Trinity College Dublin has opened a four-year PhD studentship on cross-layer modelling and optimisation of backside-powered 3D integrated circuits, based in the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering under Dr. Georgios Floros. Applications close on 13 January 2027 and are made by email with a full CV. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the job specification and set out the project, research themes and application steps below.
The PhD Studentship at a Glance
🎓 Position: PhD studentship
⏱️ Length: four years
🏛️ University: Trinity College Dublin, School of Engineering
🔌 Department: Electronic & Electrical Engineering
👤 Supervisor: Dr. Georgios Floros
📍 Location: Dublin, Ireland
🧩 Project: Cross-Layer Design and Optimisation of Backside-Powered 3D ICs
📨 Application: full Curriculum Vitae with the details of 2 referees, sent by email
🗓️ Deadline: 13 January 2027
What Are Backside Power Delivery Networks?
Backside power delivery networks (BSPDNs) move power-distribution resources to the back of the silicon. This frees routing resources on the frontside of the chip and can potentially improve power integrity.
Why Heterogeneous 3D Integrated Circuits Make the Problem Harder
In heterogeneous three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits, several structures interact with switching activity and heat flow:
🔩 Backside metal layers
⚡ Power vias
🔗 Vertical interconnects
🧱 Tier-level power grids
These interactions create coupled challenges in the following areas, and together they call for new design methodologies:
📉 Voltage drop
🛣️ Routing
🌡️ Thermal management
🛡️ Reliability
The Aim of This Four-Year PhD
The doctoral project will develop cross-layer modelling and optimisation techniques for backside-powered 3D ICs. The work is organised around four connected research themes, moving from electrical modelling through fast analysis and optimisation to reproducible validation.
The Four Connected Research Themes
1️⃣ Electrical models: parameterised electrical models for BSPDNs, vertical interconnects and workload-dependent current demand.
2️⃣ Fast analysis: fast electrical and electro-thermal analysis using model order reduction, graph-based representations and machine-learning surrogate models.
3️⃣ Optimisation: constrained, multi-objective optimisation of backside metal allocation, power-via placement, PDN sizing and physical design.
4️⃣ Validation: reproducible validation using OpenROAD-based flows and representative benchmark circuits.
────────────────────────────────────────
🌍 All opportunities in Ireland →
────────────────────────────────────────
The Fields This Project Brings Together
💻 VLSI design
🧰 Electronic design automation (EDA)
🧮 Scientific computing
🤖 Artificial intelligence
Where You Will Work and Who Will Supervise You
The successful candidate will join the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering at Trinity College Dublin and will work under the supervision of Dr. Georgios Floros.
What the Position Offers Beyond the Thesis
🌐 Opportunities to collaborate internationally
📰 Opportunities to publish in leading conferences and journals
🛠️ Opportunities to contribute to open-source research tools
How to Apply for the Trinity PhD Studentship
Applicants should send a full Curriculum Vitae by email to Dr. Georgios Floros. The CV must include the following:
👥 The names of 2 referees
☎️ The contact details of both referees, including their email addresses
Further Project Information
The official vacancy page lists a further information document for this studentship, titled George_Floros_phd_studentship.pdf. You can open it from the vacancy page linked at the end of this article.
Trinity College Dublin in Brief
Trinity describes itself as Ireland's leading university and is ranked 75th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Founded in 1592, it has a reputation for excellence in education, research and innovation that has inspired generations of thinkers for over 400 years. The university's current strategy is Thrive, Trinity College Dublin's Strategic Plan 2025 - 2030.
The Values Trinity Puts Into Action
Trinity states that values are key to the success of its Strategic Plan, and it centres its behavioural values around the importance of belonging:
🤝 Respecting and caring for one another
👥 Achieving more by working together
✅ Taking responsibility for actions and being accountable
💡 Never stopping imagining
🌱 Being nature positive, connecting with the environment and with the ambitions for a sustainable future
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Trinity
Trinity says it is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and it welcomes applications from all individuals, including:
♿ Applicants with disabilities
🧭 People who may have had non-traditional career paths
👪 People who have taken time out for reasons including family or caring responsibilities
✈️ International applicants, including those who have been displaced due to war
Gender Equality and Family-Friendly Working
🏅 Trinity is an EU Sustainable Gender Equality Champion.
🥈 It holds an Athena Swan Silver award, recognising its ongoing work to advance gender equality within Trinity and in the higher education sector.
⚖️ It is committed to supporting work-life balance and to creating a family-friendly working environment.
Find more doctoral and master's funding opportunities in Europe and beyond on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Trinity College Dublin PhD on backside-powered 3D ICs?
The PhD runs for four years. The doctoral researcher will be based in the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering at Trinity College Dublin.
Who supervises this PhD studentship?
The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Dr. Georgios Floros. Applications are also sent directly to Dr. Floros.
What will the doctoral researcher work on?
The work covers cross-layer modelling and optimisation of backside-powered 3D ICs across four themes: parameterised electrical models, fast electrical and electro-thermal analysis, constrained multi-objective optimisation, and reproducible validation with OpenROAD-based flows and benchmark circuits.
Which methods are used in the fast analysis work?
The project names model order reduction, graph-based representations and machine-learning surrogate models. These are applied to fast electrical and electro-thermal analysis of backside-powered 3D ICs.
What documents do I need to apply?
You need a full Curriculum Vitae that includes the names and contact details of 2 referees, with their email addresses. The CV is sent by email to Dr. Georgios Floros.
Can international applicants apply for this studentship?
Yes. Trinity states that it welcomes international applicants, including those who have been displaced due to war.
Does the vacancy text state a stipend or tuition coverage?
The vacancy text does not give a stipend amount or describe tuition coverage. A further information document, George_Floros_phd_studentship.pdf, is listed on the official vacancy page.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline is 13 January 2027. According to Youth Works Hub's review of the job specification, applications go by email to the project supervisor.
Deadline
⏳ 13 January 2027
Link
🔗 Official vacancy page and further information document: https://my.corehr.com/pls/trrecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.jobspec?p_id=039588
📧 Application email (Dr. Georgios Floros): florosg@tcd.ie
