Company Background

What if there was a limitless, safe, clean, low-cost energy source, providing much needed global energy security? What if that energy source could also help reduce climate change? We believe that’s fusion energy. Tokamak Energy is a leading global commercial fusion energy company based near Oxford, UK. We have an unrivalled track record designing and operating spherical tokamaks; the optimal route to commercial fusion energy.

In addition to fusion energy, Tokamak Energy is recognised as the leader in High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) magnet, design, numerical modelling, and prototyping. Our dedicated HTS magnet team, in collaboration with key manufacturing partners, is focussed on becoming the leading supplier of HTS magnets to multiple markets.

The company, founded in 2009 as a spin-off from the UK’s Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, currently employs a growing team of over 250 people with experts from the UK and around the world. It combines world leading scientific, engineering, industrial and commercial capabilities. The company has 70 families of patent applications and has raised $250 million, comprising $200m from private investors and $50m from the UK and US governments. Our US subsidiary, Tokamak Energy Inc, was established in 2019, and was recently selected to be part of the U.S Department of Energy milestone-based fusion development program, which was established to support private companies in bringing fusion energy to technical and commercial viability in the 2030s.

Come and be a part of a dynamic and innovative team who are striving to provide a solution to one of humanity’s greatest challenges: clean and sustainable energy for all.

Overview of the role

We are seeking a capable and innovative individual to manage a team of talented scientists and engineers in the Diagnostics and Data Group at Tokamak Energy. The groups responsibilities include delivering, operating and maintaining diagnostic systems on the ST40 high-field spherical tokamak including data validation, analysis and visualisation; designing diagnostic systems for next step spherical tokamaks; and developing novel measurement and analysis techniques as part of the Company’s Technology Development programme.

As Tokamak Energy continues to evolve, the way we work and structure our business needs to align to our strategy and business priorities. As part of a wider business restructure and goal to ensure we are able to deliver and innovate at pace, and adapt to change, we have an exciting opportunity to lead this newly formed team. The role requires effective leadership qualities with the ability to engage and communicate across multiple stakeholders. Key responsibilities and priorities for the post holder include, ensuring effective and timely project delivery, health and safety leadership, ownership of the technical strategy for the team and development of skills, capabilities and tools.

In this role, you will:

• Provide effective leadership to a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers
• Overseeing commissioning, maintenance, operation and calibration of diagnostic systems
• Overseeing the production of analysed data, including development of software for inter-shot and off-line analysis, and cross-checks with other measurements to check/test consistency, liaising with users to ensure their requirements are met and to provide support with data interpretation.
• EHS leadership for the team and labs/assets owned by the team
• Definition of new projects to support business and programme needs
• Project delivery on time and to meet programme/Tech Dev needs and budgets
• Efficient and effective working and resource allocation within the team according to business and programme priorities
• Effective working and integration with other teams
• Chair and decision maker within the new governance framework
• Owner of Technical Strategy for DDG and related Technology Development strategy
• Development of team skills, capabilities, and tools
• Identifying and fostering external strategic relationships relevant to the role

Requirements

• Excellent team and people leadership skills with good emotional intelligence, a low ego and a “servant leader” mindset. A successful track record of being able to leverage the collective skills and knowledge of a diverse team to support innovation and delivery.
• Technically experienced and curious with excellent awareness of technical capabilities and limitations. Ideally with a background in and/or sufficient knowledge and experience in tokamak diagnostics and/or plasma physics to effectively engage the team.
• Inherently driven to deliver the needs of the customer and able to effectively prioritise, organise, allocate and integrate the resources of the team in support of this.
• Excellent at external stakeholder management and communication skills
• Flexible and adaptable with experience of leading and embedding change within a business.
• Commercially savvy (IP, commercial drivers, competitor intelligence, etc)
• Qualified to at least degree level or equivalent within a relevant technical discipline.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays and 3 festive days to be used between Christmas and the New Year)
• Company pension scheme
• Eligible for company share option scheme
• Company bonus scheme, discretionary, dependant on performance
• A range of financial benefits including death in service and critical illness cover
• Cycle to work scheme

No terminology in the advert or job description is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person’s age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the duties of the job.

Important information for candidates

Pre-employment screening

Please note that the appointment of the successful candidate will be subject to standard pre-employment screening, as applicable to the post. This will include right-to-work, proof of identity and references.

Data privacy

Please note that any personal data submitted to Tokamak Energy as part of the job application process will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation, for more information regarding GDPR please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation

Equality of opportunity

Entry into employment with the Tokamak Energy and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. No applicant or member of staff shall be discriminated against because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Working arrangements

Please note this role does offer hybrid working, our model sets out a minimum 60% onsite / 40% home working split.

Part time working or job share options will be reviewed on an individual basis.