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 realizing 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.

Job Description

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.
• 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.

Salary: £82,815.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions.

The Role

LIBRTI (Lithium Breeding Tritium Innovation) is a newly launched, £200m Programme under UKAEA's Fusion Futures, the programme aims to establish a pioneering facility for demonstrating tritium breeding feasibility in fusion powerplants. Focused on a 14 MeV neutron source, the facility will allow iterative installations of breeder mock-up experiments (solid and liquid breeders) at scales facilitating direct visibility to commercialisable breeder designs. Despite an ambitious 4-year timeline, the programme anticipates establishing a Culham Campus testbed with feeder experiments extending into the next decade.

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team to shape the future of fusion energy. As Head of LIBRTI Science, you'll serve as a senior line and technical manager, overseeing all scientific aspects of LIBRTI. This role involves exercising design judgment to select neutron-dominated experiments, collaborating with LIBRTI's Director and Head of Engineering. Responsibilities include final approval, research oversight, and dissemination of results. The incumbent is expected to be a senior representative of UKAEA, a fusion expert engaging internationally, fostering strategic collaborations with STEM leaders, and possessing comprehensive knowledge of fusion device operation.

Additional Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of science in the LIBRTI Programme by making final decisions on mock-up experiments, ensuring coherence between physical and digital outcomes, and maintaining a world-leading standard of project output presented internationally.
• Identify research risks/opportunities and impact the LIBRTI investment strategy through stakeholder engagement with large consortia leads.
• Implement and communicate the UKAEA breeding research strategy, maintaining expertise in fusion devices, neutron generation, tritium handling, and irradiated materials.
• Align UKAEA's technical strategy with LIBRTI delivery and leverage capabilities across divisions for LIBRTI's benefit.
• Lead science resources, coach and upskill direct reports, and provide technical consultancy for other UKAEA Programs.
• Develop and execute Intellectual Property strategies, including patents and know-how, and support spinouts.
• Connect with UKAEA's 'Fellows' stream, develop knowledge in non-LIBRTI areas, and promote UKAEA internationally.
• Represent UKAEA at global fusion forums, industry forums, standards committees, and advisory panels.
• Develop the program portfolio by initiating and defining future experiments with international partners and securing new funding from various sources.

Qualifications

Essential Requirements:

• Recognised Subject Matter Expert in the Fusion (Nuclear) community. 
• PhD Scientist.  
• Extensive applied research experience in complex international collaborative projects.  
• Extensive applied research experience in large-scale experiments (e.g. JET, CERN). 
• Experience leading funding bids in an R&D environment. 
• Expert level knowledge in at least one of the following: tokamak devices / superconducting magnets / high heat regime builds / neutron generators / tritium fuel cycles 
• Proven ability to interact efficiently with people in a variety of different situations.  
• Proven track record of building relationships, networks, and collaborations with industry and academia. 

Additional Information

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organization. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.