Engineering Lifecycle Manager - UKIFS

Company Description

UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS), a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), is delivering STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) to develop a prototype fusion plant by around 2040. UKIFS will lead delivery, collaborate with industrial partners, and build a fusion supply chain with a global sector value of £7tn per year. Onsite working is expected for 3 days per week, with flexible working options available. For more information on UKIFS and its benefits see the linked documents below.

Salary information: £70,505 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) plus benefits. Closing date: 20 October. Roles can be based at West Burton, Nottinghamshire or Culham, Oxfordshire. See below for additional information and candidate recruitment materials.

For more information on UKIFS, visit the candidate recruitment pack and employee benefits pages.

Job Description

Fusion energy offers low-carbon, inherently safe, abundant, baseload energy, supporting sustainable climate action and energy independence. STEP is the UKs flagship programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant, targeting 2040, with a view to commercial viability. STEP is led by UKAEA and will transition to UKIFS to focus on prototype delivery and development of a fusion supply chain, collaborating with industrial partners and UKAEA as a strategic partner.

The role:

The STEP Engineering Lifecycle Manager will own the definition, deployment and evolution of the STEP Engineering Lifecycle, ensuring alignment and technical integrity across engineering disciplines and lifecycle phases.

This role involves shaping a systems-oriented lifecycle from first principles, translating artefacts and principles into gates, reviews and outcomes that support engineering delivery to standards such as ISO 15288.

Leading the dialogue with a diverse range of stakeholders, the Lifecycle Manager will implement a wide range of requirements into a lifecycle that supports:

• Robust planning, options analysis, verification and validation
• Paths for technology at varying readiness levels from production intent systems to first-of-a-kind technologies
• A variety of technologies and scientific specialities from superconductors to civils
• Regulatory and standards needs
• Proactive analysis of technology readiness, compliance and maturity
• Implementation in PLM systems

The Lifecycle Manager will secure buy-in across the programme, coordinating requirements across functions and applying a best-for-programme approach; guiding governance with a clear lifecycle golden thread between elicitation and evolving design intent.

The role may lead key forums where lifecycle decisions are made to ensure consistency, proportional rigour and alignment with the programme.

Key areas in which the role may operate/influence include:

• Roadmaps (Product and Technology)
• Engineering Lifecycles
• Planning and plans
• Configuration and change

Your main areas of duty will include:

• Develop and manage the Engineering Lifecycle, defining its place at the core of engineering through expert technical knowledge and stakeholder engagement
• Aggregate lifecycle requirements and standards to create an elegant, efficient and rigorous first-of-a-kind fusion engineering lifecycle
• Align with the Design Authority, operationalising codes, standards and verification needs to prove engineering rigour
• Manage both concept-stage and mature lifecycle phases within a multi-partner environment

Lifecycle Leadership:

• Understand the needs of the wider cross-team and elicit requirements across technologies
• Establish the golden thread between lifecycle phases, inputs, outputs and deliverables
• Represent lifecycle activity within the organisation, providing leadership and ensuring alignment to STEP lifecycles
• Manage meetings and activities to enact lifecycle activities across phases

Lead multi-disciplinary teams:

• Provide leadership over the integrated engineering lifecycle environment, considering value chain needs
• Lead functional delivery teams and IPTs to produce fit-for-purpose procedures and documented ways of working
• Mentor champions to embed enterprise engineering lifecycle behaviours
• Define methods for Engineers to demonstrate to the Design Authority alignment with best practice, codes and standards
• Collaborate with systems engineering and PIMS teams to reflect the to-be lifecycle vision in systems and artefacts

Leadership Mindset:

• Embody a leadership mindset and behaviours, upholding our culture, values and mission
• Foster a positive, inclusive team environment
• Promote diversity, teamwork and respectful collaboration
• Represent the organisation's values professionally to colleagues, clients and stakeholders
• Lead by example with integrity and ethical behaviour
• Make informed decisions and solve problems with diverse perspectives

Note: The above is not exhaustive; additional reasonable tasks may be requested.

Qualifications

Essential:

• University degree in a STEM subject
• Deep knowledge of engineering lifecycles in a through-life delivery context
• Experience delivering or knowledge of systems in an ISO 15288 or similar lifecycle model
• Experience in a PLM-centric environment and embedding lifecycle activities in tools
• Ability to define processes and systems from first principles
• Experience working in a diverse, multi-partner organisation
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills

Beneficial:

• Systems Engineering experience
• Experience in safety-critical environments (aerospace, defence, etc.)
• Knowledge of approaches such as Advanced Product Quality Planning
• Experience in new product introduction

Additional Information

For more information on UKIFS visit the candidate recruitment pack:

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage diversity, including women in STEM, ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, and neurodiverse individuals. Our Executive team and EDI networks promote inclusion and strive to remove barriers to success.

This role requires completing an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check, which may include DBS checks and possibly an open-source data check. For overseas applicants, refer to the UK government guidance on criminal records checks: If your country is not listed, we cannot process your application.

To view other opportunities, please visit Careers - STEP.