Emerging Materials and Manufacturing Development; EMMD Manager

Company Description

The UK Government has established UK Fusion Energy (UKFE) Ltd, a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), to lead the delivery of the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion plant. UKFE is building the company, developing a supply chain and planning construction of the STEP prototype, with a target for first operations around 2040. The programme aims to bring fusion energy to commercial viability by mid‑century.

Emerging Materials & Manufacturing Development (EMMD) Manager – responsible for defining and delivering strategies to mature low‑Technology Readiness Level (TRL) materials, advanced manufacturing techniques and industrial processes for the STEP programme. The role leads multidisciplinary teams, works with industry, academia and the Fusion Partner, and translates design requirements into scalable, manufacturable, and qualified solutions that influence safety, cost, risk and plant buildability.

• Programme Leadership
  
  • Lead the EMMD programme across critical STEP systems and components
  
  • Define and deliver roadmaps for novel structural and functional materials, advanced joining technologies, fabrication and assembly methods, inspection and repair approaches
  
  • Align development activities with design maturity, qualification requirements, programme milestones and supply‑chain strategies
  
  • Identify and prioritise activities to mitigate technical and manufacturing risks
• Materials Development
  
  • Oversee advanced materials development: high‑temperature structural alloys, copper alloys and heat‑sink materials, refractory and plasma‑facing materials, ceramics, insulators, seals and ancillary materials
  
  • Generate material property data, design allowables and maintain a robust, defensible materials database
• Manufacturing & Process Development
  
  • Mature early‑stage manufacturing routes: machining, forming, additive manufacturing, powder metallurgy and HIP processes, advanced joining (brazing, diffusion bonding, welding), coatings and surface engineering, assembly and integration techniques
  
  • Lead process trials, prototype builds and sub‑scale demonstrations
  
  • Establish process windows, critical parameters and quality requirements
• Cross‑Functional Leadership
  
  • Act as the subject‑matter expert for emerging materials and manufacturing within the organisation
  
  • Support design reviews, manufacturing‑readiness assessments, FMEA and life‑cycle assessments
  
  • Collaborate with engineering, supply‑chain and regulatory teams to ensure solutions are scalable, inspectable and deployable

We are looking for a confident technical leader with a passion for innovation and delivery. The ideal candidate will hold a degree (or equivalent experience) in Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering or a related discipline and demonstrate strong experience in advanced materials development and manufacturing‑process engineering.

• PhD in a relevant discipline (or equivalent experience)
• World‑class expertise in novel materials development, manufacturing R&D and scale‑up, ideally within the fusion sector
• International track record in materials science and manufacturing technology
• Demonstrated understanding of nuclear materials science issues – particularly irradiation effects and testing methodologies
• Experience and research excellence in collaborative R&D teams (publications, other outputs) delivered under technical and time constraints
• Proven ability to set strategic direction, inspire and motivate teams
• Track record in initiating and developing technical programmes
• Strong stakeholder‑management skills and the ability to build and maintain trusted relationships
• Commitment to the team and respect for diverse expertise
• Experience in conflict resolution and fostering collaboration to achieve programme‑wide goals
• Outstanding communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels, articulate ideas clearly and listen actively
• Demonstrated commitment to responsible and ethical innovation
• Experience in compliance with modern safety, health, environment and quality standards
• Beneficial:
  Materials modelling expertise; extensive experimental…