Computational Scientist

Computational Scientist Overview of Responsibilities About us

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 grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.

UKAEA is seeking a computational scientist to focus on the development of cutting‑edge simulation tools to model the complex plasma phenomena that govern the exhaust region of a tokamak. Effective mitigation of exhaust heat without compromising core performance is a pressing challenge for the design of future power plants, and so performant, accurate, well-engineered simulation tools are critically needed. As well as working with peers on the development of such capabilities, the role holder will assist with deploying and testing them on state‑of‑the‑art systems like the SUNRISE supercomputer, which is soon to be stood up by UKAEA and Cambridge.

While this role is within UKAEA’s computing division, it is expected that the successful applicant will also work closely with colleagues in the plasma division to validate developed tools against experiment, to assist with their use for the interpretation and design of future devices, and to understand code requirements. The successful candidate should have experience with high-performance computing and/or numerical methods for simulation of physical systems (e.g. finite volume methods) as well as software engineering practices.

Knowledge of exhaust plasma physics or a closely related discipline is highly desirable. The candidate will initially be working on development of the Hermes-3 edge code.

Technical: Apply computational and numerical methods to scientific problems and develop robust, maintainable software for tokamak plasma modelling. Ensure software meets user requirements, is tested, versioned and appropriately documented. Work with domain specialists to deploy computational models for research and development and advise colleagues within your area of expertise.

Organisational Knowledge: Understand the wider fusion research landscape and collaborate effectively with internal and external partners.

People Management: Mentor junior colleagues and may supervise doctoral students.

Communication & Influencing: Communicate technical concepts, methods and results clearly to diverse audiences through reports, documentation, publications and presentations.

Decision Making: Make independent technical decisions within agreed objectives, methodologies and project frameworks, selecting appropriate computational approaches to deliver outputs. Identify and elevate complex or uncertain issues appropriately, while proactively identifying opportunities to apply your expertise.

• Degree in a scientific, engineering or technical subject, together with a PhD or experience working in an academic or industrial research environment.
• Demonstrable experience in at least one modern programming language relevant to plasma modelling, such as C++, Fortran, Python or Julia.
• Familiarity with modern software engineering practices and the ability to independently develop efficient, comprehensible and maintainable code.
• Familiarity with common numerical methods used to simulate relevant physical systems, with an appetite and ability to learn and apply new technologies.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate technical work to diverse audiences, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong organisational and…