Control Software Engineer

Job Description

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.  

It doesn't get much more exciting than this.

As a Software Engineer in the Advanced Computing Group, you'll play a key role in supporting development of real-time control systems.  This will include creating the technology for future fusion power plants, with the possibility of testing this on MAST Upgrade, one of the world's leading fusion experiments and a vital stepping stone towards commercial fusion energy. Working at the forefront of science and technology, you'll develop the advanced control and data acquisition systems that enable groundbreaking fusion research and help shape the future of clean energy.

In this role, you'll support, maintain and enhance real-time frameworks used for fusion machine control. You'll also develop full stack software tooling that spans the range from system engineering requirements to hardware in the loop testing, helping to deliver reliable and high-performing systems for complex research environments.

You'll also lead the software architecture and delivery of key STEP programme projects, including test rigs for individual subsystems as well as the integrated fusion control system. Alongside this, you'll act as a technical advisor across a range of UKAEA group initiatives that may include National Instruments technologies, FPGA design, and use of state of the art AI/ML approaches.  You will support integration, knowledge sharing and technical consistency across the wider project portfolio.

This is a unique opportunity to apply your software engineering skills to real-world scientific challenges, working alongside world-class engineers and physicists on technologies that could transform the future of energy.

What you'll do:

• Develop, maintain and support real-time fusion control software systems.
• Deliver practical AI/ML solutions, working with expert scientists to translate latest results into practical engineering solutions.
• Develop PC/Linux-based control, data acquisition and HMI applications.
• Contribute operations tools for MAST Upgrade, STEP and other fusion programmes.
• Lead software architecture and technical delivery for key UKAEA projects in the area of instrumentation and control.
• Support the development of ITER-like CODAC functionality and advanced control systems.
• Collaborate with scientists, engineers and stakeholders to deliver robust, maintainable software solutions.
• Champion software engineering best practice, continuous improvement and technical excellence.
• Support and coordinate the use of National Instruments tools and technologies across UKAEA.

What you'll bring:

• Degree in Computer Science, Computing, Numerical Science or a related discipline.
• Experience developing software-based control and data acquisition systems.
• Strong software engineering knowledge and experience applying best practices.
• Experience developing in C/C++ and Python within Linux environments.  Knowledge of rust and/or julia would be advantageous.
• Experience of real-time programming and distributed control systems.
• Deep experience of Linux Operating System.
• Strong interest in control theory and embedded systems engineering
• Knowledge of computer networks based on Ethernet and communications programming using TCP/IP and UDP/IP including SCPI, Modbus, EtherCAT, OPC UA, PTP.
• Familiarity with state of the art real time development tooling, including LabVIEW, MATLAB, Simulink.
• Familiarity with developing and supporting HMI's for control room applications
• Familiarity with high performance data acquisition and management.
• Familiarity with plasma control real time frameworks including MARTe2, GA PCS and SCDDS and of high energy physics integration software EPICS would be an advantage but is not required.

UKAEA is an onsite organisation, and this role requires regular onsite presence (usually between 3-5 days in any given week) in line with business needs. We actively support flexible working arrangements where this is compatible with the role.

Benefits 

We have a generous range of benefits (see the full list here) and highlights include:   

• A base salary of £51315 (plus a £5800 specialist allowance) 
• Up to 7% corporate performance bonus 
• Final salary defined benefits pension scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution  
• 25 days annual leave plus 2.5 privilege days; 8 Bank Holidays
• 3 days of site closure over Christmas break  
• Flexible working options plus family-friendly leave provisions  

Our commitment to ED&I 

UKAEA's mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. 

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or require adjustments to help you participate fairly in our recruitment process, for example changes to the way we interview or share information. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience for all candidates. 

We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. All appointments are made on merit and further information can be found here.