Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Job Title: Computing Systems Engineer
Salary: £27,938
Hours: Full time
Contract Type: Open Ended
Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire
Do you have a PhD in any Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) field, and are interested in retraining as a “Computing Systems Engineer” for a permanent job supporting Scientific Research?
Reliable and performant computing is important for almost all modern scientific research and experiments are producing ever more data that needs to be analysed in ever more complex ways. The STFC's Scientific Computing Department needs computing systems engineers to design, build, and run pioneering computing systems to support world-leading research. Those with a PhD in any scientific field are invaluable as they often understand exactly what researchers need to deliver the best results.
We at the Scientific Computing Department are offering permanent employment as Computing Systems Engineers for successful candidates. The first year will be split between generic IT training and working in a specialist area. Training will be fully tailored to your particular experience, and may include:
- Software Development.
- Linux system administration.
- IT Service management.
- Managing projects including leading small teams.
Examples of specialist areas are: cloud computing, virtualisation technologies, container orchestration, large-scale data storage solutions, and IT security. You will have the opportunity to gain certification from institutes such as the Linux Foundation and the British Computer Society.
Working in the specialist area will include planning, coordinating and managing IT services, liaising with users of the service, new clients, and senior staff, driving the development of the service, planning and monitoring work to ensure services are usable and reliable and meet the user’s expectations, and reporting on your activity to co-workers and senior management.
Pay starts at £27,938. On successful completion of the training, pay will rise to £31,931 and you are likely to be eligible for additional specialist allowances.
We are an open and inclusive work environment, committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. We also offer a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, flexible working hours, a workplace nursery, an exceptional pension scheme, social and sporting activities and societies, a subsidised restaurant and good public transport links. A relocation allowance may also be available where applicable.
The essential and desirable criteria for this role are listed below along with how we will assess them.
- PhD in a STEM subject
- Experience using scientific or statistical software
- Excellent written communication skills
- Ability to communicate effectively, and explain concepts to non-experts
- Ability to work with others
- Analytical approach to problem-solving
We will be looking for any of these desirable criteria in both your written application and during your interview:
- Programming experience
- Experience in Linux system management, clouds, PC/server hardware or networking
- Experience in software engineering methodologies
- Experience working in a team
- Experience managing a project
- Experience in 24 / 7 Operations
- Experience with large data
- Appreciation of basic service management concepts
- Willing to travel for work
If this role interests you we would very much like to hear from you!
You are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close this vacancy once we have received sufficient applications.
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory’s pioneering work in areas such as particle physics, scientific computing, laser development, space research, and technology addresses some of the important challenges facing society. The laboratory is one of the national scientific research laboratories in the UK operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). It is located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus at Chilton near Didcot in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. It has a staff of approximately 1,200 people who support the work of over 10,000 scientists and engineers, chiefly from the university research community. The laboratory's programme is crafted to deliver trained professionals as well as economic growth for the UK as the result of achievements in science.
The Scientific Computing Department manages high-performance computing facilities, digital research infrastructure and research into computational maths, science and machine learning supporting some of the UK's most advanced scientific facilities. Our staff, made up of approximately 160 computing experts, offer services and products that help the scientific community to make vital discoveries.
For more information about SCD please can be found at https://www.scd.stfc.ac.uk/Pages/About-Us.aspx
About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
The STFC is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation where curiosity, blue-skies thinking meets practical, application-led science and engineering. Our goal is to deliver economic, societal, scientific and international benefits to the UK and its people – and more broadly to the world.
As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we’re trusted to support, enable and undertake ground-breaking projects in an outstanding diversity of fields. Through world-class facilities and people, we’re driving progressive advances in science, engineering, computing and technology. Our research seeks to understand the Universe from the largest astronomical scales to the tiniest constituents of matter, yet creates impact on a very tangible, human scale.
For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/
You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/
About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.