Our Employee Project Sponsorship route enables companies to develop their existing staff into doctoral-level researchers.

Staff are fully embedded in the Fusion Engineering CDT, undertaking our training and project as a full member of the cohort. and equipped with advanced fusion engineering skills.

Your employee undertakes an EngD project aligned with your research and development goals, while continuing in their role. They benefit from access to the CDT’s world-leading training, academic supervision, and research community — while you benefit from a stronger, future-ready workforce.

Why choose this sponsorship route?

Empower your people. Strengthen your innovation.

This model offers a powerful way to invest in people you already trust—enabling them to gain a doctorate while contributing directly to your technical objectives.

Key benefits:

• Focused research aligned to your business needs.
  Define a project that addresses a challenge unique to your organisation.
• Access to world-leading training and facilities.
  Your employee joins the CDT cohort, gaining advanced technical training and access to university equipment and expertise.
• Retain and develop key staff.
  Build in-house capability and improve retention by investing in career development.

How does it work?

A flexible pathway to grow talent and deliver impact

• You identify a staff member to sponsor as a CDT EngD student.
• The project scope is developed jointly by your organisation and an academic supervisor.
• The employee remains fully employed throughout, with the flexibility to complete the doctorate on a full-time or part-time basis.
• The researcher engages fully with the CDT: attending training sessions, events, and benefiting from our wider research community.

This ensures the employee is both a contributor to your team and a full member of our research cohort.

Your investment

£8,750 + VAT per year over four years
(Total: £35,000 + VAT)

This provides access to CDT supervision, training, research support, and integration into a national fusion research network. You may also choose to increase the project budget if you expect to have enhanced facilities or materials access fees.

Where are employee researchers based?

Flexible project location, full university access

• Researchers typically remain based at your organisation.
• They are registered at a UK host university—either one of the CDT Hub universities (Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield) or, where appropriate, another university via our Associate University Scheme.
• They will have full access to the host university’s resources, supervision, and research infrastructure.

Each project is contracted individually with the host university to agree terms and conditions for project inputs, outputs and cost.