UKAEA Work Experience Programme 2026 in Abingdon

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 organisations to achieve groundbreaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.

Are you curious about science, technology, engineering, or innovation? Do you dream of working on solutions that could support an organisation to shape the future of the world's energy? Then UKAEA's Work Experience Programme is your chance to do just this. At the UK Atomic Energy Authority, we're tackling one of the biggest challenges on the planet: developing clean, safe, limitless fusion energy. And now you can be part of it.

Across a range of exciting work experience opportunities, you could be involved in:

• Calculating Fusion's energy
• Interactive Python coding
• Data visualisation for scenario testing
• Coordinate Mental Health Awareness Week project
• Embracing AI
• Engineering simulations
• Nuclear power and radioactivity calculations
• Studying decay, coding, and equations
• Develop digital tools using 3D models
• Plan upcoming MASTU Experiment Control Room teams
• Analyse data from the MAST & MASTU experiments
• Hands-on testing in Lab Building/testing vacuum system
• Measuring plasma using lasers
• Deep Space decoding signals
• See like a spy using infrared
• Working in an international environment
• Exploring Electrical Power Systems
• Shadowing fusion materials modelling
• Bubble behaviour in molten-salt systems
• Analysing molten-salt material properties
• Modelling bubble rise velocity
• Improving online systems
• Lab space installation planning

If any of the above projects spark your interest, why not head to our careers website for more detailed information on what you will be doing for the week?

When applying for the UKAEA work experience, you'll be asked to select which opportunity you are interested in working on. Our work experience programme will be running across two separate weeks, please also specify which week would be most suitable:

• Monday 11th May – Friday 15th May
• Monday 13th July – Friday 17th July

As well as working on projects and learning from inspiring scientists, engineers, and specialists, you'll get stuck into a range of activities. You'll explore our world-class facilities on guided tours, take part in hands-on workshops, and team up with other students for fun group challenges. And don't worry — our friendly Early Careers Team will be with you every step of the way to support and guide you.

Our programme is open to school students who live in the UK and are in full-time education; in years 10–13 (England & Wales), S4–S6 (Scotland), or Years 11–14 (Northern Ireland).

We want everyone to have the chance to get involved in our work experience programme. We know that some groups of people are under-represented in STEM subjects, particularly young people from areas with higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage. That's why we give priority to students from these groups and put support in place to help remove barriers, making sure our programme is open and accessible to as many people as possible. Do reach out to us on [email protected] 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.