Principal Power Plant Modeller

Overview of Responsibilities

About us  

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.  

About the job 

Join UKAEA as a Principal Power Plant Modeller and play a leading role in advancing the design of future fusion power plants. Fusion power plants do not yet exist, so every aspect of their design must be explored and tested using digital models before anyone can start building them. We are looking for a principal modeller to lead this work. 

You will provide technical and management leadership for cutting-edge modelling capabilities that enable complex design studies, inform major engineering decisions and support the development of commercially viable fusion energy. This is an opportunity to shape programme direction, influence international research and contribute directly to the delivery of fusion as a sustainable energy source. 

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead whole-plant modelling activities, setting technical direction and requirements for power plant design capability. 
• Deliver complex modelling and research programmes that support strategic design decisions across fusion projects. 
• Manage the Power Plant Modelling and Integration group’s modelling team. 
• Provide expert technical leadership on the most challenging power plant modelling and integration issues. 
• Develop and approve new computational modelling capabilities that strengthen UKAEA’s technical advantage. 
• Guide the evolution and application of systems codes, including PROCESS and BLUEMIRA, to support reactor design studies. 
• Integrate physics and engineering expertise from specialist teams to produce robust, cross-disciplinary design solutions. 
• Assess emerging modelling methods and technologies to identify opportunities for adoption, improvement or integration. 
• Produce and approve high-impact technical reports and scientific publications that inform programmes and the wider research community. 
• Represent UKAEA at national and international committees, conferences and technical forums. 
• Build collaborative partnerships with academic and industrial organisations and support the growth of modelling capability and research opportunities. 
   

What You’ll Bring

• PhD in a STEM-related discipline, or equivalent experience gained within a structured research environment. 
• Extensive experience in scientific modelling, including a proven track record of resolving complex technical challenges and shaping research or programme direction. 
• Demonstrable expertise in computational modelling across system-level and multi-physics approaches. 
• Proven experience developing scientific software using Python. 
• Established national recognition within a relevant scientific or engineering modelling field, evidenced through technical leadership, research contributions or participation in advisory activities. 
• Significant post-qualification experience within research or industry, including responsibility for major technical decisions and delivery of complex modelling programmes. 

UKAEA is an onsite organisation, and this role requires regular onsite presence (usually between 3-5 days in any given week) in line with business needs. We actively support flexible working arrangements where this is compatible with the role.

Benefits 

We have a generous range of benefits (see the full list here) and highlights include:   

• A salary of £71,815 (inclusive of a £7,700 specialist allowance)   
• Up to 7% corporate performance bonus
• Final salary defined benefits pension scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution  
• 25 days annual leave plus 2.5 ‘privilege’ days; 8 Bank Holidays
• Additional 3 days of site closure over Christmas break  
• Flexible working options plus family-friendly leave provisions  

Our commitment to ED&I 

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, inclusion and accessibility, and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. 

Please email talent@ukaea.uk if you have any questions or require adjustments to help you participate fairly in our recruitment process, for example changes to the way we interview or share information. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience for all candidates. 

We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. All appointments are made on merit and further information can be found here.