Neutron and Gamma Assistant Diagnostic Physicist

Physics World; Abingdon; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Defined benefit pension

Bonus up to 7%

Flexible working

Employee assistance programme

25 days leave + holidays

Job summary

UK Atomic Energy Authority at Culham is seeking a Neutron and Gamma Assistant Diagnostic Physicist for a two-year fixed-term position. You will support diagnostics used in plasma research and may train to operate the MAST Upgrade tokamak, with onsite work 3 days a week and flexible working options.

The role requires a degree in a scientific field (PhD preferred), experience with diagnostics hardware, data analysis, and strong communication skills. BPSS checks are required.

Qualifications

• Degree in a scientific, engineering or technical subject with experience in an academic or industrial research environment or a PhD in a relevant field.
• Practical experience operating diagnostics hardware.
• Ability to analyse experimental data and perform error analysis.
• Ability to conduct physics research as part of a team.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the routine operation of neutron and gamma diagnostics (e.g., Fission Chamber, Neutron Camera, Hard X-ray Detector, Reciprocating Probe).
• Ensure diagnostics operate safely and follow commissioning procedures.
• Calibrate diagnostics and maintain calibration procedures.
• Contribute to refurbishment design and implementation for physics studies.
• Assist in maintaining inter-shot analysis codes to produce analysed data.

Skills

Diagnostics operation

Data analysis

Team-based research

Communication skills

Education

Degree in scientific/engineering field

PhD in relevant field (preferred)

Tools

IDL

Python

Job description

Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Employees work in a hybrid mode

Full-time

Salary: £38,500 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits, including outstanding pension

Division: Plasma Science and Fusion Operations

Site Location: UKAEA Culham, Oxfordshire

Confirmed Grade: Grade D

Department: Sensors and Control

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.

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 £38,500 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working is expected for 3 days each 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

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As a Neutron and Gamma Assistant Diagnostic Physicist, you will play a pivotal role in supporting a range of Neutronic, Gamma and Fast Particle Diagnostics used for Plasma research and operations. The job encompasses the full product lifecycle (Requirements, design, manufacturing, commissioning, maintenance, decommissioning) and includes data analysis and validation. The post holder will be expected to contribute towards parts of each lifecycle under the guidance of senior staff.

Dependent on their knowledge, experience, and interest, the post holder will be encouraged to train for a role within the MAST Upgrade control room, working with the operational team to configure and safely operate the MAST Upgrade Tokamak to achieve experimental goals.

Please note that this position is offered as a two-year fixed-term appointment.

Key Responsibilities

• Supporting the routine operation of neutron and gamma diagnostics in MAST-U. This includes, but is not limited to, the Fission Chamber, Neutron Camera, Hard X-ray Detector, Reciprocating Probe, and Divertor Reciprocating Probe.
• Ensuring the diagnostics operate in accordance with local safety rules, including following and updating commissioning procedures.
• Calibration of diagnostics and ensuring appropriate calibration procedures are in place and properly maintained.
• Contributing to and supporting the design and implementation of refurbishments required for physics studies.
• Contributing to and supporting the maintenance of inter-shot analysis codes to routinely produce analysed data from the diagnostics.

Qualifications

Essential Requirements

• Degree in a scientific, engineering or technical subject with experience working in an academic or industrial research environment or PhD in a relevant scientific field.
• Practical experience operating diagnostics hardware.
• Ability to carry out analysis of experimental data, use of suitable tools, error analysis, etc.
• Ability to conduct physics research as part of a team.
• Good oral and written communication skills.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience of working with radioactive sources and/or radiation-related diagnostics.
• Experience with data analysis codes
• Proficiency in programming languages, e.g. IDL, Python.

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.