A Griffith industry PhD transforms your academic expertise into industry progress
An industry PhD offers potential students the opportunity to undertake research within their workplace or another industry partner under the guidance of academics and industry professionals.
Our commitment to supporting industry engagement opportunities enables you to contribute to global innovation, solve real-world problems, and generate new knowledge throughout your research studies. These practical applications improve your career readiness and establish networks to support you beyond your studies.
Activate your research with an industry partner
Research candidates are supported to explore collaborative research projects, apply for external funding opportunities, and engage external supervision to further their career pathways. These opportunities provide practical and industry-relevant experience while you complete your doctoral studies.
Griffith Industry PhD
You may be able to integrate an industry collaboration into your research project, referred to as an embedded research project. Work with an industry partner to explore opportunities during the research proposal development process.
Griffith Industry PhD Scholarship
An industry PhD scholarship supports collaboration on a research project that responds to industry needs.
These are co-funded by an industry partner and Griffith, and conducted under joint supervision.
Industry employment
Industry professionals who are employed by an industry partner may be supported by their employer to pursue a PhD while retaining their position and salary.
Fee offsets and other incentives may apply.
National pathways
Australian industry PhD programs provide support and incentives to both universities and industry to foster practical research collaboration.
Are you an external organisation?
If your organisation is seeking solutions to a specific business challenge or needs answers to complex questions, consider a Griffith PhD-industry partnership.
Collaboration can provide you with access to the latest analysis, expertise and data from our world-leading research community.
How does an industry PhD benefit students?
An industry PhD could be the biggest competitive edge in your career.
Embedded industry PhD projects
You may be able to undertake an industry PhD by integrating an industry collaboration into your research project. This is referred to as an embedded research project, where you will undertake research and development activities with the partner which contribute towards the progression of your research outputs and outcomes. Embedded projects will normally involve working with the partner on the project for at least 60 days throughout your candidature, either onsite at the partner location or remotely, or both.
This option may suit you if:
- your research aligns with the needs of an external organisation
- you or your proposed supervisor have identified an industry partner
- the organisation can contribute expertise, data, facilities, supervision or funding
- the project supports your research progress and timely thesis submission.
Embedded industry projects may be funded or unfunded. Funded projects are referred to as Industry PhD Scholarships. When applying for admission to your program, you will need to provide additional documents detailing the proposed research with the partner.
Starting an Industry PhD with an industry partner or your employer
A Griffith industry PhD is a strategic advantage that fuels innovation, solves complex problems, and keeps you ahead of the competition. Approach your industry partner or current employer and discuss how an industry PhD could work for the organisation.
You will also need to check your eligibility to study a PhD.
More information to provide to your industry partner or employer is available here.
The industry partner or employer contribution may be eligible for the Research and Development (R&D) tax incentive.
The first step is to secure a supervisor for your PhD.
Contact your existing Griffith academic partner or search Griffith Experts to identify an academic expert in your field of interest.
Develop your research proposal in partnership with your Griffith supervisor, and your industry partner or current employer.
Your industry partner or employer will become a part of the research proposal as an external supervisor.
Advise details of your industry partner or employers' involvement in the project by completing the HDR Industry Project Plan. You will also need to arrange for your industry partner or employer to complete the Industry PhD project Authorisation Letter.
Once your supervisor has agreed to proceed with the proposed research, your are ready to apply.
Ensure you fill in all the necessary paperwork.
Industry-linked projects and scholarships
| Description | Closing date | Details |
|---|---|---|
|
Unfortunately there are no projects that support your criteria. |
||
|
Griffith Industry PhD Scholarship Scheme Undertake research in collaboration with an industry partner, providing practical experience while you complete your doctoral studies. |
Continuous |
|
|
The project aims to improve understanding of the conditions under which innovation in safety measurement is possible, exploring questions such as: What factors increase or decrease the social acceptability of alternative measures within and beyond organisations? What makes a new measure practically useful for improving safety? And how is consensus around new measures established, maintained, and translated into practice? |
11/09/2026 |
|
|
The project will investigate the environmental fate of biodegradable plastics in soil–plant systems, with a focus on understanding how these materials degrade, whether they generate residual micro- and nano-plastics, and their potential transfer into agricultural food systems. The research will involve laboratory, greenhouse, and analytical studies conducted in collaboration with the Solving Plastic Waste CRC (SPW CRC) and industry partners. |
11/09/2026 |
|
|
We are currently looking for a PhD candidate to investigate offshore to develop a spatial decision-support tool to autonomously identify optimal OHRES sites. The primary focus of this role is a GIS-based decision-support tool designed to assist energy planners and system managers in visually analysing spatial and analytical results. |
31/08/2026 |
|
|
Mode of Action Studies of Marine Bacillus Probiotics Using Multi-omics Approaches We are currently looking for a PhD candidate to undertake research on the mode of action of marine Bacillus probiotics using advanced multi-omics approaches. |
28/08/2026 |
|
|
Understanding the sources and fate of terrestrial dissolved organic matter in the Burrum catchment This PhD project, in partnership with Griffith University and Fraser Coast Regional Council, will investigate the increasing levels of terrestrial dissolved organic matter (tDOM) in the Burrum River catchment and its implications for water treatment. |
26/07/2026 |
|
|
CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship - Training Humanoid Robots for High-Risk Applications We are currently looking for a PhD candidate to develop trustworthy artificial intelligence for humanoid robots operating in hazardous environments. The primary focus of this role is to integrate computer vision, large and small AI models, formal reasoning, reinforcement learning, and robot control so that humanoid robots can interpret mission goals, plan safe actions, and perform complex manipulation tasks. |
25/09/2026 |
|
|
NIISQ PhD scholarship – Exploring novel nasal delivery mechanisms for repairing brain injuries We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to develop novel trans-nasal delivery methods such as peptides and micellar formulations, for targeted delivery of different therapeutic agents such a drugs, extracellular vesicles, growth factors and other such small bioactive molecules, for repairing traumatic brain injuries. |
3/07/2026 |
|
|
NIISQ PhD scholarship – New approach methodologies for modelling traumatic brain injury The primary focus of this PhD position is to i) systematically develop three-dimensional cellular models to recapitulate the complexity of the brain ii) subject cell models to controlled TBI in vitro iii) characterise the response to injury and benchmark data from the model against existing human clinical data. |
3/07/2026 |
|
|
NIISQ PhD scholarship – Exploring reprogrammed OPCs as a therapy for neural repair We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to explore and characterise reprogrammed oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), with a view to develop approaches to utilise them as a potential therapeutic for traumatic brain injury. |
3/07/2026 |
|
|
NIISQ PhD scholarship – Exploring mitochondrial transplantation as a therapy for neural repair We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to investigate mitochondrial transplantation as a potential therapeutic for traumatic brain injury. |
3/07/2026 |
|
Australian industry PhD programs
The CSIRO Industry PhD Program and the National Industry PhD Program foster research collaboration by providing support and incentives to both universities and partner organisations when a PhD is designed with an industry application.
Griffith University has thoroughly embraced the National Industry PhD Program, achieving a high number of awards and a high success rate in national priority areas. This commitment highlights their dedication to developing the next generation of researchers who can seamlessly work in university and industry environments, whilst driving cutting-edge research and innovation.
Jason Steinwedel, Campus Plus
Talk to your employer about making a connection with Griffith through these programs.
Additional opportunities throughout your studies
There are many ways to amplify your research studies at Griffith in connection with external partner organisations.
Work-integrated learning opportunities, HDR Block Research Internships, are available to all students across all disciplines in order to enable workforce-ready graduates. These may include short-term internships without a research focus. They may be discipline-focused, community-focused, or have a broad application, like innovation and entrepreneurship.
Our award-winning Industry Mentoring Program connects students with industry professionals in person and online.
Our Emerging Industry Leaders Program is a professional development initiative exclusively for higher degree research candidates at Griffith University. The program bridges the professional gap for candidates who transition from academia to industry positions.
Collaborate with an industry partner to advance your research and career growth
PhD candidate - Alec McKenzieWhat I’m doing would not be possible without industry funding and support. I'm going to need 100-plus elite swimmers, the higher level, the better. Having Queensland Academy of Sport in our corner, they provide the athletes to study, and the support, guidance and connections so we can just go and do it in a timely manner.
