Senior Quality Manager

• Salary: £73,190 + excellent benefits including outstanding pension
• Division: UKFE
  - Risk Assurance and Regulation
• Site
  
  Location:
  
  West Burton or Culham
• Department: UKFE
  - Risk and Assurance

The UK Government has established UK Fusion Energy (UKFE) Ltd., a subsidiary of UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), to lead the charge in delivering fusion energy through design and delivery of the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) protype fusion plant. UKFE is establishing itself, setting up the company, attracting talent, engaging with industry, developing a supply chain, and planning and constructing of the STEP prototype.

Fusion energy, crucial for combating climate change and ensuring energy independence, is expected to be commercially viable by mid-century. The UK, led by UKFE, aims for a prototype fusion plant, targeting first operations around 2040. UK Fusion Energy Ltd. will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year.

Join UKFE and the STEP programme to be involved in this ground-breaking journey.

Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week
, however, we actively support requests for Flexible Working.

As an employee of UKFE, you will benefit from:

• Outstanding
  defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporate
  bonus schemeup to 7% and a
  Relocation allowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working options
  including family friendly policies and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment.
• Employee Assistance Programme
  and trained Mental Health First Aiders,
• Generous annual leave
  allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays
• A vibrant
  culture
  committed to being fully
  inclusive

The salary for this role is £73,190
+ excellent benefits including outstanding pension.

The closing date to apply for this position is the 31st Aug 2026.

This UKFE vacancy will be based at
West Burton,
Nottinghamshire.

The Senior Quality Manager is a key leadership role within the Safety, Quality & Mission Assurance (SQ&MA) function, responsible for defining and delivering the Quality Strategy for the STEP fusion programme. Reporting to the Head of Safety, Quality & Mission Assurance, the role provides independent confidence that systems, structures, and products are safe, compliant, and fit-for-purpose across the full lifecycle-from concept and design through manufacture, delivery, and operation.

STEP is a first-of-a-kind, high-consequence engineering programme, comparable in complexity and risk profile to advanced nuclear and space systems. In this context, quality must be designed in from the outset; opportunities to recover from failures post‑deployment are extremely limited. The Senior Quality Manager therefore establishes the frameworks, governance, and assurance necessary to achieve robust, performance-driven quality in the presence of technical uncertainty, novel technologies, and evolving regulatory expectations.

Acting as the SQ&MA focal point for quality assurance, the role ensures that management systems, assurance frameworks, and certification approaches enable safe, reliable, and high-quality outcomes  postholder will engage closely with the Design Authority, regulators, delivery partners, and independent assurance bodies to build confidence in STEP’s technical and organisational capability.

• Define and deliver the STEP Quality Strategy, aligned to organisational objectives, regulatory requirements, and programme priorities.
• Drive consistent application of quality principles across engineering, operations, and the supply chain.
• Set expectations for structured quality and reliability tools, including design risk analysis (e.g. FMEA, DFMEA, FTA) and problem‑solving methodologies (e.g. RCA, 8D, DMAIC).
• Build and lead a high‑performing Quality function, embedding capability, resilience, and a culture of continuous improvement.

• Provide independent assurance that management systems and…