King’s College London
London, United Kingdom

This fully funded PhD studentship at King’s College London’s Business School, offered in collaboration with Circularise, invites a motivated researcher to investigate a critical question at the intersection of sustainable business models, digital innovation and the circular economy. With global demand for energy storage systems accelerating and regulations such as the EU Battery Regulation driving requirements for transparent lifecycle reporting, understanding the business case for battery traceability has never been more important. This project centres on digital product passports — digital records that document key information about a battery’s origin, composition, use and condition — and will examine how traceability can create value beyond regulatory compliance, such as supporting product life extension, enabling second-life applications, and unlocking new circular business models. Conducted in partnership with Circularise, a pioneering technology company working on blockchain-based product passport solutions, the studentship offers direct access to industrial insights and networks that are shaping next-generation traceability practices.

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants should hold a first-class or good 2:1 honours degree and a relevant master’s degree (with a dissertation module) in a social science discipline or closely related field. Demonstrated academic excellence and a strong interest in sustainability, innovation, and business models for circular systems will support competitiveness for this award.

Required Expertise, Skills
Successful candidates will benefit from applied knowledge of qualitative research methods, such as qualitative interviewing, ethnography, and document analysis. Although training in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies will be provided as part of the PhD programme, a foundation in empirical research and analytical thinking will support success in this interdisciplinary project.

Salary Details
The studentship includes full coverage of tuition fees (for UK and international students), an annual tax-free stipend of £23,805 (for the 2025–26 academic year), and a research training and support grant of £1,000 per year over the programme’s duration. The award is structured as four years of doctoral study (three years of full-time research and one year for writing up).

Application Deadline
The deadline for applications is 31 March 2026.

Application Link

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