Lead Control and Instrumentation Engineer

UK Atomic Energy Authority; Culham; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Outstanding pension

Relocation allowance (if eligible)

Flexible working options

Job summary

UK Atomic Energy Authority in Culham is seeking a Lead Control and Instrumentation Engineer to guide the design, development and commissioning of tokamak heating and current drive C&I systems, interlocks and data acquisition for the MAST Upgrade project.

The role requires extensive experience with high-power HV electrical systems, PLCs, embedded systems and SCADA, and timely leadership of engineering teams while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• A degree in Electrical/Electronic/Control Engineering.
• Extensive professional experience with C&I for complex systems (high-power HV, motion control, vacuum, data acquisition, interlocks).
• Experience integrating and programming PLCs, embedded systems and SCADA in hardware and software (LabVIEW, TIA-portal, FPGA coding environments).
• Chartered Engineer status and membership to the IET.

Responsibilities

• Guide the design, development, and commissioning of tokamak heating and current drive C&I systems, protection and interlock systems, PASS systems, or subsystems.
• Liaise with engineering and design teams to ensure designs meet requirements.
• Act as Responsible Officer for systems, assessing performance and proposing improvements.
• Guide fault finding and repair down to electronic board level.
• Supervise engineers, technicians and electricians, ensuring safe systems of work and compliance with UKAEA rules.
• Ensure team activities are carried out safely and in accordance with policies.

Skills

C&I for complex systems

High-power HV systems

PLC programming

SCADA systems

LabVIEW

FPGA coding

Education

Electrical/Electronic/Control Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer (IET)

Tools

LabVIEW

TIA Portal

FPGA development

Job description

Lead Control and Instrumentation Engineer

The salary for this role is £57,117(inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working is expected for 5days 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 bea 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.

£57,117 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension

• 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).
• Chartered Engineer status and membership to the IET.

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.

As an employee of UKAEA you will benefit from:

• Outstandingdefined benefit pension scheme,details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporatebonus schemeup to7%and aRelocationallowance (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
• A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive

Browse some of our current job vacancies below.

What can I expect from the application process at UKAEA?

Once you have submitted a formal application via our website, all CVs will be reviewed shortly after the closing date of the advert.

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 groundbreaking 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: Innovation, Commitment, Trust, and Collaboration.