Facility Mechanical Technician

Job Title: Facility Mechanical Technician

Salary: Band D £40,800 - £44,880 gross per annum

Location: RAL, Harwell Campus- Oxfordshire

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time (We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants)

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. And, alongside world-leading scientists, technicians and technologists, shape

projects that improve lives, and daily life, 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.

Who are we?
As part of the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is leading a programme to establish a National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC). This includes a commitment of £93m over 5 years, dedicated to drive development in the field of Quantum Computing and to place the UK at the forefront of the field.

Our primary purpose is to fill a key gap in the research and innovation landscape addressing the challenge of scaling quantum computing.

What’s the purpose of this role? You will work within the NQCC’s facilities in close collaboration with the superconducting, Ion trap and Software and controls teams. Working on a variety of challenging instillation projects, utilizing and enhancing your skills in assembly, test and integration to support the development of scalable, flexible and robust quantum computing assets that can be deployed to meet the goals of the NQCC enabling the delivery of scalable quantum computing capabilities.

What will I be doing? Your responsibilities include:

• Provide good engineer design, assembly, and integration experience and input into all of the NQCC’s technical groups and new facilities.
• Supporting the broad technical commissioning of two NQCC flagship buildings. Including lab, plant and scientific hardware. Including vacuum technology, cryogenics systems, process water, compressed gas manifolds and pipework, etc.
• To be self-motivated and able to work independently, recognise the priorities in a busy new facility.
• Help in the development of the support systems and facility to enable the NQCC science programme.
• Work within the STFC safety policy and help the NQCC to create a safe environment to work and facilities to share with collaborators.
• Key hazards being laser, compressed gasses and cryogenics systems.

Person Specification and Attributes:

• Certified relevant Apprenticeship or significant work experience.
• Understanding of Health and Safety practices in the workplace.
• Proven track record in producing traditional and CNC machined components to drawing or CAD Model.
• Experience with engineering design software such as CAD, solid edge or similar.
• Good Interpersonal skills, particularly communication, listening, and problem-solving and a can do attitude.
• Proven track record of documenting work and knowledge transfer.

We offer significant development opportunities at the NQCC, but as a starting point you should be able to demonstrate some of the following.

• Experience in machining and procuring bespoke components, with both manual and CNC operated machines.
• The candidate should be able to read and produce engineering drawings.
• Experience in CAD would be desirable.
• It is desirable for the candidate to have experience in installing, assembling, and commissioning scientific hardware, including cryogenic systems, and supporting plant such as process water.
• The candidate should have experience in installing, operating, and familiar with vacuum systems. Also, with leak detection experience.

You would need to be available to occasionally travel/work within the UK and overseas when required.

Our Benefits: 

Our Benefits include a flexible working scheme (subject to business requirements), Defined benefit pension scheme (employer contribution – currently up to 26%), and 30 days annual leave allowance plus 10.5 bank holiday/privilege days and several other benefits. 

Join us and discover what’s possible!