Overview

The UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC), based at the historic Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, is the UK's national laboratory for the design and development of astronomical instrumentation. The UK ATC has a rich heritage of instrumentation development for ground-based observatories as well as space facilities. It employs engineers and scientists across the full range of fields required for modern astronomy (optical design, mechanical engineering, electronics, software, systems engineering, project management). It also has an extensive track record of successfully applying techniques and technologies developed for astronomy to other sectors (e.g. earth observation/remote sensing, environmental monitoring). The UK ATC develops instruments for world leading organisations, such as the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the European Space Agency (ESA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The Applied Optics Group supplies to all stages of projects at the UKATC, from working with astronomers to define requirements and developing conceptual designs for new instrumentation, through to aligning and testing optical systems in the laboratory or even commissioning instruments at a telescope site. We\'re pleased to offer a Graduate Optical Engineer the chance to develop a broad range of skills while working alongside experienced members of the team on high profile projects including LISA (space mission for gravitational wave detection for ESA) and instruments for ESO\'s Extremely Large Telescope, ELT.

Graduate Scheme

The STFC Graduate scheme will give you the opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion early in your journey with us, supported by technical training and a broader programme of career support and training and development. Our dedicated Graduate Development Team will provide the right combination of challenge and support throughout, helping you achieve your ambitions. We know that professional recognition is also important to you too, so we will provide mentoring and expertise to help you achieve valued qualifications or chartered status in your chosen field.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

You will be encouraged to work on different projects, mostly related to ground based astronomical instrumentation or space technology. These will range from small scale design studies through to large scale multinational instrumentation projects. Part of your time will be spent working on the LISA project - a high profile ESA mission. You will join the team developing and testing the alignment and assembly techniques needed to build the optical assemblies that will sit at the heart of the three spacecraft to detect gravitational waves.

• Design and analysis of optical systems using ray tracing software, working with engineers from other fields (e.g. mechanical engineering, systems engineering) to supply to a complete system design.
• Laboratory testing and alignment of optical components and systems
• Analysis of experimental and modelled data
• Chipping in to written reports and presentations.
• Managing your own time across a number of projects

This is a great opportunity to have close interactions with the other groups within UKATC including scientists, other engineering fields and project management. More broadly you will be included in international teams and therefore some national and international travel is encouraged - a great chance to network!

Person Specification

In order to apply for the role we are looking for the following:

Essential:

• Achieved, or be on course to achieve, a minimum 2:1 degree, in a relevant field of study (S)
• Have the right to live and work in the UK at time of starting employment (S)
• Understanding of basic principles of geometric and wave optics (S&I)
• A practical approach to problem solving (S&I)
• Technical computing skills (e.g. Python, MatLab, etc.) (S)
• Awareness of measurement techniques and/or technology used in astronomy (S&I)
• Good communication and presentation skills (S&I)
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team both on-site, nationally and internationally (I)

Desirable:

• Experience of using optical design software (e.g. Zemax, Code V) (S)
• Experience of designing and/or building optical instrumentation (S&I)
• A curiosity about astronomy, space science and/or space technology (S&I)

Employee Benefits

We are offering a permanent position with a whole host of benefits including:

• 30 days holiday (in addition to 10.5 bank holidays and privilege days).
• Flexible working hours.
• An excellent defined average salary pension scheme.
• Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.
• Cycle to work scheme.

Link to more benefits: https://stfccareers.co.uk/rewards-and-benefits/

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact stfcgraduates@ukri.org.

Application Guidance

Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate.

Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert.

Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received.

We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us.

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe\'s largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what\'s possible!

About Us

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

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 applicants with a disability who opt into the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for the role. 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.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

About the Team

The Science and Technology Facilities Council is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation where curiosity-driven, 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.

One of Europe\'s largest research organisations, we\'re trusted to support, enable and undertake cutting-edge projects in an amazing diversity of fields. Through world-class facilities and people, we are driving ground-breaking 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/