Senior Mechanical Engineer

Apply for the Senior Mechanical Engineer role at UK Atomic Energy Authority.

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 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.

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• 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.
  
• Vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive.
  

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.

Salary: £56,596 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working expected for 3 days each week, however we actively support requests for flexible working.

Location: Culham, Oxfordshire. Mandatory Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks required.

We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the design and development of major fusion subsystems and research facilities, from initial concept through to detailed design. In this role, you’ll plan and manage projects that support enhancement programmes and future fusion devices, applying your expertise in engineering calculations to guide key design decisions.

You’ll oversee activities such as system and component integration, installation, repair, and upgrades, while producing high‑quality technical reports and ensuring all work meets rigorous design and safety standards.

If you have experience working to design standards (especially pressure vessel standards), proven ability to lead teams and supervise staff, strong communication and technical writing skills, and excellent interpersonal abilities, we’d love to hear from you.

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• Lead the design and delivery of major fusion sub‑systems and enhancement programmes for UKAEA facilities and future fusion devices, from concept through detailed design.
  
• Oversee engineering activities for assigned systems and components, including analysis, repair, replacement, upgrade, and validation against international and fusion‑specific design standards.
  
• Manage multi‑disciplinary project teams, including designers and drawing office staff, ensuring effective coordination, adherence to design requirements, and high‑quality technical output.
  
• Provide technical leadership and decision‑making on complex or critical engineering issues, influencing senior stakeholders and acting as a technical reference within the organisation.
  
• Plan and deliver engineering projects from specification to handover, including on‑site repair and upgrade programmes, procurement, contract management, and value engineering implementation.
  
• Promote excellence and development by supervising and mentoring junior engineers, improving group competencies, maintaining strong communication, and enhancing productivity through new systems and processes.
  

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• A relevant engineering degree or equivalent.
  
• Ability to perform exploratory design calculations using first principles.
  
• Good working knowledge of structural and thermal engineering, solid mechanics and engineering materials.
  
• Proven capability in engineering analysis and a good working knowledge of engineering materials and their properties.
  
• Experience with relevant environmental factors such as vacuum and transient magnetic fields.
  

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 who want to help us achieve our mission. We are under‑represented from some groups and 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 promotes inclusion and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. 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 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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• Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level
  
• Employment type: Full‑time
  
• Industry: Research