Job Description

Head of Data Solutions
Culham, Oxfordshire
Salary of \xc2\xa370,875

The Head of Data Solutions holds responsibility for maintaining quality of UKAEA knowledge and information management and for promoting and delivering excellent data science and research data management activities. They drive the exploitation of \'Big Data\' (helping to ensure that maximal information and knowledge are extracted from UKAEA\'s experimental and simulation data). UKAEA has a wealth of existing data, information and knowledge from JET and MAST-U experiments and will rapidly create more through its growing programmes and operational activities. They maintain quality and ensure efficacy of UKAEA information and data management systems, to ensure that high value data assets are adequately curated.

Working closely with UKAEA stakeholders, industry, and academia, they play a leading role in the development of a UKAEA wide "Digital Thread", helping to ensure that decisions are based upon all available data, information, and knowledge. They are also responsible for ensuring that UKAEA has the requisite skills, capacity, and ambition to scale up and scale out its data systems to prepare for the ITER and Exascale era of big data analytics, working with the Director of Computing Programmes to connect UKAEA data systems to the wider UKRI supercomputing landscape and roadmap. This is an outward facing role that requires strong business acumen (e.g., for helping to secure further funding and growth) and a collaborative ethos (engaging with academia, international labs, and industry) to help nurture digital maturity across UKAEA\'s nascent but rapidly growing supply chain.

Responsibilities

- Provide strong and empowering leadership of UKAEA Knowledge, Information and Data Analytics activities.
- Manage and grow a team of knowledge, information, and big data analytics experts and encourage the development of these skills across other departments and programmes within UKAEA.
- Develop and keep up to date an engaging and empowering strategy and delivery framework for knowledge, information, and data exploitation at UKAEA.
- Execute and oversee Data Solutions projects and change activities within the Computing division and ensure that they meet the requirements, expectations and needs of UKAEA stakeholders.
- Ensure that the Data Solutions team is involved in the development/ delivery of other UKAEA programmes and product delivery activities (such that all work is stored against a digital thread and requisite data storage is planned/ budgeted for in advance of need and delivered against a long-term roadmap).
- Develop and use Management Information (MI) metric reporting to monitor the performance of Data Solutions services.
- Be cognizant of how to extract maximal information from UKAEA data assets and help others to do so.
- Assist in the deployment of engineering Simulation Process Data Management (SPDM) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and "beyond PLM" technologies for supporting science and engineering in the Industrial Metaverse era.
- Explore novel, disruptive technologies to help automate and streamline information and knowledge discovery (e.g., by deploying state of the art Natural Language Processing, NLP, solutions).
- Work with the Cyber Security team to ensure appropriate cyber security for UKAEA knowledge, information, and data - including ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
- Foster close collaboration with the Computational Science & Engineering unit to ensure that data architecture maximises utilisation of simulation data assets.
- Develop and deliver Data Solutions training and awareness campaigns to increase the understanding and adoption of good data and information practices across UKAEA.
- Engage with Professional Body Membership and Community Participation (e.g., ARA, AIIM, CILIP and IRMS).
- Work closely with other Units within the Computing Division to break down silos and encourage intra-divisional collaboration and delivery.
- To manage Staff in the Data Solutions unit (Employees and Contractors) according to UKAEA systems.
- Take a leading role on the development and execution of the strategy for the Computing Division and unit in conjunction with the other unit leaders and Computing Division Directors
- Responsible for the safety of staff and any facilities operated by the unit through the Divisional Safety Committee and the Safety Management systems of the UKAEA.
- Look for opportunities outside the organisation for collaboration, partnership and/ or bringing in income (grants, contracts, donations, etc.).
- Budget Responsibility: \xc2\xa31 million to \xc2\xa32 million p.a.

Essential skills, experience and competence required

- Degree (or relevant experience) and ideally a PhD. in a STEM subject.
- Extensive experience leading knowledge and information management in a complex organisation.
- Ability to manage broad portfolios of work, ensuring systems and roles are in place to prioritise goals, manage budgets and schedules, and communicate with stakeholders whilst enabling agile, iterative, quality-driven approaches to software delivery.
- Significant people management experience for varied teams of 20+ technology professionals and ability to define and establish new capabilities and develop others as leaders.
- Ability to communicate, build trust and influence at all levels.
- Deep understanding and experience in practice of FAIR research data management principles.
- Sound knowledge and application experience of Simulation Process Data Management (SPDM) and PLM (design data management) techniques and technologies.

Desirable skills, experience, and competence

- Experience applying Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning or Natural Language Processing techniques for information and knowledge discover.
- Track record of strategic leadership and establishing broad networks and partnerships.
- Membership of appropriate professional bodies (e.g., ACM, IEEE, SIGHPC etc.).

What we offer

- Our comprehensive benefits package includes a vibrant culture committed to being fully inclusive, an Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders, Flexible working options including family friendly policies, Emergency paid leave, Generous annual leave allowance (30.5 days) increased with length of service, wide range of career development opportunities, outstanding defined benefit pension scheme; Corporate bonus scheme (up to 7% for Levels 1 - 7, as well as 3rd and 4th year apprentices) and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).

- We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly from individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, including nationality and citizenship, people with disabilities and women. The Executive team with support from our \'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion\' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, is actively promoting EDI and taking steps to increase the diversity of our people through reinforcing best practice in recruitment and selection, and revaluating approaches where it is clear we can remove barriers to success.

- Note for applicants who are applying for employment with UKAEA either from outside the United Kingdom or who have spent time outside the United Kingdom in the last five years. Visit the UK Government website. If the country, you are resident in or have resided in is not listed on this website or that the UK Government is not aware of how to obtain criminal records check from that state then we are unable to process your application.

UK Atomic Energy Authority