 10-day PhD placements that allow students and early-stage researchers to gain valuable industry experience with some of Scotland’s leading companies. There is funding available to provide up to 50 industry placements for PhD students and early-stage researchers in Scotland up until 2024.

This is a unique opportunity for post-graduates to apply their academic expertise in a work environment. Placements are available across a wide range of sectors and organisations. Examples of the work done on a placement include:

  • Working on a Proof of Concept.
  • Contributing to a Research Paper.
  • Overcoming a business problem using data.

Who is eligible?

This programme is open to PhD students, from 1st year onwards, and early-stage researchers across Scotland studying in data and AI-related fields.

You must have the right to work in the UK and you will be required to complete eligibility to work checks prior to being accepted onto the programme. Tier 4 students will be considered, but project allocations will be subject to project flexibility, allowing for any visa restrictions on working hours.

What’s involved?

Timescale: Placements typically last for up to 10 days. They will involve carrying out a short project or piece of research for the host company, on a continuous (2 weeks) or intermittent (up to 8 weeks) basis.

Finance: You will be employed and paid for your time by the University of Edinburgh.

Extra training: You will also be provided with additional employability support including a 1-2-1 CV review, interview skills and overcoming imposter syndrome workshops.

Key Benefits

Earn as you learn

You will be paid while on your placement

Industry experience

Get to grips with the world of work

Research opportunities

Apply your expertise

How to apply

Applications are accepted at any time.

1.

Check that you’re eligible

This programme is open to PhD students, from 1st year onwards, and early-stage researchers across Scotland studying in data and AI related fields, who have the right to work in the UK.

2.

Pick a project

View available projects by joining ‘The Data Lab PhD Placement Programme’ group on our Community Platform.  You need to join the Community Platform to be entered into the Programme.

3.

Apply online

Apply via The Data Lab PhD Placement – Student Application. Please complete a form and send it in.

Please note:

Whilst we endeavour to successfully match as many students and organisations as possible, the success of your application will depend on the relevance of your skillset to project requirements.

If we are unable to offer you an immediate placement we will keep your details on file, and unless notified otherwise, will continue to search for a match on your behalf.

Examples of past placement projects:

  • AI in automated human vaccination.
  • Blockchain-driven sustainable chemical marketplace.
  • Connecting electric vehicle drivers with nature-based tourism.
  • Energy market price forecasting.
  • Enhancing computer vision interpretation of vegetation photography.
  • Machine learning for glucose prediction in diabetes.
  • Reinforcement learning for herd mentality in investments.

Hear from The Data Lab PhD placement alumni:

“I have had so much support from my colleagues at Grand Bequest and The Data Lab throughout the process. It has been an insightful and beneficial opportunity for me to understand the differences between academia and industry, and how they blend together. The placement has helped in seeing the variety of jobs out there for someone with my skillset, and I am extremely excited to join the Grand Bequest team in the autumn.”

Alina Kumukova
PhD in Statistics at the University of Edinburgh

For more about our PhD placements and early-stage research funding, get in touch

placements@thedatalab.com

Find out more about the power of data:

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    Case Studies, Skills & Talent

    Driving Value from Data Case Study: NatureScot Supporting a Net-Zero Future

    Biodiversity and nature play a key part in meeting climate change and net zero goals. NatureScot is Scotland’s nature agency responding to the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. They work to protect and restore nature by inspiring everyone to value our natural world. Philippa Vigano, Innovative Technologies Programme Manager, recently completed our […]

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  • Data Leaders Case Study: Social Bite

    Case Study

    Skills & Talent

    Data Leaders Case Study: Social Bite

    Beginning life as a small café in Edinburgh in 2012, Social Bite has become an internationally renowned charity, supporting people facing homelessness or facing barriers to employment. In the last decade, it has also established several programmes, such as The Social Bite Village, free food provision, and globally renowned campaigns including Sleep in the Park. […]

    View case study

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News about our courses:

  • Marking ChatGPT’s Homework with TDL’s Data Scientists

    News, Tech blog
    03/02/2023

    Recently The Data Lab team asked ChatGPT to write a blog post on the ‘𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯’. While this is unlikely to be the first or the last time that ChatGPT is called on to help with an assignment, its responses were telling – illustrating both the benefits and […]

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  • Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc’s Innovation Challenge 2 Awards £86,000 in Funding

    Net Zero, News, Support to innovate
    31/01/2023

    Five companies have been awarded funding as part of Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc’s (MSIP) second Innovation Challenge. MSIP and partners The Data Lab, CENSIS and Dundee City Council, are providing project funding of over £86,000, towards a total project cost of over £136,000. MSIP, a joint venture between Michelin, Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise, […]

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  • Data trends for 2023 – As predicted by ChatGPT

    Data knowledge and learning, News
    26/01/2023

    While the questions for this blog piece were prompts from The Data Lab team (generated from points that the model had put forward), this entire article was written by AI chatbot, ChatGPT It is difficult to predict specific data trends for 2023 as they can change rapidly, but some likely possibilities include an increased focus […]

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View all news

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