Doctoral Research Fellowship (PhD)

NEWTON PROJECT

Ranplan Wireless Network Design Ltd. (RAN), is seeking to appoint a high-calibre doctoral candidate to join the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network ‘Novel technologies for converged wireless-optical configurations’ (NEWTON). The selected candidate will work under the supervision of Prof. Jie Zhang.

About the NEWTON project:

NEWTON proposes a revolutionary approach of a converged wireless-optical network architecture that makes reality an efficient 6G Cell-Free (CF)-based access network for high-density and high coverage deployments. The proposed architecture takes also full advantage of novel solutions for both the radio-edge and regional-edge domains, as well as for efficient network-management approaches, targeting to achieve sub-second latency, more than million devices per square kilometre connection density and user experienced data-rate up to 10Gbps. NEWTON research program will engage in cutting-edge research to advance and assess a wide range of techniques, tools and methodologies that will harness the innovative capabilities provided by the CF technology to their fullest extent and establish the groundwork for efficient end-to-end services in 6G network environments.

Specifically, NEWTON will:

The NEWTON approach will be directed toward pursuing three ambitious objectives, each aligned with an interdisciplinary but interconnected research domain. The three objectives are linked to challenges at the radio-edge, the regional-edge, and the network-management domains.

1) At the radio-edge domain, NEWTON aims at developing Artificial-Intelligence (AI)-driven models in the access domain, focusing on the CF technology, targeting the efficient acquisition of the Channel State Information (CSI) in dense CF networks, while supporting infrastructures with high number of antennas;

2) In the regional-edge domain, NEWTON targets to develop scalable solutions for the interconnection of data-centres, to enable distributed neuromorphic architectures, while also being in line with the Open RAN initiative;

3) At the network management domain, NEWTON will develop novel AI-based resource allocation solutions, targeting the optimal utilization of both networking and computational resources.

Position title: Doctoral Researcher for RAN - Design of XL-MIMO for CF networking (WP5)

Objectives: i) to overcome the limitations of applying XL-MIMOs in fronthauls; ii) to develop novel approach to location-aided beamforming.

PhD enrolment: The selected applicant will be enrolled into a Ph.D. program at KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN (University of Leuven, KUL), while working on the project.

Location: Upper Pendrill Court, Ermine Street North, Papworth Everard, Cambridge, CB23 3UY, United Kingdom.

Working Time: Full-time

Duration: Fixed-term (3 years).

Salary: In agreement with the MSCA-DN financial regulations, including living, mobility, and family allowances.

Secondment: The selected Doctoral Researcher for RAN will spend a research stay of 6 months at another partner of the NEWTON project. The planned secondment for the researcher is at KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN (KUL).

Job requirements

• An undergraduate degree in information engineering, computer science, data science, electronic or electrical engineering, mathematics, electromagnetics, or a physical sciences subject.

• Solid background on electromagnetics and wireless propagation.

• High proficiency in Matlab, Python, or similar programming software/languages.

• Excellent written and verbal communication, including presentation skills.

• Highly proficient English language skills.

• Excellent organisational skills, attention to details and the ability to meet deadlines.

• Ability to think logically, create solutions and make informed decisions.

• Willingness to work collaboratively in a research environment.

• Willingness to travel and work across Europe.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Undertake postgraduate research in support of the agreed doctoral research project.

• Work closely with the academic supervisors to ensure the compatibility of the individual project with the overall goals of the Newton project.

• Present and publish research in both academic and non-academic audiences.

• Attend and participate to academic and non-academic conferences, events and seminars.

• Attend and participate to all training events and supervisory meetings.

• Be seconded to other network partners as necessary to fulfil the grant obligations.

• Prepare progress reports and similar documents on research for funding bodies, as required.

• Contribute to the delivery and management of the wider program, including attending and participating in program committee meetings.

• Actively contribute to the public engagement and outreach activities of the project.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the Researcher may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above duties and responsibilities.

Eligibility requirements

• The applicant must be a doctoral candidate (i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment).

• At the time of recruitment, the researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the three years immediately prior to the recruitment date. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not taken into account.

Selection Process

The selection and recruitment process will be in accordance with the European Charter and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The recruitment process will be open, transparent, impartial, equitable, and merit-based.

1) Curriculum

2) Academic performance (diplomas, university transcripts, etc.)

3) Research and industrial experience

4) Awards and fellowships

5) Publications and patents

6) Research, leadership, and creativity potential

7) English knowledge

8) Other relevant items based on the specific candidate

The application deadline is 31st July 2026. All applications will be analysed after the application deadline, and the shortlisted candidates will be invited to a Teams interview. At the end of the selection process, all the applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by return email.

Disclaimer

By applying for this position, the applicant:

1) give their consent to circulate their application and personal data within the members of the consortium.

2) declare to fulfil the eligibility requirements defined by above.

3) agree to spend a secondment of at most 6 months in another partner of the NEWTON consortium.

4) agree that they will comply with the planned Ph.D. enrolment.

How to Apply

Each application must include the following material:

a) CV setting out the educational qualifications as well as any additional scientific achievements and publications. The CV must clearly indicate the applicant’s vitae name, surname aand country of residence in the last three years.

b) Evidence of English proficiency.

c) Copy of Bachelor’s and/or Master’s certificates.

d) Copy of Bachelor’s and/or Master’s transcripts.

e) Any additional material useful for the assessment of the candidate (e.g., recommendation letters, research project/statement in agreement with the requirements specified in previous text).

Applications must be submitted according to the following procedure:

1) Registration and submission of the application material to the official project website (https://cv.newton-6g.eu/) AND via (https://www.ranplanwireless.com/careers/) the Ranplan recruitment Website.

Further Information

For more information, please contact Prof. Jie Zhang (jie.zhang@ranplanwireless.com).

Ranplan Wireless welcomes and encourages applications from qualified individuals regardless of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.