Operations (and Commissioning) Leader - Tokamak

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.

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 and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment. 
• 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

What to expect in our recruitment process:
For a step-by-step overview of how we hire from application to offer please see our Recruitment Process page: careers.ukaea.uk/join-us/recruitment-process

Operations (and Commissioning) Leader - Tokamak

The salary for this role is £81,090 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance)

This role is based on site at Culham Campus, Oxfordshire (relocation support can be given).  

Onsite working is expected for 5 days each week, however, we actively support requests for flexible working. 

About the Job

MAST-U is currently the largest operating spherical tokamak in the world, providing a facility on which to perform experiments to provide the answer to key questions for fusion power to be delivered to the grid.

In this role you would be responsible for the day-to-day delivery of operations periods, including the commissioning and restart of new plant. We are looking for a proven operations and commissioning leader, not simply a commissioning practitioner.

This role requires a confident and influential leader who can build credibility quickly, align stakeholders and drive delivery through complexity. Whether your experience has been gained within industries such as nuclear, oil and gas, petrochemical processing, national laboratories, advanced manufacturing, defence, laser facilities or other highly regulated engineering environments, you will understand what it takes to bring major industrial assets into operation.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead commissioning strategy, planning and execution across the programme.
• Provide visible leadership (no direct reports but influence required) to multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture of safe and effective delivery.
• Influence and align stakeholders across engineering, operations, programme delivery and external partners.
• Ensure commissioning activities are integrated with design, construction and operational readiness plans.
• Manage commissioning risks, issues and governance to support successful delivery.
• Oversee testing, validation and handover activities, ensuring facilities are ready for operation.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on commissioning strategy and readiness.

Essential Requirements:

• Degree in physics or engineering subject, or equivalent experience in a relevant field
• Relevant experience of commissioning and operating a large facility
• Significant & demonstrable experience of leading multi-disciplinary technical teams at a national or multinational facility (directly or indirectly in an influencing role)
• Proven excellent interpersonal skills; including communication skills; experience of presenting information persuasively and succinctly; negotiating effectively with others and establishing & maintaining effective working relationships at all levels across a range of disciplines (e.g. engineering and science)
• Safety management experience
• Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to manage changing and / or conflicting priorities and time optimally

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. 

A full list of our benefits can be found here and highlights include: 

• Final salary defined benefits pension scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution  
• 25 days annual leave, 2.5 privilege days and 8 Bank Holidays   
• 3 days of site closure over Christmas break  
• Flexible working options plus family-friendly leave provisions  

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, and inclusion and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit.

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.