About the Role

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) sets the standards by which things are all measured. At NPL, we touch ordinary lives in extraordinary ways and you could too.

NPL’s Electronic and Magnetic Materials Group delivers world-leading measurement capabilities to Industry and academia, working with many sectors, including aerospace, automotive, energy and medical, supporting the UK’s electric propulsion and Earth observation strategies.

Abut the candidate

We are looking for a person with an aptitude for science or engineering to work within the Magnetics theme to calibrate instruments and characterise magnetic and non-magnetic materials . Your role as an Assistant Scientist will be to organise and deliver customer calibrations and measurements in accordance with ISO 9001 and UKAS accreditation (ISO 17025), planning and making measurements, analysing the data and generating customer reports. You will assist in maintenance of facilities and equipment to enable delivery of other measurements. As new measurement requirements are identified you may also work alongside other scientists as part of the project team delivering new measurement capabilities and solutions. A mixture of on-the-job training, self-learning and formal training will be provided.

The successful candidates will require

• A good knowledge of physics and mathematics to A level or above

• An active interest in engineering or experience of working in a laboratory environment

• A basic knowledge of electrical and magnetic quantities and measurement techniques. An appreciation of the behaviour of magnetic materials and the principles of magnetic sensors would be an advantage.

• An ability to problem-solve, observe trends in measurement results and question results when needed.

• Good communication skills (both written and verbal) in order to liaise with customers, to understand their requirements and to discuss results, together with organisational skills to deliver work to time, quality and customer expectations.

• Excellent team working and relationship skills and an ability to adapt and apply knowledge to new challenges

• Proficiency with MS Office applications. Experience with technical software such as Mathcad or Labview would be a bonus.

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 and 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.