Structural Engineer

Atomic Weapons Establishment; Reading; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking passionate Civil & Structural Engineers to join their Blast Damage Assessment Team. This role offers the opportunity to work on groundbreaking projects analyzing the effects of blast waves on structures, utilizing state-of-the-art technology and methodologies. You'll collaborate with a highly skilled, multi-disciplinary team, contributing to vital national security efforts. With a commitment to professional development and a supportive work environment, this position is perfect for those looking to make a significant impact in their field while enjoying a flexible working pattern and a comprehensive benefits package.

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 for volunteering and public service

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant STEM area required.
• Experience in structural design and non-linear analysis is essential.

Responsibilities

• Develop tools to predict structural responses to blast loading.
• Run high fidelity structural models and fluid dynamics simulations.
• Present findings at stakeholder meetings and conferences.

Skills

Non-linear static and dynamic analysis

Structural design (steel, concrete or masonry)

Finite element modelling

Seismic analysis

Geotechnical engineering

Analytical or experimental research methods

Blast engineering

Programming languages

Structural analysis tools (SAP2000, OpenSees, LUSAS)

Education

Degree in relevant STEM area

Tools

Supercomputers

Computational physics tools

Job description

time left to apply End Date: January 16, 2025 (21 days left to apply)

job requisition id R14140

If you’d like to be considered for this opportunity we encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment as if applications are high the role will close before the closing date given.

Closing Date: 16th January 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

Junior (recent graduates): £31,000 - £35,000 (depending on your suitability and level of experience)

Experienced (PHD or graduates with post-grad experience): £36,000 - £44,000 (depending on your suitability 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 has exciting opportunities for Civil & Structural Engineers to come and join our Blast Damage Assessment Team. We have opportunities for both graduate level and experienced engineers to come and work with a highly experienced, multi-disciplinary team to analyse the effect of blast waves on buildings and infrastructure. You will be working in the Damage Assessment Team within the Systems Assessments Group (SAG). This multi-discipline group provides operational effectiveness and weapons effects assessments to AWE and our government stakeholders. We also contribute a range of capabilities in support of the UK’s national nuclear security.

We undertake fundamental research to understand complex blast wave propagation and the associated structural response. We utilise a range of disciplines including engineering, mathematics, remote sensing, and computational physics in order to provide operational analysis capability to our customer community.

What will you be doing?

1. Participate in the research and development of appropriate tools to predict the response of structures subject to blast loading. This includes running and developing high fidelity structural models as well as reduced order models.
2. Utilising state-of-the-art supercomputers to understand complex blast effects through fluid dynamics simulations and structural analysis.
3. Identifying possible structural designs with limited information using associated design guides.
4. Validation of modelling approaches through investigation of existing damage data as well as participation in experimental trials.
5. Present your work at stakeholder meetings, conferences and support external collaborations in the UK and overseas.

Who are we looking for?

Ideally, you will have a proven track record of working in multi-discipline teams, making sound technical judgments, and delivery of technical research. You will also be able to work with and positively influence others. You should be proactive in your professional development and delivery focussed.

We do need you to have the following:

1. A degree or equivalent level of experience working in a relevant STEM area.
2. Non-linear static and dynamic analysis.
3. Structural design (steel, concrete or masonry) to industry standards.

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

1. Finite element modelling including explicit dynamics and high strain rate effects.
2. Seismic analysis of buildings.
3. Geotechnical engineering.
4. Analytical or experimental research methods.
5. An understanding of blast engineering and protective structures would also be beneficial. Experience of working with modern programming languages would be desirable as would experience in one or more structural analysis tools (such as SAP2000, OpenSees, LUSAS or similar).

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:

1. 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
2. Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
3. Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
4. Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
5. Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
6. Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
7. Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
8. 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'.

Next steps:

Everyone who works at AWE brings unique skills and perspectives to the table. We recognise that great people don’t always ‘tick every box’. That’s why we focus on your potential, your fit with our values, your transferable skills as well as your experience. Even if you don’t meet every point above, but you feel that this role and AWE are a great fit for you, please go ahead and apply, we’d love to receive your application.

Important things you need to know:

We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.

You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.

We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.

Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.

About AWE

If you’re looking for a role with excitement, intrigue and something that really makes a difference then now is the time to join AWE. We are at the start of a once in a generation – possibly two generations – programme to design and produce a replacement warhead for the UK’s continuous at sea deterrent. We will do this while continuing to deliver the Trident programme as well as managing ambitious state-of-the-art capital and construction projects – some of which have never been done before.