Materials Scientist

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Package: £38,020 - £57,020 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, 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 is currently recruiting for a Materials Scientist to join our Materials and Analytical Science Group, bringing their experience to AWE and to successfully play a key role delivering for our customers. As a Materials Scientist, you will be responsible for the effective management of our Strategic Materials portfolio, ensuring that material use is closely aligned with our overarching strategy. Through the role, you will ensure that the requirements for material supply and storage are addressed. You will be embedded within the relevant operational area to be involved in discussions where material is required to meet programme, material is to be receipted or disposed, and to manage the interface on storage.

Key responsibilities would include:

• Critically analyse and scientifically assess the use of materials in facilities throughout their lifecycles (e.g., making, packing and re-packing).
• Owning the material supply and storage strategy, taking guidance from the corporate material strategy team to ensure a joined-up strategy between the operational areas, the corporate team, and the Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO).
• Liaising with the relevant materials strategist and operational areas to develop the programme of work required to address the requirements for material supply and storage over the next five years, with a view to the requirements of timeframes beyond five years.
• Establish relationships within the UK industry and academia and international partners.
• Identifying capability gaps with appropriate stakeholders.
• Issuing required tasks to the delivery managers and movement control leads for works to be completed to meet the programme.
• Developing appropriate metrics to highlight the health of the material supply and storage situation within the Production area and its value stream.
• Provision of scientific advice and guidance for material storage and supply requirements to the production and movement control teams as required.
• Provide briefings to the Head of Strategic Materials and the leadership team on progress against the programme to meet the various objectives identified within the programme.
• Highlighting any additional resources or support required to meet the programme.

Who are we looking for? We would be interested in hearing from candidates who can demonstrate knowledge or experience in some of the following:

• Degree in a STEM subject, NVQ/ONC/HNC or related qualification, or equivalent work experience.
• Experience within a Science or Manufacturing Environment.
• Strong awareness of Health & Safety Legislation and company safety, quality, and security procedures, including on-site emergency response arrangements.
• Awareness of relevant Licence Conditions, Environmental Permitting Regulations, and other relevant legislation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge and experience of Strategic Materials.
• Ability to provide technical leadership and direction to local teams.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, able to hold your own, to build relationships and to manage conflict.
• A drive to innovate and improve delivery and quality.
• Competence in the use of MS Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).

Some reasons we think you'll love it here:

• AWE has a wide range of benefits to suit you. These include: 9-day working fortnight - meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

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.