Graduate R&D Engineer

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 organisations to achieve ground breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.

The Technology Development Group are responsible for providing projects and programmes across the organisation with the skills and knowledge required to bring low maturity ideas through to application-ready engineering solutions. The projects our we work on are diverse; supported by senior colleagues, your core responsibilities will include: 

• Develop knowledge and understanding of fusion relevant technical topics, applying knowledge learned to assigned projects. 
• Develop efficient and realisable testing programmes for major research and power-plant design programmes.
• Define new test rig and facility requirements; support their development; and manage build, commissioning, and exploitation.
• Deliver technology maturation projects from proof of concept through to commercially relevant technologies, including the planning and delivery of benchtop and lab-scale testing.
• Operate and enhance our existing range of flexible test facilities.
• Research potential applications of fusion technologies in other industries.

As part of the 20% dedicated to training and development, you will complete a core suite of activities aimed at enhancing your professional and business skills, with flexibility to tailor the programme to both your personal development and the needs of your specific role.

Due to the variety of our work, there’s no such thing as a typical day for our Technology Development Graduate Engineers but you can expect to leverage your curiosity and passion for continuous learning; work on projects in technical areas to which you may not have previously had exposure, and work in an innovation focused environment where there may be significant uncertainty and problems may be open-ended.  If this appeals, we would like to hear from you.

• Degree in a relevant STEM discipline from 2025 or '26
• Confident with all Microsoft applications including Excel and SharePoint
• Driven, with a strong appetite to learn and take on new challenges
• Able to collaborate effectively and communicate clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Well organised and adaptable with the ability to plan and prioritise workload

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/ but highlights include:

• £35,227 base salary
• Final salary defined benefit scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays
• Flexible and hybrid working options

UKAEA's mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds who want to help us achieve our mission. We are under-represented from some groups and so want to encourage applications in particular from women in STEM, people from Black British Caribbean and African backgrounds and from Pakistani and Bangladeshi British backgrounds. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) and Wellbeing and our EDI Networks actively promote Inclusion and takes steps to increase diversity within our organization. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

UK Atomic Energy Authority is committed to being accessible. Please email [email protected] 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.