Time Scale Engineer

About the Role

Our world-leading Time & Frequency department seek a Time Scale Engineer.

You will be joining our team at an exciting time - we maintain the UK’s National Time Scale, UTC (NPL), and are currently developing a new resilient Time Scale facility that will underpin our Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). This will address the risks associated with our dependency on global navigation satellite systems (such as GPS) that are vulnerable to both natural and intentional interference.

As Time Scale Engineer, you will join a multi-disciplinary team of Scientists and Engineers in our National Timing Centre to develop new Time and Frequency infrastructure within the UK. You'll have a pivotal role in supporting robust systems for the core of the UK’s Time Scale, based on Atomic Clocks located at several UK sites.

Key responsibilities:

• Supporting through-life management of hardware assets; including

• Specifying and procuring equipment
• Contributing to engineering artefacts (e.g., compiling compliance reports or supporting obsolescence planning)
• Testing & integration of new equipment (e.g., time interval counters)

• Maintaining accurate records and contributing to information management
• Building domain-specific knowledge
• Ad-hoc data processing / analyses

About You

Reporting to a Senior Engineer, you’ll play a pivotal role in the design of critical UK infrastructure that pushes the boundaries of measurement accuracy for the UK’s new resilient Time Scale.

Essential skills:

• A degree in a relevant field of Engineering or Science (or equivalent experience)
• A rigorous approach to problem solving and the ability to develop solutions to difficult problems
• Good time management with the ability to shift focus based on changing priorities

Advantageous:

• Experience in Time Scales, Atomic Clocks, or Time and Frequency measurement
• Experience working in engineering or research and development environments
• Experience working in a laboratory setting
• Scripting (e.g., using Python or Bash)

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance. However, to work in this role in the Time & Frequency department, you will need to have an SC clearance with no restrictions, or you must have the ability to obtain an SC clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.

About Us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK.

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled, black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we hold memberships and accreditations to ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome, please see our Diversity & Inclusion page.

We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of benefits . Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success.

To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.

As part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we signed up to the Institute of Physics' Project Juno in 2015 as a Juno Supporter. NPL were proud to be awarded Juno Practitioner status in 2018. NPL also joined Stonewall as a Diversity champion in 2015, participating in their annual Workplace Equality Index for the equality of LGBT+ community at NPL. In 2018, NPL became a member of the Business Disability Forum and joined the disability confident scheme as level 1 committed employer.

To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.