Senior Modeller

Job Description for Senior Modeller:

This is where your skills play a critical role in keeping everyone safe. Working in Safety, Security & Safeguards gives you the chance to make your mark on some hugely interesting projects. NNL does work that nobody else in the sector is doing, and this means we need experts like you to make it possible, whilst keeping everyone safe. We’re committed to using nuclear science to benefit society for years to come. This means that you can build a long and successful career here whilst playing a meaningful role in delivering cleaner energy, reducing waste and keeping colleagues and the public out of harm’s way.

NNL has the purpose of “nuclear science to benefit society” which is supported by four focus areas: Clean Energy; Environmental Restoration; Health and Nuclear Medicine; Security and Safeguards. The Chemical and Process Modelling team (C&PM) use computational modelling to address challenges within those focus areas, aligned to our purpose. Within the focus area of Clean Energy we work on the Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme (AFCP) and use our skills in chemical engineering to aid the development of new fuel cycle technologies by creating process engineering models that translate technology to plant-scale concepts. This can range from models to support experiments through to flowsheets of large fuel recycle facilities. Other work in this area has included developing models to explore using nuclear energy to generate clean hydrogen for use in the global energy supply. Within the focus area of Environmental Restoration, we use process models to support the decommissioning of legacy nuclear facilities, for example by supporting plants and technologies that store radioactive waste, treat wastewater, and immobilise waste, thus minimising its environmental impact.

The team consists of a combination of scientists and engineers at graduate and PhD level. The team requires a discipline technical lead in one of three areas: process, chemical or materials modelling. The role is suited to a Chemical Engineer, Chemist or Materials Scientist with proven expertise in computer modelling. The purpose of the role is to provide technical leadership, develop scopes of work, mentor and develop junior staff, whilst delivering work to our customers.

This vacancy for a Senior Modeller has become available to help balance the workload of the team’s current discipline technical leads b providing additional technical leadership. For this reason, we have chosen the option of opening recruitment to the three disciplines listed and will adapt the role to the successful candidate who can demonstrate relevant modelling expertise and experience. Required skills are thus defined by discipline below:

For candidates with a Chemical Engineering background, skills and experience must include:

• Proven expertise in the modelling of chemical engineering problems.
• Expertise in process flowsheeting and dynamic modelling.
• Expertise in a process modelling platform such as gPROMS, Aspen Custom Modeler (or similar).
• Experience working with experimental / plant validation of models.

For candidates with a Chemistry or Materials Science background, skills and experience must include:

• Proven expertise in the modelling of chemical or materials science problems.
• Either
  • Expertise in Chemical Thermodynamic Modelling (e.g. CALPHAD, Debye-Huckel, Pitzer).
• Or
  • Expertise in Molecular modelling (e.g. DFT, Molecular Dynamics).

The successful candidate will develop and lead programmes of work which may include: developing new or extending existing process models or flowsheets of chemical plants; developing our atomistic or thermodynamic modelling capability. The models will be used by NNL and our customers for a variety of purposes, which could include: design optimisation, improving or understanding existing plant performance, troubleshooting faults, developing mechanistic understanding and exploring decommissioning options.

The location for this role is flexible and can be based at Risley or Sellafield.

Main Responsibilities for Senior Modeller:

• Formulation of development programmes.
• Lead customer-funded programmes of work.
• Lead technical and research programmes as part of an integrated team including modellers, experimental scientists and engineers.
• Develop and maintain models.
• Perform quality assurance activities on models and technical documents.
• Carry out computer simulations.
• Production of high quality technical work and dissemination through high quality report writing.
• Interpretation of model results and providing support to stakeholders based on conclusions.
• Present results to stakeholders (customers / conferences).
• Keeps abreast with the latest trends and developments in own specialist area. 
• Supervise and develop assigned individuals. 
• Provide technical support to customers covering a diverse range of tasks. 
• Disseminate knowledge of their own field within relevant business group. 
• Provide advice/guidance on issues appropriate to their working area, ensuring that relevant stakeholders receive timely warnings/advice of implications for the company.

Essential Criteria for Senior Modeller:

• A degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science or related scientific discipline
• Broad experience of developing computer models (either chemical or engineering).
• Experience of supervising others to carry out research projects.
• Deep depth of knowledge, considered Subject Matter Expert, in at least one of their disciplines’ competencies.
• Problem solving skills.
• Good mathematical and computer literacy.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).

Desirable Criteria for Senior Modeller:

• Ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams.
• Expertise in using modelling software applicable to their discipline (e.g. gPROMS, Aspen Custom Modeller, Speedup, LAMMPS, ThermoCalc, MTData, PHREEQC, CASTEP, Gaussian, WIEN2k, TURBOMOLE).
• Experience or knowledge of modelling nuclear processes.