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Senior Mechanical Project Engineer

Employer
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Location
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire
Salary
£50,702 to £56,336 per annum (dependent on skills and experience)
Closing date
27 Nov 2022

Job Details

Salary: £50,702 to £56,336 per annum (dependent on skills and experience). A Specialist Allowance of up to £3,000 per annum is also available for this role.
Hours: Full time or Part time (minimum 30 hours per week)
Contract Type: Open Ended
Location: This role will be based at the Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire, due to the nature of the work 

Come and do the kind of engineering that made you want to be an engineer. Stretch your technical skills while building human understanding. Promote sustainability and create new materials. Alongside world-leading scientists and technologists, shape projects that improve lives in the UK and far beyond.

Put simply, come and discover the impact you can make when you’re equipped, encouraged and inspired to perform to your very best. 

The Central Laser Facility (CLF) is one of the world’s leading laser centres, providing scientists mainly from the UK and continental Europe with access to an unparalleled range of state of the art laser technology. The CLF has around 180 staff and its function - user facility, international research – makes it a very friendly, outgoing, externally facing sort of place. 

The CLF is building a new laser centre - the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre (EPAC) and is seeking new team members to help to build this and to contribute to our existing facilities. EPAC is an £81M facility that will use lasers developed by our team to drive new types of novel particle and radiation beams that can be applied to a wide range of problems in science and industry. We are looking for people like you, engineers at all stages of their careers to be a part of our friendly and enthusiastic team.

About the role

As a Senior Mechanical Project Engineer you will be working within the Mechanical Engineering group providing design oversight for the EPAC main laser system. You will be responsible for leading the complete process through: concept, design, procurement, installation/commissioning and testing. You will work closely with the laser EPAC science team through the design, commissioning and operations phases.

Your responsibilities will be to:

•    Determine and produce specifications by working with scientific teams
•    Develop complex mechanical engineering components or systems from concept through design, procurement, commissioning
•    Manage tendering, procurement and delivery of approved designs, equipment and services.

Personal Skills and Attributes

•    The role requires the candidate to be self-motivated, to work well in a team and to be able to operate independently
•    You will ideally have a broad understanding of engineering and would have specific in-depth knowledge in one or more of the following areas:

        o    Vacuum technology and the design of vacuum vessels
        o    Gas and pressure systems
        o    Motion control systems
        o    Optical systems
        o    Machining and materials
        o    Structures
        o    Simulation and Mechanical Calculations (fluids, stress, heat transfer).

We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business-support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. 

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what's possible.

Person Specification

The following essential criteria will be assessed at shortlisting (S), interview (I) or at both stages (S&I)

•    Degree in mechanical engineering along with extensive experience working in an engineering field and evidence of responsibility (budgets/management/risk/safety). (S)
•    Sound relevant knowledge of mechanical engineering design, manufacturing techniques and materials, with experience of CAD and producing manufacturing drawings. (I)
•    Experience of overseeing the installation of Mechanical Systems. (S&I)
•    Experience of managing and leading mechanical engineering projects and/or people. (S&I)
•    Knowledge of safety related issues and procedures. (S&I)
•    Able to perform engineering calculations, and have a good understanding of fundamental mechanical engineering principles, such as: Materials, Stress/Strain, Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer. (S&I)
 

About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 

As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We’re proud of the impact we make. And we’re committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You’ll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you’ll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you’ll discover just what a difference you can make when you’re equipped and inspired to excel.

We’re a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don’t, ask questions that others won’t, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it’s at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It’s very often ground-breaking.  And it’s endlessly, irresistibly fascinating.

About UK Research Innovation (UKRI) 

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. 

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation. 

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.  For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.

How we support EDI in the workforce 

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. 
 
How to apply 

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application. 

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us. 

Company

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is one of Europe’s largest research organisations. We’re trusted to support, enable and undertake pioneering projects in an amazing diversity of fields. Through world-class facilities and people, we’re driving ground-breaking advances in science and engineering. STFC is one of nine organisations that have been brought together to create UK Research and Innovation (UKRI); a new organisation with a vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

At STFC, our engineers provide the technology that allows our world-leading science to make a real difference in areas that really matter: from cancer treatment to airport security, high-tech jobs to hydrogen powered cars, energy generation to accident scene emergency care, our impact is felt in many aspects of daily life. We provide and exploit space and astronomy technology, a world-leading neutron scattering facility, ultra-fast supercomputers, amazing scientific instruments and some of the most powerful lasers in the world. We work with industry and academia throughout the UK, Europe and the world.

STFC can offer you an excellent working environment. Our laboratories are based in beautiful rural locations in Cheshire, Oxfordshire and in Edinburgh, with great amenities and quality of life for you and your family. We are at the centre of burgeoning high-tech campuses buzzing with economic investment and even more promise for the future. Our people enjoy attractive benefits and plenty of opportunity for development. Whether you are beginning or furthering your career, we can offer you excellent opportunities to test out and broaden your skills and experience and to gain real technical and managerial expertise working in dynamic team and project environments.

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