Welding Inspector

Fusion Energy Base; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 57,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent pension

View benefits

Comprehensive employee benefits

Job summary

UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) seeks a Welding Inspector to ensure the quality and integrity of welding and materials joining across engineering programmes. Based at Culham, Oxfordshire, this role expects onsite work five days a week and involves APSS/BPSS checks as part of security clearances.

You will provide technical guidance and improve welding inspection practices within fusion research projects. The successful candidate will apply international codes and standards, supervise

Qualifications

• CSWIP Welding Inspector certification (valid) required.
• Certification in Visual Welding Inspector or Senior Welding Inspector.
• Knowledge of BS EN ISO 17637:2011 and related QA standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform pre-, in-process and post-weld visual inspections per drawings and standards.
• Check weld dimensions, fit-up, and material traceability.
• Verify welding parameters and post-weld heat treatment per specs.
• Interpret drawings and welding symbols for inspection requirements.
• Provide guidance to engineers and coordinate with inspectors and stakeholders.

Skills

Drawings interpretation

Welding inspection knowledge

Quality assurance

Education

CSWIP Welding Inspector certification

Visual/Senior Welding Inspector certification

Job description

Welding Inspector

Overview of Responsibilities
The salary for this role is £57,117 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working is expected for 5 days each week. This role is based at 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.

UKAEA is seeking a Welding Inspector to play a key role in assuring the quality and integrity of welding and materials joining activities across our engineering programmes. Working with specialist teams, internal stakeholders, external partners and suppliers, you will help ensure welding activities and completed welds meet the highest standards of quality, safety and technical compliance. This is an opportunity to work in an environment where conventional engineering solutions are not always enough. You will support work involving complex components and novel material combinations, applying recognised international codes and standards while helping UKAEA develop the industrial capability required to deliver world‑leading fusion research and engineering. As a recognised specialist within your field, you will provide technical guidance, maintain robust inspection and quality controls, support the development of colleagues and contribute to the continued improvement of welding and inspection practices across UKAEA.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct pre‑weld, in‑process and post‑weld visual inspections to ensure welding activities comply with engineering drawings, specifications, approved procedures and relevant codes and standards.


• Carry out dimensional checks of completed welds and verify weld preparations, fit‑up and dimensions against engineering requirements.


• Verify parent materials and welding consumables against documentation and identification markings, maintaining appropriate material traceability.


• Verify preheat, interpass temperature, post‑heat and other in‑process welding parameters against specified requirements.


• Confirm that post‑weld heat treatment has been completed in accordance with the applicable specification.


• Interpret engineering drawings, weld drawings and welding symbols to determine inspection and acceptance requirements.


• Apply technical knowledge of weld defect formation and assess acceptability against applicable written specifications and standards.

Compliance and Quality Control

• Ensure approved welding procedures are available, appropriate and correctly applied during production activities.


• Verify that welding activities are undertaken by suitably qualified and approved welders.


• Witness welder and welding procedure approval tests, including the preparation of test pieces and associated destructive testing.


• Verify Non‑Destructive Testing (NDT) reports and, where appropriately qualified, interpret radiographic results.


• Maintain appropriate quality assurance standards, procedures, inspection controls and auditable records throughout welding activities.


• Certify compliance and provide final acceptance where specification requirements have been satisfactorily achieved.


• Support effective management of engineering risk and safety requirements within the scope of welding inspection activities.

Technical Leadership and Continuous Improvement

• Provide specialist welding inspection advice and guidance to engineering colleagues, projects and stakeholders.


• Supervise Visual Welding Inspectors and coordinate or review work undertaken by less experienced colleagues within the area of specialism.


• Check and sign off relevant work completed by others to maintain quality, consistency and compliance.


• Support the development of colleagues through technical guidance, coaching and knowledge sharing.


• Set and monitor appropriate standards within the area of responsibility, helping to establish and maintain best practice.


• Undertake technical investigations into welding‑related issues, identify appropriate solutions and make recommendations within the scope of the role.


• Identify opportunities to improve welding, inspection and quality processes and contribute to the development of improved engineering methods and techniques.

Reporting, Projects and Stakeholder Engagement

• Prepare, maintain and control comprehensive welding inspection reports, records and supporting quality documentation.


• Work closely with engineering teams to ensure a shared understanding of technical requirements, inspection outcomes, risks and progress.


• Engage effectively with internal and external customers, suppliers, collaborators and professional networks on welding and technical matters.


• Support assigned projects and work packages, ensuring technical deliverables are achieved to the required specification, quality, timescale and cost parameters.


• Contribute specialist expertise to multidisciplinary and cross‑discipline engineering projects, including work undertaken for external customers.


• Maintain the high professional and technical standards expected when representing UKAEA with high‑value stakeholders, customers and partners.


• Occasional national and international travel may be required.

Salary

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

View benefits

Programme Details

• Fabrication, Installation & Maintenance


• Engineering


• UKAEA Culham, Oxfordshire


• Full‑time


• Reference Number: REF4333W

Qualifications

You will bring substantial practical knowledge of welding inspection alongside the confidence to operate as a technical specialist within a complex engineering environment. You will be comfortable interpreting technical requirements, making informed judgments on welding quality and compliance, and communicating those decisions effectively to engineers, suppliers and stakeholders. You will have:

• A valid and in‑date CSWIP Welding Inspector certification, or equivalent, supported by the appropriate official identity card.


• Certification within an appropriate category, such as Visual Welding Inspector, Welding Inspector or Senior Welding Inspector, with or without radiographic interpretation as applicable.


• Knowledge and practical application of relevant welding inspection codes and standards, including BS EN ISO 17637:2011, or equivalent applicable standards.


• A thorough understanding of welding inspection, welding procedures, welder qualification, material traceability and quality assurance requirements.


• A good understanding of quality management systems, inspection records and documentation control.


• The ability to investigate welding‑related technical issues, evaluate findings and recommend appropriate solutions.


• The ability to interpret engineering drawings, weld drawings, weld symbols and technical specifications.


• The technical judgement and communication skills required to work effectively with engineers, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.


• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.

This role offers the opportunity to apply specialist welding inspection expertise in an engineering environment focused on some of the most technically demanding challenges in fusion. You will have the scope to influence quality, develop capability and contribute to engineering work that supports UKAEA's ambition to advance fusion energy and strengthen industrial capability.

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.