Lead Control and Instrumentation Engineer

UK Atomic Energy Authority; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Defined benefit pension

Bonus scheme up to 7%

Relocation allowance

Flexible working options

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous annual leave 25 days + 3 days

Job summary

The Lead Control and Instrumentation Engineer at UK Atomic Energy Authority will join the Tokamak Systems Unit to design, develop and commission C&I, interlocks and data acquisition for the MAST Upgrade heating and current drive systems. You will guide hardware and software integration and lead upgrades, including FPGA-based work and PASS security systems.

Based at Culham, Oxfordshire, this role requires BPSS clearance and may involve shift-led commissioning.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical/Electronic/Control Engineering is required.
• Extensive experience with C&I for complex high-power systems.
• Experience integrating PLCs, embedded systems and SCADA (hardware & software).

Responsibilities

• Guide design, development, and commissioning of tokamak C&I and interlocks.
• Liaise with engineering teams to ensure designs meet requirements.
• Responsible Officer for systems, assess performance and propose upgrades.
• Guide fault finding on power and control circuits to board level.
• Supervise engineers and technicians; ensure safe systems of work.
• Ensure activities comply with UKAEA safety procedures.

Skills

C&I for complex systems

High-power HV systems

Motion control

Vacuum

Water cooling

Fast data acquisition

Interlocks

Education

Degree in Electrical/Electronic/Control Engineering

Tools

LabVIEW

TIA Portal

FPGA coding environments

Job 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 realizing 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.

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 and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment.
• 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

What to expect in our recruitment process

For a step-by-step overview of how we hire from application to offer please see our Recruitment Process page: careers.ukaea.uk/join-us/recruitment-process

Job Description

The salary for this role is £57,117 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working is expected for 5 days a week, however, we actively support requests for flexible working.

This role can be based at any of the following sites: Culham, Oxfordshire.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open source data.

The Role

Additional multi-megawatt heating and current drive systems (Electron Bernstein Wave-EBW and a double beamline for Neutral Beam Injection) are being installed on the MAST Upgrade tokamak. The Lead Control and Instrumentation Engineer will be a member of the Tokamak Systems Unit and in a team responsible for providing control and instrumentation (C&I), interlocks and data acquisition units serving the heating and current drive systems on MAST Upgrade.

In this role the job holder will guide and/or participate in the design, development and maintenance of control and instrumentation hardware and software required for operating the heating and current drive plants and will be responsible for the commissioning and operations of the control and instrumentation for such systems, and upgrade projects (including design, procurement, installation).

The systems incorporate instrumentation (e.g. microwave instrumentation, water systems, HVDC Power Supplies, gas, vacuum, thermo-couples, optical systems), PLCs and SCADA systems, Electrical Modules and Assemblies, fast intelligent systems based on FPGAs, interlocks, and a Personnel Access Safety System (PASS).

The post holder will also be required to act as an operator and/or shift leader during commissioning and operational campaigns.

Key Responsibilities

• Guide the design, development, and commissioning of tokamak heating and current drive Control and Instrumentation systems, protection systems/ interlock systems, PASS systems, or subsystems.
• Liaise with the engineering and design teams and Office of Chief Engineering to ensure designs meet requirements.
• Responsible Officer for systems or sub-systems, the jobholder continuously assesses system performance and proposes improvements and upgrades.
• Guide fault finding and repair, both on power circuits and on control circuits down to electronic board level.
• Supervise engineers, technicians and electricians on projects, repair and maintenance work ensuring the creation and adherence to Written Safe Systems of Work and general UKAEA safety requirements.
• Ensure that activities of the team are carried out safely and effectively and in compliance with relevant statutory and UKAEA rules and procedures including the preparation of Written Safe Systems of Work.

Qualifications

Essential Requirements:

• A degree in Electrical/Electronic/Control Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Extensive professional experience with C&I for complex systems for example involving high-power/HV electrical systems, motion control, vacuum, water cooling, fast data acquisition, fast timing, science instrumentation, interlocks.
• Experience in integrating and programming PLC’s, embedded systems and SCADA systems in both hardware and software (LabView, TIA-portal, FPGA coding environments).

Desirable Requirements:

• Chartered Engineer status and membership to the IET.

Additional Information

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/

UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit.

UK Atomic Energy Authority is committed to being accessible. Please email [e-mail] if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.

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