Job Title: Radiation Shielding Engineer
Location: Milton Park, Abingdon, (OX14)
Salary: Competitive
Job type: Full Time, Permanent
The company was originally established in 2009 to design and develop small spherical tokamaks and compact fusion reactors for a range of applications. Since then they’ve unlocked a new route to scalable fusion power that is cost-effective and does not require huge infrastructure and capital expenditure. The technology will revolutionise the world’s energy production – it will be possible to produce more energy, more cheaply and with fewer harmful side effects (e.g. with no long term nuclear waste or carbon emissions).
Their current aim is to accelerate the development of fusion energy by combining two emerging technologies – spherical tokamaks and high-temperature superconductors. The company’s innovation has been featured on Channel 4 news, BBC News Click and Reuters news channel and they received a Technology Pioneer Award at the World Economic Forum on 2016. This is the chance to join a fast-growing high technology company with an agile, dynamic team and to tackle the challenge of a lifetime.
The Role:
The commercialisation of fusion requires that a number of fascinating technical challenges are met. One of these is radiation shielding. The size, and performance, of a spherical tokamak is strongly dependent on reducing the thickness of the shield that protects the superconducting coils from the 14.1MeV fusion neutrons. Provision of a bio-shield is also essential.
They are looking for a radiation shielding engineer to play a key part in solving some of these challenges by applying sound physics and engineering judgement to develop shielding designs which meet the design requirements.
Responsibilities:
- Assist in the development of 3D radiation transport models of prototype Spherical Tokamaks
- Produce neutron and gamma radiation calculation results both internal and external to the Tokamak geometry
- Propose and perform validation and verification activities on radiation transport models
- Advance the maturity of shielding design solutions from initial conceptualisation through to detailed design
- Present technical information relating to shield design performance to both expert and non-expert audiences
- Interface and collaborate with a variety of in-house and external resources
The Candidate:
Essential:
- Experienced user of MCNP as a radiation transport code
- Experienced user of activation/transmutation codes, primarily FISPACT but alternatively ORIGEN or similar.
- Experience in nuclear fusion technology and the principles of Tokamak design
- In-depth knowledge of radiation shielding and neutronics
- Knowledge of techniques on how to provide assurance of radiation modelling results through computational and experimental validation and verification
- An ability to communicate effectively to peers and management
- A proven track record of solving complex problems in a rigorous, organised fashion through effective planning and review
- Computationally competent in the ability to use radiation transport software efficiently as well as preparing effective analytical results through word processing and other software tools
- Highly motivated to deliver against challenging objectives in a compressed timescale
- A proactive and self-reliant approach to work with minimal supervision
- Experience of working well in a team of scientists and/or engineers.
Desirable:
- Experience and knowledge of other radiation transport methodologies, including deterministic, Monte Carlo and point kernel techniques
- Knowledge of the effects of radiation on materials and Electronic, Electrical and Electro-mechanical (EEE) devices
- Experience in regulatory interaction, including ALARP justifications
- A PhD or MSc (or equivalent) in Nuclear Fusion, or a related subject
- Professionally recognised qualifications such as Chartered Engineer or Chartered Physicist, or international equivalents
- Understanding and awareness of intellectual property
Benefits:
- 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays)
- Company pension scheme
- Eligible for company share option scheme after 1 years’ service
- Company bonus scheme, discretionary, dependant on performance
- Private medical insurance after 3 months service
Please note: Only candidates with the relevant skills and experience will be contacted regarding this position. If you do not hear back from us within 10 days of submitting, your application then unfortunately you have been unsuccessful. However, they may contact you in the future to discuss other opportunities.
No terminology in the advert or job description is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person’s gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation. Every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the duties of the job.
Please click on the APPLY button to send your CV and Cover Letter for this role.
Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of; Radiation Protection Engineer, Health and Safety Supervisor, Radiation Shielding, Radiation Physical Barriers Technician, Nuclear Radiation Protection Engineer may also be considered for this role.
