Overview of Responsibilities
Forword by the Chairman, Professor David Gann CBE
UKIFS is beginning a very important and exciting programme to lead the development of fusion energy. The need for safe, sustainable energy is of paramount importance and this is the ‘moon-shot project’ to lead the world in commercialising fusion power. The UKAEA’s scientific and technological capabilities inspire confidence, with significant breakthroughs, new government funding, the establishment of a UK regulator, leadership in international collaboration, and growing interest from private sector investors. The launch of UKIFS is the next step to integrate these capabilities and deepen industrial collaboration to commercialise fusion.
The UKIFS is led by Paul Methven, its newly appointed CEO, supported by an excellent Executive Team. Through its partnership with UKAEA it has access to world-leading science and technology in key areas necessary to design and construct a power plant – plasma physics, tritium handling, robotics, new materials, advanced manufacturing, data analytics, skills, training, and digital design engineering.
In 2024, UKIFS will become a stand-alone public-private partnership with the remit to deliver the world’s first fusion powerplant, to establish a fusion industry and to explore opportunities for further commercialisation. We are creating the UKIFS Board and are seeking a small number of outstanding Non-Executive Directors with the passion, knowledge, commitment, engagement, and influence to help UKIFS succeed on the global stage. We particularly welcome applicants from a diverse set of backgrounds. I trust you will find the information in this job pack of interest and look forward to receiving your application.
Our context
Fusion energy offers the potential for significant production of low-carbon, inherently safe, abundantly fuelled, baseload energy, supporting sustainable climate action and energy independence. While the technical challenge remains high, confidence is increasing, and the rewards of realising fusion are almost incalculable. Anticipated to come online for commercial purposes in the middle of this century, fusion offers a viable means to sustainable net zero in the UK and globally, as well as to increase energy security. The UK is currently a world leader in fusion research and development and in the drive to realise commercially viable energy from fusion, a sector with an estimated value of £7tn per year.
STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), a first of a kind globally leading initiative, is the UK’s flagship national programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant, targeting 2040, and a path to commercial viability of fusion. STEP is deliberately bold and ambitious and seeks people who want to be part of a world-changing endeavour and who have credible and relevant experience in delivery.
STEP is currently led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the UK’s national lab for fusion, which has breadth and depth of expertise in fusion science, engineering and operations built over decades. Over the next year, leadership of STEP will transition to a new Company, UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd. (UKIFS), to focus on the delivery of the prototype and, in so doing, the development of a fusion supply chain. From the next government investment gate, UKIFS will lead a collaborative team of industrial Whole Plant Partners who bring expertise in engineering and construction, plus UKAEA who will remain as strategic Partner providing fusion expertise.
What you’ll be doing
This role is a unique opportunity to join the inaugural board of an organisation entrusted with forming and shaping the UK and global fusion sector and leaving a lasting legacy. The role of the Board is to provide strategic oversight of the Company ensuring delivery of the Company’s strategic objectives, their regulatory and common law duties, and their responsibilities under its Corporate Structure Document, which is part of the UK Government’s overall backing of the programme. As a Non-Executive Independent Director of the UKIFS board, you will leverage your extensive expertise and proven leadership in organisations dealing with complex delivery in an uncertain and challenging environment. You will understand what is needed at the earliest stages to ensure sustained success as an endeavour builds in scale and your distinguished track record will enhance our board’s reputation.
You will play a crucial role in providing oversight, guidance, and strategic direction to our company. You will work closely with the executive team and fellow board members to ensure our continued innovation, ethical operations, and long-term success. This position offers the opportunity to contribute your expertise and insights to a dynamic and innovative programme.
Specifically, we seek a NED with expertise in the exploitation of new technology, in particular in the digital sector. Many of fusion’s challenges will need innovations to solve them. We want to bring capabilities and technologies from many diverse sectors together to understand the fusion challenge and see if they can help. We might find the solutions to plasma modelling in the medical, gaming or music sectors, or to some materials challenges in the space sector – we will not know unless we join the dots.
Delivering fusion energy will certainly need a step change in the use of digital technology, including application of AI in at least three areas. Firstly, we aim to establish a robust digital thread that will enable the shortest jump from prototype plant to commercial plant through a comprehensive capture of information and decisions. Secondly, many facets of fusion technology can only be tested through a full-scale plant and so we need a significant increase in modelling capability that will address quantification of very high uncertainty and will underpin “in-silico” qualification of systems. Thirdly, control of the plant, especially the confined plasma, will require innovations in control and, if realised, offer the potential for a digital twin that will also speed commercial plant development. As well as fusion needing digital capability, fusion provides perhaps the bounding use case that could accelerate positive developments in areas of digital technology as artificial intelligence.
You will be experienced in leveraging the benefits of emerging technology in new sectors and accelerating progress through digital methods.
Accountabilities:
- Ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and ethical standards.
- Provide industry-specific guidance for long-term vision.
- Collaborate on challenges, opportunities, and benefits.
- Assess risks and collaborate on mitigation strategies.
- Scrutinize performance and oversee financial compliance.
- Advance strategic aims within the policy framework.
- Actively engage in collaborative board efforts.
- Support digital strategy, leveraging AI.
- Represent the company to key stakeholders, engage with government and potential investors.
Qualifications
Essential Requirements:
- Board-level experience in complex organizations and ambitious programs.
- Proven directorship in high-ambition corporate boards or public bodies.
- Leadership in innovative ecosystems with a focus on groundbreaking innovation.
- Track record of leveraging digital technology for accelerated success.
- Relevant academic qualifications, certifications, and financial literacy.
- Extensive knowledge of industry trends, regulations, and governance best practices.
- Strong strategic thinking, analytical skills, and effective communication abilities.
Additional Information
Meetings and Remuneration
You’re expected to dedicate 25 days annually to the role, involving 11 full meetings from January to November, with additional part days as needed.
Board meetings alternate monthly between in-person and remote, primarily at the UKAEA site in Culham. Approximately two meetings per year will be held at the STEP Plant site in West Burton, Nottinghamshire. Remuneration is £16,667 per annum, inclusive of reasonable travel and expenses.
A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/
We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women. Our Executive team, supported by our ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’ (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organization. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.
Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.
For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.