H-Mode Pedestal MHD Modeller

Abingdon Rd, Culham, UK
Full-time
Salary: £40,609 (inclusive of MPP) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension
Division: Plasma Science and Fusion Operations
Site Location: UKAEA Culham, Oxfordshire
Confirmed Grade: Level 4
Department: Plasma Physics

Company Description

By 2050, the planet could be using twice as much electricity compared to today. Are you interested in contributing and helping to shape the future of the world's energy? If so, read on.

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 realising fusion energy, partnering with industry and research for groundbreaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid, supported by tomorrow's power stations. In pursuit of our mission, UKAEA embraces core values: Innovative, Committed, Trusted, and Collaborative.

As an employee of UKAEA you will benefit from:

• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert
• Corporate bonus scheme up 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
• Wide range of career development opportunities
• A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive

The salary for this role is £40,609 (inclusive of a Market Premium Payment (MPP), and onsite working is expected for 3 days a week.

Job Description

This role is based at Culham, Oxfordshire

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions.

The Role

As a H-Mode Pedestal MHD Modeller, you will model tokamak pedestal plasmas using non-linear MHD stability codes. The modelling will focus on the pedestal stability and ELM crash dynamics and will help to understand the processes governing the pedestal limits and evolution as well as to evaluate and minimise the divertor heat loads from ELMs. You'll use the models for predicting and optimising pedestals in future fusion devices such as ST based power plant designs to be developed in the STEP programme, as well as developing methods to mitigate and suppress the ELMs.

Additional Responsibilities:

• To run and analyse results from JOREK for simulated equilibria in future devices to predict ELM behaviour and construct ELM mitigation methods
• To propose and develop models describing the physical processes in the H-mode pedestal
• The postholder shall strongly interact with experimental colleagues and other modellers and play an active role in contributing to pedestal elements of the research programme on STEP
• Report results at science and other regular progress meetings
• Disseminate results through conferences and peer reviewed journal papers

Qualifications

Essential Requirements:

• PhD level of knowledge of numerical modelling of physical experiments
• Proven ability to carry out detailed analysis of experimental and modelled data, use of suitable tools, error analysis, etc
• Proficiency with programming languages, e.g. C, FORTRAN, IDL, Python
• Proficiency with running codes in high performance computing environment
• Proven ability to conduct independent physics research
• Good oral and written communications skills
• Excellent team-player with an outward facing work-ethos as you will work closely with scientists from around the world

Your career development as a scientist will be strongly supported, including working towards chartership with the Institute of Physics.

Additional Information

For a full list of benefits and to apply, select the apply button to be taken through to the UKAEA careers pages.

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organization. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.