Senior R&D Engineer (Superconducting Magnet Material Technology)

About the job

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 leads the way in realising fusion energy, partnering with industry and research for ground-breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid, supported by tomorrow's power stations. In pursuit of our mission, UKAEA embraces core values: Innovative, Committed, Trusted, and Collaborative.

Job Description

As an employee of UKAEA you will benefit from:

- Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
- Corporate bonus scheme up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).
- Flexible working options, including family friendly policies.
- Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders.
- Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays.
- Wide range of career development opportunities.
- A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive.

Salary: £52,293.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions.

The Role

As a Senior R&D Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in supporting a major UKAEA programme, delivering key technology development and influencing the direction of technology decisions. Focusing on the development of superconductor insulator materials and ground insulation systems, you will establish, through defining and delivering testing programmes, candidate material performance (electrical, thermal and mechanical) in a range of extreme conditions unique to a fusion reactor. Ultimately leading a test programme to establish irradiated mechanical behaviour and lifetime for superconducting magnet materials to be used on STEP.

Additional Responsibilities

- Lead the specification, planning and delivery of robust testing and verification plans to evaluate superconducting magnet technologies in representative extreme environments (gamma and neutron radiation, cryogenic temperatures)
- Work in teams providing specialist technical knowledge and direction in the field of superconducting magnets
- Lead project teams in best practice delivery of superconducting magnet technology development, leveraging internal and external networks
- Establish and grow networks, working with external collaborators (including universities, public sector research establishments and industry) to complement UKAEA's internal capability
- Developing junior team members, sharing best practice, promoting respect, inclusion, and opportunity across UKAEA

Qualifications
Essential Requirements

- Technical knowledge of superconducting magnet technologies and/or materials
- Significant experience of working in an R&D environment
- Degree or higher in a relevant subject
- Ability to build strong relationships internally, externally, and in a multinational community and enthusiasm for regularly scaling steep learning curves to perform effectively as a subject matter expert

Additional Information

For a full list of benefits and to apply, select the apply button to be taken through to the UKAEA careers pages.

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.