Senior Materials Engineer

UK Atomic Energy Authority; Abingdon; Hybrid; GBP 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy research organisation in Abingdon is seeking a Senior Materials Engineer to drive materials science projects within their fusion research programme. In this role, you will manage projects, lead a team, and collaborate with universities and industrial partners. The position requires a PhD in materials science or a related field and offers a salary of £56,596, with flexible working options available.

Qualifications

• Strong background in materials science and engineering.
• Experience in project management and team leadership.
• Ability to present complex technical information clearly.

Responsibilities

• Organise and coordinate materials projects effectively.
• Deliver novel characterisation capabilities in nuclear materials.
• Compile and present research results at conferences and publications.
• Lead a small team of material scientists and engineers.
• Manage relationships with external collaborators.

Skills

Project Management

Materials Science

Technical Communication

Collaborative Research

Education

PhD in Materials Science or related field

Job description

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As Senior Materials Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in undertaking materials science projects within the Materials Division as part of the UKAEA's fusion research programme. Depending on the project, you may be working alone or in a team, often as part of collaborations with universities, industrial partners and/or overseas research organisations. In this exciting role, you will determine the scope of work, recruit team or project members where relevant, perform experimentation, report and present the results internally, but also through conferences and peer reviewed publications. In addition to the general project management accountabilities, you will also act as the subject matter expert, advising on the technical aspects of projects relating to C&I, Remote Handling / Robotics, Electrical Systems and Functional Safety.

• Organise and coordinate projects, arranging equipment availability, scope of work and resources for sample preparation, testing, modelling.
• Deliver high quality, novel characterisation capability in the field of nuclear materials through own endeavour and creative input.
• Compile and present results within technical reports and where required at scientific conferences and through publication of high-quality research articles.
• Build and provide management to a small team of material scientists and engineers, providing research direction and allocating them to projects as required.
• Lead in the characterisation of the materials required for operation in a fusion power plant, collaborating closely and building a network not just with internal stakeholders but with other fusion and GenIV partners in both academia and industry.
• Manage relationships with external collaborators to complement UKAEA's internal capability and enable access to additional expert knowledge and facilitate new project proposals.
• Propose, secure funding for, and contribute to delivery of novel projects and capability aligned with internal strategy (e.g. STEP, EPSRC, PhD, Masters placements, graduates).

The salary for this role is £56,596 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week, however, we actively support requests for flexible working.