Lead Engineer

  • UK Atomic Energy Authority
  • Culham, Oxfordshire
  • 21/09/2022
Full time Information Technology Telecommunications

Job Description

Overview of Responsibilities

Who are we looking for?

We are about to undertake a once in a generation project to decommission JET - the Joint European Torus Fusion Reactor. This is an ambitious programme to undertake first-of-a-kind decommissioning studies of a tritiated fusion reactor, to identify components suitable for re-purposing into the wider scientific community within and outside UKAEA."

This team is new, and we therefore have openings for multiple Lead Engineer positions specializing in various areas; Decommissioning of redundant nuclear plant, Repurposing and recycling of assets, and a new build of two waste processing facilities and site infrastructure to support the Decommissioning Programme. The role sits within the Central Engineering Department, but is focussed on supporting the Decommissioning Programme.

What will you be responsible for?

As a Lead Engineer you will be a technical point of contact and knowledge across a broad range of technologies and disciplines, maintaining technical overview across projects so that strong interfaces are made between work packages and the wider organisation.

You'll work alongside a project manager, ensuring that the quality and content of projects is appropriate, whilst respecting budgets and timescales. You will provide technical direction for projects or work packages and communicate their needs, risks and successes both internally and to external stakeholders.

Your main responsibilities will be:

  • Confirming and delivering assigned project scope and executing Decommissioning and Repurposing Projects to a high standard.
  • Challenging the design team to think creatively, testing conventional approaches against key success criteria to ensure the best options are selected efficiently with sound reasoning.
  • Producing and maintaining a suite of technical project documentation (Project Technical Implementation Plan, Stakeholder Requirements, Assumptions, Risk Register etc).
  • Being the point of engineering knowledge to build technical specifications ready to tender to the supply chain - technically appraise and act as the technical expertise from an intelligent client perspective upon award of contract - through to project completion.
  • The application of analysis using classic and numerical methods to support design studies.
  • Use engineering experience to foresee opportunities for business development and contribute to related proposals and bids which may include submitting budgets and business cases.
  • Effectively communicate technical progress via weekly informal reports and formal monthly accountabilities.
As part of your role, you could be asked to work in radiation controlled areas or in beryllium controlled areas. Full training and medical assessments will be provided if this is necessary.