Experimental Physicist

AWE; England; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

AWE is seeking an Experimental Physicist for their Radiation Diagnostics Team. The role involves developing diagnostic instruments and supporting collaborations in a cutting-edge environment. Candidates should have a Physics degree and strong communication skills, with opportunities for flexible working and professional development.

Benefits

9-day working fortnight

Market leading contributory pension scheme

Family friendly policies

Professional Career Development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Life Assurance

Discounts on everyday spending

Special Leave Policy

Qualifications

• Degree in Physics required; PhD beneficial.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills essential.
• Willingness to travel for UK and international collaborations.

Responsibilities

• Maintain, develop, and run diagnostic instruments.
• Lead projects from requirements to realization.
• Support national and international collaborations.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Proactivity

Organizational Skills

Programming (Python or C++)

Education

Degree in Physics

PhD or relevant post-graduate experience

Tools

Machine Learning Techniques

Radiation Transport Modelling

Diagnostic Instrument Development

Robotics and Automation

Nuclear Physics

Job description

Experimental Physicist

Closing Date: 16th June 2025

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Due to the classified nature of the work involved, there are limited opportunities to work from home in this role. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will spend the majority of their time working on site at AWE Aldermaston.

Package: £38,020 - £47,500 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience)

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

Let us introduce the role

AWE is recruiting for an Experimental Physicist for the Radiation Diagnostics Team within the Technology Development Group.

This is at a time where we are developing our capability to world class standards.

AWE have an existing light ion accelerator used to deliver high energy neutrons for internal and external customers, and are looking to replace this accelerator with new capabilities utilising the latest technologies. The successful candidate would be hired at the inception of this new project stage and help to develop it from a proposal to reality.

As an applied scientist in the Radiation Diagnostics team, you will become a key part of the team maintaining, developing and running diagnostic instruments. You would be involved in (and potentially lead) projects to bring new instruments from requirements to realisation in support of experimental facilities. This will involve theoretical and computational modelling of instruments, design of hardware, data collection, analysis of data and feedback to customers, as well as experimental testing and characterisation of future and existing instrumentation.

As part of developing our capabilities to world class standards for both internal and external customers, you will be supporting national and international collaborations with AWE's partners in and out of the United Kingdom. This collaboration will entail travel outside of AWE for conferences and experimental trials at UK and international facilities.

Who are we looking for?

We do need you to have the following:

• A degree in Physics, and a PhD or relevant post-graduate experience would be beneficial for this role.

• Strong communication skills, verbal and written, excellent team working ability, proactive, and highly organised.

• Willing to travel and work at other UK and overseas sites as required.

Whilst not to be considered a tick list, we'd like you to have experience in some of the following:

• Working in an academic laboratory or industrial setting

• Experience in one or more of the following technical areas:

  • Radiation transport modelling

  • Nuclear physics

  • Diagnostic instrument development and design

  • Robotics and automation

  • Use of machine learning techniques and tools

• Programming language such as Python or C++

You'll need to have the ability to work calmly and constructively in a priority changing environment and be able to manage your own workload. You will also have initiative, enthusiasm, a flexible approach, and ability to work to tight deadlines.

Some reasons we think you'll love it here:

AWE has wide range of benefits to suit you. These include:

• 9-day working fortnight - meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.

• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).

• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.

• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.

• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.

• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).

• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.

• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

The 'Working at AWE' page on our website is where you can find full details in the 'AWE Benefits Guide'.

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