About

• Company Description
• UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS) Ltd, a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), is at the forefront of developing fusion sustainable energy. Through the design and delivery of STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme we aim to build a prototype fusion plant, targeting first operations around 2040.
• UKIFS will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year.
• Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week, however, we actively support requests for Flexible Working. A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/ For more information on UKIFS, visit: UKIFS_CandidateRecruitmentPack.pdf

As an employee of UKIFS 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.
• · 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.
• The salary for this role is £ £70,505 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension.
• The closing date to apply for this position is the 21st of October.
• This UKIFS vacancy can be based at either of our sites; West Burton, Nottinghamshire or Culham, Oxfordshire.
• Job Description

Your Mission

• Reporting to the Deputy Chief Engineer, you will act as the voice of the future operator, ensuring that operational needs are embedded into the design and delivery of the STEP Prototype Plant (SPP). You will lead the development of commissioning and operations capability, strategy, and culture across the programme, ensuring the plant is not only built, but built to operate successfully.
• As Commissioning and Operations Manager, you will be instrumental in shaping how the STEP Prototype Plant (SPP) is designed, commissioned, and operated. You’ll lead the development of operational capabilities and ensure the plant is ready to deliver its ambitious objectives.

Your responsibilities will include

Building Capability

• Develop a comprehensive strategy for Commissioning and Operations across the STEP programme.
• Build and lead a high-performing team to deliver this capability.
• Forge strategic partnerships with external organisations to enhance delivery.
• Identify critical skills gaps and define long-term training and development plans.
• Foster a culture of safety, agility, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Strategy and Planning

• Lead the creation of the STEP Commissioning Plan to ensure the plant is operationally ready.
• Develop the Concept of Operations to guide how the plant will function and meet programme goals.
• Design and implement systems and processes that integrate commissioning and operations across all programme phases.
• Ensure alignment between operational strategy and engineering delivery.
• Establish feedback loops for lessons learned and rapid dissemination across teams.

Design Integration

• Define and embed operational requirements into the plant’s design, covering all modes of operation.
• Lead the development of transverse requirements such as plant availability and asset protection.
• Oversee safety and reliability assessments including FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), HAZOP (Hazard and Operability), and Human Factors integration.
• Act as the discipline lead for Commissioning and Operations, reviewing requirements across all plant systems.

Programme Engagement

• Serve as the central point of contact for Commissioning & Operations within the STEP programme.
• Ensure timely and budget-conscious delivery of operational workstreams.
• Champion operational integration across all programme teams.
• Lead readiness reviews and progress assessments against commissioning and operations milestones.
• Promote public understanding of operational goals and risk management, building trust with communities and stakeholders.
• Leadership and Culture
• Demonstrate curiosity, creativity, and resilience in problem-solving.
• Embody a leadership mindset regardless of formal position, aligning with organisational values and mission.
• Cultivate an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative team environment.
• Act as a cultural ambassador, upholding the Seven Principles of Public Life and promoting ethical decision-making.
• The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of activities and you may be required to undertake other reasonable tasks or duties requested.
• Qualifications

Essential

• A relevant engineering degree or equivalent.
• Experience as an engineering manager, and leading a team to deliver.
• Ability to communicate and engage with multi-functional teams, and manage both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience in delivering complex technical projects in a high-hazard and regulated environment.

Beneficial

• Experience of plant commissioning and operations – ideally for complex plants (e.g. process/chemical plants, power plants).
• Knowledge and experience of hazard assessment and mitigation processes and technologies.
• Experience in delivery of major infrastructure programmes.
• Additional Information
• We welcome talented people from all backgrounds who want to help us achieve our mission. We encourage applications from under-represented groups, particularly from women in STEM, ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and neurotypical individuals. Our Executive team, and our EDI Networks actively promote 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.
• 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.
• For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants . If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.
• We have a number of exceptional opportunities available at the moment, to view them all please visit Careers - STEP.