Electrical Quality Systems Team Leader

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 the 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.

As an employee of UKAEA you will benefit from:

• 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
• A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive

What to expect in our recruitment process:
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

The salary for this role is £57,117 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance -£5,800) Onsite working is expected for 4-5 days each week, however, we consider requests for flexible working, according to business needs. 

This role will be based at  Culham, Oxfordshire, but there may be occasional travel to other sites.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open source data.

The Role

UKAEA’s centre for Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) specialises in designing, building and operating robotic systems for extreme industrial environments.

As the RACE Electrical Quality Systems Team Leader, you will be responsible for ensuring the quality of electrical manufacturing and installation activities across the RACE portfolio. You will provide practical and hands-on electrical quality assurance throughout the design, modification, build, testing and commissioning of electrical systems, ensuring compliance with relevant international standards and requirements.

You will create and manage Quality Management Plans and provide technical leadership in the design, approval and delivery of purpose-built control panels, cubicles, operational systems and equipment. You will work closely with engineers, technicians, suppliers and contractors to ensure that electrical systems are manufactured and installed to the required quality standards and meet UKAEA site requirements and legislative safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Electrical Quality Team, providing line management, coaching team members and defining standards.
• Own quality assurance across electrical systems within the RACE portfolio, providing hands-on oversight of electrical manufacturing and installation activities, leading inspections and approving supplier quality and documentation,  and ensuring compliance with relevant international regulations, including Machinery and Low Voltage Directives.
• Develop and maintain Quality Management Plans, test plans and QA documentation, ensuring that quality requirements are clearly defined and effectively applied throughout the design, manufacture, installation, testing and commissioning lifecycle for bespoke electrical systems.
• Provide practical technical leadership throughout the design, build, testing and commissioning lifecycle, participating in design reviews, advising Electrical Engineers on hardware manufacturability, and inspecting electrical manufacturing and installation activities, and ensuring systems meet UKAEA and legislative safety standards.
• Support the verification and acceptance of electrical systems, working with engineers and technicians through quality and testing processes to ensure that manufactured and installed equipment meets the required standards and specifications, supporting a right-first-time approach and continuous improvement.
• Manage suppliers, subcontractors and external partners, including defining quality requirements, monitoring performance, leading supplier inspections, reviewing manufacturing quality and documentation, and ensuring successful delivery of electrical systems to agreed quality, cost and schedule requirements.
• Identify and address electrical quality issues, working with engineers, technicians, suppliers and contractors to resolve issues and ensure appropriate quality outcomes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support project delivery and continuous technical development, collaborating on project planning, costs and timescales, maintaining technical knowledge, updating documentation and ensuring effective Health & Safety management.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Engineering qualification or equivalent experience, such as an Engineering degree, HNC/HND, or relevant practical experience, with extensive practical electrical engineering QA experience and the ability to assess electrical design work.
• Strong practical experience of electrical quality assurance across manufacturing, installation, testing and commissioning activities, with the ability to inspect and assess the quality of bespoke electrical systems, control panels, cubicles, operational systems and equipment.
• Strong technical knowledge of electrical engineering principles, including electrical machinery, distribution systems, relevant electrical quality standards, governance, Health & Safety requirements and compliance obligations.
• Experience of working with quality plans, test plans and QA documentation, and applying quality requirements throughout the electrical engineering lifecycle.
• Proven experience delivering electrical engineering projects, with a good understanding of project lifecycles and the ability to produce high-quality work within agreed deadlines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience working in cross-functional teams and the ability to interact effectively with people in a variety of situations.
• A flexible and proactive approach to work, with the ability to work independently or as part of a team, support continuous improvement, and coach less experienced staff.

Desirable:

• Experience of working in a safety-dominated working environment.
• Experience in people management.

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 to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit.

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.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.