Senior Project Manager
UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Edinburgh
UKRI Band F
Salary: £49,708 to £55,231 per annum
Full Time
Open Ended

About the role

The UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC) Project Management group now seeks an experienced project manager. This role will manage the UK led MOONS (Multi-Object Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph) project which is being developed in Edinburgh, working closely with both UK and international partners. The MOONS instrument is destined for the Very Large Telescope in Chile, where it will measure millions of objects over the coming decade.      

As a Senior Project Manager at the UK ATC, you will be expected to work concurrently on large-scale projects, adhering to the processes and procedures in place at UK ATC. You will also be expected to contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of these processes in parallel with any project work. You will be responsible for the project cost and delivery and ensure it meets required specification, quality and safety standards. You will be working within a multidisciplinary organisation alongside engineers, technicians and scientists, and reporting to the Head of Project Management at the UK ATC.

Main duties of this role will also include:

• Leading the overall MOONS project, overseeing the work at UK ATC and with participating UK and international collaborators.
• Working closely with the Work Package Managers and other Institute Project Managers to make certain their ability to deliver the required value to time and budget.
• Managing the delivery by confirming the design baseline and ensuring that the appropriate change management control processes are established and adhered to across the project.
• Managing the quality and safety aspects of the project using established industry standards and in-house procedures.

All of the above may require a certain amount of national/international travel to liaise with partners.

About You

You will have a technical background, significant project management experience working in either industry or academia and experience in leading complex, multi-disciplinary, multi-partner development projects. You will have the ability to develop and nurture professional working relationships with both project partners and customers at the highest levels.

You will have significant design experience in engineering, some of which in a lead role, involving requirements captured from conceptual information right through to product delivery. You will have excellent communication, organisational and presentational skills, enabling the succinct presentation of information to a wide range of stake-holder groups.

We are looking for someone with well-developed influencing and negotiating skills with proven team leadership skills. You will have experience in leading collaborative, technical engineering projects involving international partners and be comfortable working in a multi-project environment.

Join our team

A part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), UK ATC is the national centre for the design and production of world-leading astronomical instruments and systems in the United Kingdom. As a science driven, professional engineering organisation, we employ state-of-the-art technology across all engineering disciplines, including complex optical and infra-red detectors, vacuum-cryogenics, control electronics and software, for both astronomy and non-astronomy applications, in collaboration with academic and industrial partners around the world. The instruments we produce are unique and technically challenging, but must be easy to use and highly reliable in difficult environments, such as on high mountain sites and in Space. Current major projects at the UK ATC include Harmoni and METIS for the ELT, MOONS for the VLT, MIRI for the JWST, and software for ALMA and the SKA.

As part of UK Research and Innovation, STFC offers a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance. This includes 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas shut down, flexible working hours and an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme.

How to Apply

Applicants are required to include a cover letter outlining their suitability for this role. Early applications are encouraged, as candidates may be invited for interview ahead of the closing date

Applications are handled by UK Shared Business Services, to apply please click the apply button. Applicants who are unable to apply online should contact us by telephone on +44 (0)1793 867000.

The closing date for applications is 29^th November 2020.