Industrial Doctoral Landscape Awards (IDLA) PhD Studentship in Satellite Quantum Communications

Quantum‑secured networks (QSNs) harness the principles of quantum mechanics to distribute encryption keys using single photons, delivering security that is theoretically unbreakable. While QSNs are already deployed in metropolitan fibre networks, their scalability is constrained by the need for direct optical links between nodes. Satellite‑based quantum key distribution (QKD) offers a transformative solution to extend these networks globally, but achieving this requires compact, robust, and power‑efficient quantum hardware.

Toshiba Europe Ltd has been at the forefront of quantum technology research for over two decades, pioneering breakthroughs in quantum key distribution (QKD), record‑setting communication bit rates, and miniaturisation of quantum systems onto photonic chips. Toshiba QKD systems are now deployed in telecommunication networks worldwide, and the company continues to push the boundaries of quantum‑secured communication.

We are currently inviting applications for a PhD studentship at Toshiba’s Cambridge Research Laboratory in collaboration with Heriot‑Watt University. The project, titled Miniaturised Quantum Systems for Satellite‑Based Secure Networks, will start in October 2026 and focuses on developing next‑generation hardware for satellite quantum networks. This includes miniaturising quantum encoders and decoders for deployment in resource‑constrained environments, enabling global quantum‑secured communication.

You will join a dynamic and supportive team and work on:

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• Design, fabrication, and experimental testing of state‑of‑the‑art satellite QKD systems.
  
• Photonic integration of quantum encoders to reduce size and complexity.
  
• Development of novel quantum state generation architectures for improved performance and reliability.
  
• Exploring architectures that balance performance with size, weight, and power constraints for satellite deployment.
  

You will work alongside industrial research scientists to leverage ideas across the fields of quantum, optics, electronics and communications to design, conduct and analyse frontier quantum experiments. Research outcomes will be published in leading academic journals and presented at international conferences.

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• A first‑class or upper second‑class degree in a relevant subject i.e. Physics, Electronic Engineering.
  
• Strong background in optics and quantum physics.
  
• Motivation to join a multidisciplinary team and undertake cutting‑edge experimental research.