DICE Lab Manager

Company Description

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 ground breaking 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

Job Description

The salary for this role is £57,117 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension . Onsite working is expected for 5 days each week, however, we actively support requests for flexible working. 

This role can be based at any of the following sites: Culham, Oxfordshire. 

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

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As DICE Lab Manager, you will play a pivotal role in providing comprehensive leadership, coordination, and operational oversight across all DICE laboratory, workshop, and stores environments. The role ensures that day-to-day lab activities run safely, efficiently, and to a high standard, while also driving continuous improvement in processes, compliance, and resource management. This includes owning the full DICE lab portfolio; facilitating refurbishment projects in line with CDM requirements; maintaining stringent cleanroom and safety standards; and managing scheduling, documentation, and authorisation of all work conducted within the facilities. In addition, the role is responsible for leading the D1 workshop and stores teams, ensuring effective operations, regulatory compliance, and optimised inventory and equipment management. Through proactive problem-solving, strong governance, and team leadership, the role supports a reliable, safe, and high-performing technical environment for all users.

Key Responsibilities:

• Overseeing DICE lab portfolio, taking full ownership of these areas, managing the day-to-day activities of the labs, ensuring that experiments and processes are running smoothly and efficiently.
• Reviewing and authorising work required to take place in DICE lab areas, providing formal sign-off of lab activities, and holding reviews upon completion of work. This may include work that takes place in controlled areas.
• Implementing innovative approaches for the management of lab schedules of works taking place across all DICE lab areas, maintaining accurate records of laboratory activities and experiments.
• Identifying opportunities to drive innovation and developing new solutions to enhance laboratory processes and procedures, including safe working policies.
• Enforcing safety protocols, conducting risk assessments, and ensuring compliance with relevant safety standards (COSHH, PUWER, PPE). Ensuring proper disposal of laboratory waste according to regulations.

Qualifications

Essential Requirements:

• Degree level qualification in mechanical or electrical engineering, instrumentation, or a related discipline with extensive relevant experience with demonstrable experience or equivalent industrial experience
• Experience of generating and implementing health and safety work control measures in line with relevant legislation.
• Excellent organisational skills, able to manage multiple tasks, effectively prioritising workload.
• Must exhibit strong written and verbal communication skills to communicate effectively explaining complex issues with internal or external stakeholders.
• Previous experience of working to CDM regulations.

Desirable Requirements:

• Supervisory experience.
• Extensive experience in facilities management.
• Knowledge and hands-on experience in the area of lasers, optics and electronics, microwave systems, cryogenics, vacuum systems and pressurised gas.

Additional Information

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 talent@ukaea.uk 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.