UK Atomic Energy Authority
Scientist - Corrosion Chemist
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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 groundbreaking 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
Job Description
The salary for this role is £43,702 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working is expected for 3 days a week.
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.
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The Role
Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As a Scientist - Corrosion Chemist, you will play a key role in delivering LIBRTI’s corrosion science and chemistry programme, supporting the development of fusion breeding technologies. You will plan and direct technical work packages, interpret and report experimental data, work closely with customers and external research partners, and communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences. You will also contribute to research publications and represent LIBRTI at conferences and technical meetings, helping to deliver a major £1m+ research campaign for a customer or partner in the global fusion sector.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Plan and coordinate projects (consumables <£100k), including procurement, scope, funding, and resources for sample preparation, testing, and modelling.
- Deliver high-quality research and engineering in nuclear materials, applying technical knowledge and creative approaches to solve problems.
- Analyse and communicate results through technical reports, internal meetings, and peer-reviewed publications.
- Lead and support small teams of materials scientists and PhD students, allocating work and providing direction during experiments and modelling activities to ensure robust, timely results.
- Work with external collaborators and customers, including universities, research organisations, and industry partners across the fusion and fission sectors.
- Contribute to UKAEA’s technical knowledge and capability, including the development of design rules, practices, and approaches in materials and nuclear physics research.
- Develop and secure funding for new projects (consumables <£100k), aligned with UKAEA priorities and programmes such as STEP, EUROfusion, and EPSRC.
- Represent UKAEA at UK and international conferences, technical meetings, and other relevant events.
Qualifications
Essential Requirements:
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- Degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent HNC, apprenticeship, and relevant work experience.
- Previous research or laboratory experience, ideally within materials research or an experimental campaign.
- Strong teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical information to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- Ability to deliver high-quality work to tight timescales and within budget.
- Fluent written and spoken English.
- Good digital skills, including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
Desirable Requirements:
- Experience in materials or corrosion testing, development, analysis, or qualification.
- Good understanding of nuclear environments and a range of corrosion mechanisms, ideally including liquid metal environments.
- Experience with high-resolution analytical techniques, such as XRF, TEM, or STEM.
- Strong publication record in a relevant technical or scientific field.
- Experience preparing funding and grant applications.
Additional Information
A full list of our benefits can be found here: https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/
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.
Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.
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