Welding Inspector

By 2050, the planet could be using twice as much electricity compared to today. Are you interested in contributing and helping to shape the future of the world’s energy? If so, read on.

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 for groundbreaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid, supported by tomorrow's power stations. In pursuit of our mission, UKAEA embraces core values: Innovative, Committed, Trusted, and Collaborative.

As an employee of UKAEA you will benefit from:

• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporate bonus scheme up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working options including family friendly policies and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment. 
• Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders, 
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays
• Wide range of career development opportunities
• A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive

What to expect in our recruitment process:

For a step-by-step overview of how we hire from application to offer please see our Recruitment Process page: careers.ukaea.uk/join-us/recruitment-process

The salary for this role is £57,117 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance) Onsite working is expected for 5 days each week.

This role is based at Culham, Oxfordshire 

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. 

The Role

Are you an experienced Welding Inspector looking to apply your expertise to technically challenging engineering projects where quality, precision and innovation are critical?

UKAEA is seeking a Welding Inspector to play a key role in assuring the quality and integrity of welding and materials joining activities across our engineering programmes. Working with specialist teams, internal stakeholders, external partners and suppliers, you will help ensure welding activities and completed welds meet the highest standards of quality, safety and technical compliance.

This is an opportunity to work in an environment where conventional engineering solutions are not always enough. You will support work involving complex components and novel material combinations, applying recognised international codes and standards while helping UKAEA develop the industrial capability required to deliver world-leading fusion research and engineering.

As a recognised specialist within your field, you will provide technical guidance, maintain robust inspection and quality controls, support the development of colleagues and contribute to the continued improvement of welding and inspection practices across UKAEA.

Key Responsibilities

Welding Inspection and Technical Assurance

• Conduct pre-weld, in-process and post-weld visual inspections to ensure welding activities comply with engineering drawings, specifications, approved procedures and relevant codes and standards.
• Carry out dimensional checks of completed welds and verify weld preparations, fit-up and dimensions against engineering requirements.
• Verify parent materials and welding consumables against documentation and identification markings, maintaining appropriate material traceability.
• Verify preheat, interpass temperature, post-heat and other in-process welding parameters against specified requirements.
• Confirm that post-weld heat treatment has been completed in accordance with the applicable specification.
• Interpret engineering drawings, weld drawings and welding symbols to determine inspection and acceptance requirements.
• Apply technical knowledge of weld defect formation and assess acceptability against applicable written specifications and standards.

Compliance and Quality Control

• Ensure approved welding procedures are available, appropriate and correctly applied during production activities.
• Verify that welding activities are undertaken by suitably qualified and approved welders.
• Witness welder and welding procedure approval tests, including the preparation of test pieces and associated destructive testing.
• Verify Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) reports and, where appropriately qualified, interpret radiographic results.
• Maintain appropriate quality assurance standards, procedures, inspection controls and auditable records throughout welding activities.
• Certify compliance and provide final acceptance where specification requirements have been satisfactorily achieved.
• Support effective management of engineering risk and safety requirements within the scope of welding inspection activities.

Technical Leadership and Continuous Improvement

• Provide specialist welding inspection advice and guidance to engineering colleagues, projects and stakeholders.
• Supervise Visual Welding Inspectors and coordinate or review work undertaken by less experienced colleagues within the area of specialism.
• Check and sign off relevant work completed by others to maintain quality, consistency and compliance.
• Support the development of colleagues through technical guidance, coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Set and monitor appropriate standards within the area of responsibility, helping to establish and maintain best practice.
• Undertake technical investigations into welding-related issues, identify appropriate solutions and make recommendations within the scope of the role.
• Identify opportunities to improve welding, inspection and quality processes and contribute to the development of improved engineering methods and techniques.

Reporting, Projects and Stakeholder Engagement

• Prepare, maintain and control comprehensive welding inspection reports, records and supporting quality documentation.
• Work closely with engineering teams to ensure a shared understanding of technical requirements, inspection outcomes, risks and progress.
• Engage effectively with internal and external customers, suppliers, collaborators and professional networks on welding and technical matters.
• Support assigned projects and work packages, ensuring technical deliverables are achieved to the required specification, quality, timescale and cost parameters.
• Contribute specialist expertise to multidisciplinary and cross-discipline engineering projects, including work undertaken for external customers.
• Maintain the high professional and technical standards expected when representing UKAEA with high-value stakeholders, customers and partners.
• Occasional national and international travel may be required.

You will bring substantial practical knowledge of welding inspection alongside the confidence to operate as a technical specialist within a complex engineering environment. You will be comfortable interpreting technical requirements, making informed judgements on welding quality and compliance, and communicating those decisions effectively to engineers, suppliers and stakeholders.

You will have:

• A valid and in-date CSWIP Welding Inspector certification, or equivalent, supported by the appropriate official identity card.
• Certification within an appropriate category, such as Visual Welding Inspector, Welding Inspector or Senior Welding Inspector, with or without radiographic interpretation as applicable.
• Knowledge and practical application of relevant welding inspection codes and standards, including BS EN ISO 17637:2011, or equivalent applicable standards.
• A thorough understanding of welding inspection, welding procedures, welder qualification, material traceability and quality assurance requirements.
• A good understanding of quality management systems, inspection records and documentation control.
• The ability to investigate welding-related technical issues, evaluate findings and recommend appropriate solutions.
• The ability to interpret engineering drawings, weld drawings, weld symbols and technical specifications.
• The technical judgement and communication skills required to work effectively with engineers, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.

This role offers the opportunity to apply specialist welding inspection expertise in an engineering environment focused on some of the most technically demanding challenges in fusion. You will have the scope to influence quality, develop capability and contribute to engineering work that supports UKAEA's ambition to advance fusion energy and strengthen industrial capability.

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/

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, and inclusion and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit.

UK Atomic Energy Authority is committed to being accessible. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.  

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.