Fusion Technology Development Engineer

  • Full-time
  • Salary: £36,397 to £38,620 (inclusive of MPP) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension
  • Site Location: UKAEA Culham, Oxfordshire
  • Confirmed Grade: Level 4
  • Department: Special Techniques

Company Description

By 2050, the planet could be using twice as much electricity compared to today. Are you interested in contributing and helping to shape the future of the world’s energy? If so, read on.

Fusion, the process that powers the Sun and Stars, is one of the most promising options for generating the cleaner, carbon-free energy that our world badly needs. UKAEA are at the forefront of realising energy from fusion, working with industry and research partners to deliver the ground-breaking developments that will underpin tomorrow's fusion power stations with the aim of bringing fusion electricity to the grid.

As we work towards our mission and goals, UKAEA has devised values that capture the spirit of how we work. These values include being: Innovative, Committed, Trusted and Collaborative.

Job Description

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a self-motivated candidate with strong initiative to join UKAEA as a Fusion Technology Development Engineer.  Our Fusion Technology Development Engineers work as part of a multi-disciplinary team with a diverse background on a range of cutting-edge technology development projects focused on solving key fusion powerplant engineering problems.

Working on a wide range of engineering projects, primarily focused on low-mid technology readiness levels, the role holder will regularly be required to develop a working comprehension of unfamiliar technical topics – an enquiring nature and a passion for constant learning defines our team members.

If you have strong engineering problem-solving skills with reference to the commercial context, you are passionate about technology and innovation, and you are able to build strong networks internally and externally – we would like to hear from you.

What will you be responsible for?

The successful candidate will join a multi-disciplinary team that develops and verifies emergent technologies, working on a broad portfolio of projects across the UKAEA organisation.  The focus of the team is on delivering practical, innovative technology solutions which support the realisation of commercially viable fusion power through, for example, advising on manufacturing, materials, rigs & facilities, and fusion component environments.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Lead or work as part of cross-functional project teams to investigate, deliver or test novel technologies and designs and contribute to the development of internal bespoke equipment and components or the sourcing of external solutions.
  • Deliver packages of work investigating the effects of harsh environments on component performance, the verification thereof, and assuring the quality and safety of these activities.
  • Provide input to the design and verification of systems and subsystems to agreed specifications within the UKAEA technical control process including the preparation of documents such as technical specifications.
  • Work with external collaborators (including universities, public sector research establishments and industry in fusion and related fields) to complement UKAEA's internal capability, offer access to additional expert knowledge and to facilitate new project proposals,
  • Provide technical advice and input across UKAEA within own areas of expertise.
  • Present novel activities at conferences and submit associated papers for journal publication.

Qualifications

Essential skills, experience and competence required

  • Experience of delivering technical solutions to engineering problems
  • Degree in engineering or relevant science, or equivalent experience following other routes e.g. apprenticeship
  • Experience of successfully delivering projects or workstreams
  • Practical knowledge of working collaboratively cross-disciplines
  • Experience of writing technical documentation/reports

Desirable skills, experience and competence

  • Experience of presenting to large and/or senior audiences
  • Experience of delivering multiple workstreams concurrently
  • Experience of being a subject matter expert in a technical area
  • Experience of coaching more junior team members
  • Knowledge and experience of preparing research proposals and/or project planning
  • Experience of developing and running complex experiments and testing equipment
  • Masters level degree (MEng, MSc etc.)
  • Chartered Engineer (inc. IMechE, IET, IOP, IOM3)

Additional Information

What we offer

  • A competitive salary  
  • A culture committed to being fully inclusive, supported by a Being Inclusive Strategy and Inclusion Ambassadors 
  • An Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders, with a full calendar of health and wellbeing initiatives 
  • Flexible working options including family friendly policies  
  • Emergency leave (paid) 
  • 30.5 days annual leave increased with length of service (including privilege days and 3 days between Christmas and New Year) plus bank holidays
  • Wide range of career development opportunities (e.g professional registration, internal promotions, coaching and mentoring programme)  
  • Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme  
  • Annual corporate bonus scheme  
  • Relocation allowance (if eligible) 

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly from individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, including nationality and citizenship, people with disabilities, (visible and hidden) and women. The Executive team with support from our EDI ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’ (EDI) partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, is actively promoting EDI and taking steps to increase the diversity of our people through reinforcing best practice in recruitment and selection, and revaluating approaches where it is clear we can remove barriers to success. We are easily accessible by car and are a 10-minute walk from Culham Railway Station in Oxfordshire.

Please be advised that this vacancy is due to close on 03/01/2022 . We may close earlier than this date if large or sufficient numbers of applications are received.

Please note all employees working at the UK Atomic Energy Authority will be required to complete an online Disclosure Certificate application as part of their clearance – The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks will show the details of all current criminal convictions (convictions considered unspent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) or will confirm that there are no such convictions.

Note for applicants who are applying for employment with UKAEA either from outside the United Kingdom or who have spent time outside the United Kingdom in the last five years. Please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants . If the country you are resident in or have resided in is not listed on this website or that the UK Government is not aware of how to obtain a criminal records check from that state then we are unable to process your application.

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