STFC – The Science and Technology Facilities Council – Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire or Daresbury Laboratory, Cheshire

Location: Daresbury, Harwell
Salary: Circa £82,000, plus discretionary allowances
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
Placed on: 19th March 2018
Closes: 22nd April 2018
Job Ref: IRC244585

About Us

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is one of Europe’s largest research organisations. Through combining world-class facilities with major international collaborations and some of the world’s most talented staff, we’re driving ground-breaking advances in science and technology.

STFC’s Scientific Computing Department (SCD) develops leading edge software, computer and data storage infrastructures to support the work of leading science both within STFC and internationally; contributing to the solution of grand scientific computing challenges.

SCD employs over 150 staff including experts in a number of scientific fields such as computational chemistry and biology, computational engineering, materials science, band theory, advanced research computing, atomic and molecular physics, numerical analysis, data services and petascale storage.

About The Role

We now have an excellent opportunity for a highly skilled and experienced Scientific Computing professional to lead SCD across two sites, ensuring delivery of strategic goals, supporting delivery of the STFC e-infrastructure strategy and leading the provision and development of the rapidly evolving e-Infrastructure required by advanced science facilities.

You will provide visible and inspiring leadership for SCD in delivering STFC’s corporate vision for data intensive computing across all our programmes and facilities and implement our delivery plan for scientific computing, including providing core support for the STFC Hartree Centre.

Through strategic collaboration with the STFC large scale facilities, you will deliver and develop innovative, state of the art, leading edge computational tools and techniques to underpin and enhance their scientific programmes, including ensuring the success of the emerging Ada Lovelace centre.

You will also be responsible for direct line management of senior staff and sound financial, safety and risk management of the department, which has a budget of circa £12m.

Further responsibilities will include:

Leadership of STFC’s world-class expertise and support for the UK theoretical and computational science communities, in both academia and industry, through collaborative computational programmes. Maintenance and development of cost-effective and efficient services that enable predictions from complex theories to be calculated from first principles and be compared directly with experimental data
Leading the provision of the computing, data storage and networking infrastructure required by advanced science facilities and the undertaking of background research, from simulation and experimental design, data collection, data management and analysis through to publication
Delivery of STFC’s commitments to the government’s e-leadership programme as it becomes established within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and through effective partnership with universities, industry and other end users
Working with STFC’s Chief Data Scientist and other colleagues within STFC and UKRI to develop the Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence for Scientific Data
Influencing international scientific and investment decisions
Strengthening strategic partnerships with key national and international organisations to achieve joint delivery of shared strategies and objectives
Sharing corporate accountability for the delivery of our Vision, Strategy and Delivery Plan as a member of the Operations Board; supporting development of future corporate strategy, policy and plans to optimise delivery of STFC’s objectives and ensuring that SCD continues to contribute effectively to STFC’s overall performance.
The role can be based at either Harwell, Oxfordshire or Daresbury, Cheshire, with travel required between the two sites, as well as UK and overseas travel required.

About You

You will hold a degree in a STEM discipline, with PhD qualified candidates desirable.

You will demonstrate significant experience in a senior management/director level position within a hi-tech or science and technology organisation, with a strong record in scientific computing or software.

You will also have experience in working with relevant academic communities and/or industries, along with experience in successfully managing financial budgets, ideally from multiple funding streams.

You will have strong knowledge of theoretical and computational science/research, including broad understanding of the science and technology across STFC, as well as knowledge of the e-Infrastructure capabilities required by advanced science facilities.

You will display the ability to operate at a strategic level; demonstrating strategic vision and corporate planning, as well as exceptional leadership, team working and collaboration skills.

You will demonstrate excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills, including the ability to build strong relationships at all levels and to positively influence stakeholders and attract external collaborators and investment.

Benefits

STFC holds the Investor in People Gold accreditation and offers a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, flexible working hours, a workplace nursery, exceptional pension scheme and social and sporting activities and societies. A relocation allowance may also be available where applicable.

To Apply

Applicants are required to include a cover letter outlining their suitability for this role. Please also state where you saw this role advertised.

Applications are received by UK SBS; to apply please visit our job board at http://www.topcareer.jobs/Vacancy/irc244585_8064.aspx. Applicants who are unable to apply online should contact us by telephone on +44 (0)1793 867000.

The closing date for applications is 22nd April 2018 with interviews scheduled for 16 May 2018.