Engineering Lifecycle Manager UKIFS

Fusion energy offers the potential for significant quantities of low-carbon inherently safe abundantly fuelled baseload energy supporting sustainable climate action and energy independence.  While the technical challenge remains high confidence is increasing and the rewards of realising fusion are almost incalculable.  Anticipated to come online for commercial purposes in the middle of this century fusion offers a viable means to sustainable net zero in the UK and globally as well as to increased energy security.  The UK is currently a world leader in fusion research and development and in the drive to realise commercially viable energy from fusion a sector with an estimated value of tns per year. 

STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) is the UKs flagship national programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant targeting 2040 and a path to commercial viability of fusion.  STEP is deliberately bold and ambitious and seeks people who want to be part of a world-changing endeavour and who have credible and relevant experiencing in delivery. 

STEP is currently led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority which has breadth and depth of expertise in fusion science engineering and operations built over decades.  Over the next year leadership will transition to a new Company UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd. (UKIFS) to focus on the delivery of the prototype and in so doing the development of a fusion supply chain.  From the next government investment gate UKIFS will lead a collaborative team of industrial Whole Plant Partners who bring expertise in engineering and construction plus UKAEA who will remain as strategic Partner providing fusion expertise.  

The role:

The STEP Engineering Lifecycle Manager will own the definition deployment and evolution of the STEP Engineering Lifecycle ensuring consistent alignment and technical integrity across engineering disciplines and lifecycle phases. 

Directly influencing a uniquely innovative space the role holder will actively shape a systems-oriented lifecycle from first principles translating new and existing artefacts and principles into gates reviews and outcomes that support Engineering delivery to standards such as ISO 15288. 

Leading the dialogue with a diverse range of stakeholder the Lifecycle Manager will ensure implementation of a wide range of requirements into a lifecycle that supports; 

• Robust planning options analysis verification and validation 

• Pathways for technology of varying readiness and maturity levels from production intent systems to first-of-a-kind technologies 

• A variety of different technologies and scientific specialities from Superconductors through to Civils 

• Strict regulatory and standards needs 

• Proactive analysis of technological readiness compliance and maturity levels 

• Implementation in PLM systems 

The Lifecycle Manager will take the lead in securing buy-in with a range of stakeholders across the programme noting requirements across functional areas and selecting a best-for-programme approach; leading to a behaviours-based approach to Engineering governance underpinned by clear effective and well adopted Lifecycle.  

The role holder may also lead key forums where lifecycle decisions are made ensuring that the lifecycle maintains consistent and proportionate rigour reflects best for programme and maintains a golden thread between elicitation the evolving design intent. 

Key areas in which the role holder may operate/influence include: 

• Roadmaps (Product and Technology) 

• Engineering Lifecycles 

• Planning and plans 

• Configuration and change 

Your main areas of duty will include:

Develop and manage the Engineering Lifecycle;

• Create and maintain the Engineering Lifecycle and its supporting strategies defining its place at the core of the Engineering effort through expert technical knowledge and strong stakeholder engagement skills.
• Take account of and aggregate a wide range of potentially applicable lifecycle requirements and standards honing a first-of-a-kind Fusion Engineering lifecycle that is elegant efficient and rigorous. 
• Align wholly with the Design Authority operationalising requirements from codes standards and verification needs to prove demonstrable Engineering rigour.
• Pragmatically handle the as-is stage of developing systems in the concept phase as well as handling the to-be state of a mature Engineering organisation in later lifecycle phases operating in a multi-partner environment.

Lifecycle Leadership;

• Directly understand the needs of the wider cross-team leading functional leads through the process of eliciting and understanding potential requirements arising from the use of various technologies and requirements.
• Establish the golden thread between the desired lifecycle phases inputs outputs and deliverables from all lifecycle phases and roadmaps. 
• Be the face of lifecycle activity within the organisation providing advocacy expertise and leadership into functional areas ensuring broad alignment and adherence to the STEP lifecycle(s) 
• Manage meetings and associated activities deputising where required to ensure that the spirit of the intended activities are enacted at every lifecycle phase. 

Lead multi-disciplinary teams; 

• Provide leadership over the integrated Engineering lifecycle environment taking account of WPP and supplier needs to ensure a robust approach to lifecycle(s). 
• Lead functional delivery teams and IPTs to produce fit-for-purpose procedure and documented ways of working. 
• Mentor champions within the wider organisation to ensure enterprise engineering lifecycle behaviours are part of the daily routine and ubiquitous in engineering mindset. 
• Work to define the methods by which Engineers will demonstrate to the Design Authority that ways of working account for best practice industry expectations codes and standards. 
• Work with systems engineering and PIMS teams to ensure the to-be vision for lifecycle activity is fully understood and represented in our systems and artefacts. 

Embody a Leadership Mindset (example of detail); 

• Regardless of your formal position you embody a leadership mindset 
• and a set of leadership behaviours.  You embrace and embody our organisations culture values and mission in all aspects of your work. 
• Foster a positive and inclusive team environment that aligns with our cultural values. 
• Contribute to maintaining a respectful and collaborative workplace valuing diversity and promoting teamwork. 
• Act as a cultural ambassador representing our organisations values and professionalism in interactions with colleagues clients and stakeholders. 
• Lead by example demonstrating integrity professionalism and ethical behaviour. 
• Make informed decisions and solve problems effectively considering diverse perspectives and organisational goals. 

The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of activities and you may be required to undertake other reasonable tasks or duties requested. 

Qualifications :

Essential:

• A university graduate in a STEM or similar subject. 
• Possess a deep knowledge of Engineering lifecycles in a through-life delivery context. 
• Experience in delivering or extensive knowledge of delivery of systems in an ISO 15288 or similar lifecycle model. 
• Experience working in a PLM-Centric environment and the embedding of key lifecycle activities within these tools. 
• Ability to shape and define processes and systems from first principals. 
• Experience working in a diverse multi-partner organisation. 
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication abilities.

Beneficial: 

• Systems Engineering experience.
• Experience in a safety critical environment; aerospace defence etc. 
• Knowledge of approaches such as Advanced Product Quality Planning. 
• Experience in new product introduction. 

Additional Information :

For more information on UKIFS visit : welcome talented people from all backgrounds who want to help us achieve our mission. We encourage applications from under-represented groups particularly from women in STEM ethnic minority backgrounds people with disabilities and neurotypical individuals. Our Executive team and our EDI Networks actively promote Inclusion and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open-source data.

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: . If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.

We have a number of exceptional opportunities available at the moment to view them all please visit Careers - STEP.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time