Senior Structural Integrity Engineer in Abingdon

Overview of Responsibilities

The salary for this role is £57,117 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week; however, we actively support requests for flexible working. This role can be based at any of the following sites: 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.

The Role

The In-Vessel Engineering section is a focal point at the UKAEA for developing capability in the integrated design of fusion in-vessel systems and related integration, verification, validation, and structural integrity. As a Structural Integrity Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in developing design criteria and structural integrity assessment methodologies including both deterministic and probabilistic for future fusion power plants. The role might plan, coordinate & perform In-vessel systems design and/or analysis either undertaking the work themselves or directing others in the work. This role includes fulfilling commitments to projects such as EU-DEMO, STEP, ITER, MAST-U, and UKAEA’s broader fusion research program.

The ideal candidate should possess a strong understanding of computational stress analysis using finite element simulation packages and expertise in exhaustion of ductility, creep, creep-fatigue, and ratcheting methodologies. The role champions the use of appropriate processes and tools in the work and supports further development of these providing technical leadership and expertise. They may manage projects, teams and be responsible for delivering work packages. They produce technical reports and ensure adherence to design and assessment standards. The role also entails securing funding, producing high-quality research publications, and presenting scientific findings at major conferences.

Key Accountabilities

• Accountable for leading work packages on In-vessel systems, from concept through to detailed design and structural integrity assessment and implementation on new and enhancement programs for UKAEA’s facilities as well as for future fusion devices.
• Aid in specifying projects.
• Lead work packages delivering solutions within complex integrated products.
• Interface to multiple disciplines.
• Support initial stages of project, advise on make buy decisions and assist with budget and schedule.
• Accountable for ensuring timely delivery of assigned work packages within specification, to agreed budgets, through managing the technical scope and quality.
• Coordinate resources to deliver project technical activities.
• Support and utilise the application of systems engineering to work packages.
• Comply with design codes and legislation as relevant to the application.
• Manage the production of technical documentation, review and approve documents as appropriate.
• Manage and execute design substantiation as agreed with technical lead.
• Use expertise and experience across a range of fields to make/facilitate, present and recommend design trade-off decisions and take pragmatic design risks; which may draw from an outside discipline or are truly novel.
• Coordinate documentation for systems and act as reviewer for technical documents.
• Prepare and present material at design and readiness reviews.
• Specify work for tender to the supply chain, considering technical specifications, scope of work, and evaluation methodologies.
• Act as the primary technical interface and/or contract project manager for projects of value up to £1m.
• Accountable for assessing and accepting equipment from suppliers based on inspection and test data.
• Manage the installation and testing of engineering components into an integrated system.
• Competent in the application of work control process and safe ways of working during testing and commissioning.
• Communicate technical expertise by producing technical reports, departmental notes and journal/conference papers where relevant.
• Represent UKAEA in external forums.
• Adapt communication style to suit a broad range of situations and receivers.

Technical Competency – Structural integrity, verification and validation

Provide technical expertise for developing fusion-specific design criteria, codes, and standards for future fusion power plants including both deterministic and probabilistic approaches. Develop and qualify structural models for the design, qualification, and licensing of in-vessel components. Use assessment work to develop and substantiate component designs and predict the lifetime of in-vessel components. Implement organisational as well as technical improvements, influence policy and standards in the In-Vessel engineering discipline area and able to navigate organisational structures to influence outcomes. Build and maintain positive relationships with internal and external parties (such as European or international laboratories, universities, strategic customers or suppliers, professional networks). Complete assigned projects within specified timeframes, budgets, and quality standards. Proactively develop and transfer knowledge aligned with organisational needs. Accountable for the development of more junior engineers in areas of expertise, using coaching and mentoring as tools or other approaches as deemed appropriate. Act as an independent reviewer of other UKAEA projects and conduct technical reviews of less experienced members of the team. Proactively support or might lead business development activities, technology transfer, proposals and bids as appropriate to ensure that UKAEA fusion engineering research remains at the forefront of international advancements. Consistently produce high-impact output, including delivering presentations at major conferences and publishing high-quality, first-author, peer-reviewed papers and work towards patents. Collaborate with and supervise PhD researchers, placement students, graduate and junior engineers, and summer interns.

Budget Responsibilities

Manage projects or responsible for contracts up to a value of £m/Euros. Manage the following medium sized project teams of: Engineers at all levels using coaching to develop capability using own expertise, Staff with different technical expertise, Drawing office personnel, Department technicians, External consultants and other contingent workers.

Salary

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

Qualifications

Essential:

• A PhD or equivalent experience in solid mechanics, engineering science, or related fields.
• Strong knowledge and experience in developing design criteria, codes, and standards, as well as integrity assessment methodologies.
• A solid background in engineering design, analysis, structural modelling and a good working knowledge of solid mechanics and engineering materials and their properties.
• Demonstrable experience in structural and thermal engineering, materials and manufacturing methods, testing activities and experimental validation.
• Experience of engineering at least one of the following: Engineering system and system integration, Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing, Multiphysics Engineering Analysis and structural integrity, Verification, validation and qualification.
• Excellent communication, technical writing, and effective interpersonal skills for building positive working relationships.
• Knowledgeable in specific environmental factors, including but not limited to vacuum, radiation, high temperature and transient magnetic fields.
• Demonstrated understanding of how these factors impact the relevant work context.
• Experience supervising multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experienced in the preparation of bids and proposals.
• Experienced in guiding the delivery of technical design, assessment, manufacturing and test work in a subcontract organisation.

Desirable:

• Willingness with training and development, of attaining Professional Chartership with a relevant Engineering or Physics Institute.
• Proficiency in programming skills (C, C++, FORTRAN, MATLAB) is advantageous.
• Experience in components design, testing activities and experimental validation.
• Familiarity with data science and probabilistic analysis.
• Experience with machine learning and AI techniques, including training and deployment.
• Proficiency in writing research grant proposals.

Additional Information

UK Atomic Energy Authority is committed to being accessible. Please email talent@ukaea.uk 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.