Computational Scientist

Salary: £43,702 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension.

About us

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 ground-breaking 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.

About the job

UKAEA is seeking a computational scientist to focus on the development of cutting-edge simulation tools to model the complex plasma phenomena that govern the exhaust region of a tokamak. Effective mitigation of exhaust heat without compromising core performance is a pressing challenge for the design of future power plants, and so performant, accurate, well-engineered simulation tools are critically needed. As well as working with peers on the development of such capabilities, the role holder will assist with deploying and testing them on state-of-the-art systems like the SUNRISE supercomputer, which is soon to be stood up by UKAEA and Cambridge. While this role is within UKAEA's computing division, it is expected that the successful applicant will also work closely with colleagues in the plasma division to validate developed tools against experiment, to assist with their use for the interpretation and design of future devices, and to understand code requirements.

The successful candidate should have experience with high-performance computing and/or numerical methods for simulation of physical systems (e.g. finite volume methods) as well as software engineering practices. Knowledge of exhaust plasma physics or a closely related discipline is highly desirable. The candidate will initially be working on the development of the Hermes-3 edge code.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Technical: Apply computational and numerical methods to scientific problems and develop robust, maintainable software for tokamak plasma modelling. Ensure software meets user requirements, is tested, versioned and appropriately documented. Work with domain specialists to deploy computational models for research and development and advise colleagues within your area of expertise.
• Organisational Knowledge: Understand the wider fusion research landscape and collaborate effectively with internal and external partners.
• People Management: Mentor junior colleagues and may supervise doctoral students.
• Communication & Influencing: Communicate technical concepts, methods and results clearly to diverse audiences through reports, documentation, publications and presentations.
• Decision Making: Make independent technical decisions within agreed objectives, methodologies and project frameworks, selecting appropriate computational approaches to deliver outputs. Identify and escalate complex or uncertain issues appropriately, while proactively identifying opportunities to apply your expertise.

What You’ll Bring

• Degree in a scientific, engineering or technical subject, together with a PhD or experience working in an academic or industrial research environment.
• Demonstrable experience in at least one modern programming language relevant to plasma modelling, such as C++, Fortran, Python or Julia.
• Familiarity with modern software engineering practices and the ability to independently develop efficient, comprehensible and maintainable code.
• Familiarity with common numerical methods used to simulate relevant physical systems, with an appetite and ability to learn and apply new technologies.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate technical work to diverse audiences, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to deliver projects to the required standards and deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively within a diverse team while taking personal responsibility for specific aspects of work.

UKAEA is an onsite organisation, and this role requires regular onsite presence (usually between 3-5 days in any given week) in line with business needs. We actively support flexible working arrangements where this is compatible with the role. The role is currently advertised at Culham, but other UKAEA locations may also be considered.

We have a generous range of benefits and highlights include:

• A salary of £43,702 (inclusive of a £3,300 specialist allowance)
• Up to 7% corporate performance bonus
• Final salary defined benefits pension scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave plus 2.5 privilege days; 8 Bank Holidays; 3 days of site closure over Christmas break
• Flexible working options plus family-friendly leave provisions

Our commitment to ED&I

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, inclusion and accessibility, and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce.

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or require adjustments to help you participate fairly in our recruitment process, for example changes to the way we interview or share information. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience for all candidates. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. All appointments are made on merit.