Principal Testing Rigs & Labs Technician

• Full-time
• Salary: £57,117 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension
• Division:
  Technology
• Position Grade:
  Grade G

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 organisations to achieve ground-breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the gridby developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.

We are recruiting a Principal Testing Rigs & Labs Technician to provide senior‑level technical leadership within our experimental laboratories.

This is a highly practical role, drawing on extensive mechanical and electrical experience, it combines deep hands‑on expertise with day‑to‑day operational responsibility for testing rigs, laboratory equipment and experimental activities. You will be the principal technical lead for laboratory operations, ensuring experiments are built, commissioned and run safely, efficiently and to a high technical standard.

Working closely with engineers, scientists and programme teams, you will translate experimental designs into robust, real‑world test setups, mentor technicians and apprentices, and help evolve laboratory capability to meet the needs of novel and emerging technologies.

• Take day‑to‑day ownership of the safe and effective operation of testing rigs and laboratory facilities
• Act as the technical lead for experimental build, commissioning, operation and decommissioning activities
• Translate experimental designs into safe, buildable and high‑quality physical test setups
• Provide hands‑on leadership during complex or novel experimental work, troubleshooting issues and reducing technical risk
• Ensure laboratory assets, tooling and equipment are maintained, organised, calibrated and fit for purpose
• Lead risk assessment, safe systems of work and incident investigation within laboratory environments
• Generate and maintain technical procedures, experimental documentation and high‑quality test data records
• Support continuous improvement of laboratory processes, workflows, tooling and instrumentation
• Supervise, mentor and develop technicians and apprentices, setting high standards of professionalism and safety
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders to clarify requirements, provide expert guidance and manage expectations
• Deputise for the Testing Rigs and Labs Operations Manager when required

• A relevant technical qualification in a STEM discipline, or equivalent practical experience
• Extensive hands‑on experience in laboratory, prototype or experimental test environments
• Strong mechanical and/or electrical technical capability
• Experience delivering and operating complex experimental setups (e.g. pressure, vacuum, cryogenic or high‑voltage systems)
• Proven ability to take ownership of laboratory operations and experimental delivery
• Ability to interpret and produce engineering and technical documentation
• Experience supervising, mentoring or coaching technical staff or apprentices
• Strong organisational and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to work autonomously
• Manual or CNC lathe & Mill experience

UKAEA is an onsite organisation, and this role requires regular onsite presence (usually between 3-5 days in any given week) in line with business needs. We actively support flexible working arrangements where this is compatible with the role.

We have a generous range of benefits (see the full list here ) and highlights include:

• A salary of £57,117(inclusive ofa5,800 specialist allowance)
• Up to 7% corporate performance…