Graduate Project Manager Edinburgh 2021

The UK Astronomy Technology Centre (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 fields. This includes 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.

Your responsibilities

As a Graduate Project Manager at the UK ATC, the post holder will work within teams across a wide range of projects, according to the processes and procedures in place which are based around the APM Body of Knowledge standards and the STFC Project Management Framework.

Working within a matrix organisation alongside engineers, technicians and scientists, the main duties will include:-

• Project Planning & Risks: Support the Senior Project Manager and the Work Package Managers by facilitating the planning, tracking of progress, and status reporting of key tasks against the project delivery commitments. Initially, this includes tasks such as schedule capture and maintenance, closing-out actions, identifying delays and compiling progress reports etc. As experience is gained, other duties will be required including critical path identification and control, and risk register analysis.
• Project Finance: Assist in the set-up of work package budgets against estimates, then monitor actual project spend in terms of effort and material cost against the budgets, reporting status as required.
• Stakeholder Reporting: Draft information to assist the Senior Project Manager in the reporting of project status to all partners and customers.
• Consortium Management: Using the experience gained from UK ATC specific work packages, monitor and control schedule and costs incurred on work packages external to the UK ATC within the project Consortium. This will involve tracking institute schedule updates and feeding the date back into the master schedule; following-up on actions, especially risk mitigation actions; checking institute financial returns against their budgets and consolidating them into the overall finance plan.
• Procurement & Contract Management: Produce and implement procurement plans, work with procurement staff to raise orders, then track all key items towards delivery according to contract terms and conditions.
• Project Management of Small Projects: Responsible for the cost and delivery, to the required specification and standards, of some small scale and/or short duration projects.

Please note that some of these tasks may involve UK/international travel to external consortium institutes.

What you'll need

Essential

• Obtained first degree bachelors or Masters, (not doctorate) in a relevant subject in either 2020, 2021 or be due to receive it in 2022 
• Expected or have achieved a 2:1 or above 
• The right to live and work in the UK 
• Strong interpersonal, communication, organisational and presentational skills
• Knowledge of project management principles gained either through university modules or work-place experience - including project set-up, planning, risk analysis, financial control 
• Knowledge of the principles of system engineering and the project life-cycle models 
• Sound technical awareness in an engineering field

Desirable Criteria

• IT skills, especially with respect to Microsoft Office Applications
• Knowledge of QA and SHE Management Systems
• Awareness of one or more project management frameworks such as PMI, APM or PRINCE 2.

About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 

The STFC is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation where curiosity, blue-skies thinking meets practical, application-led science and engineering. Our goal is to deliver economic, societal, scientific and international benefits to the UK and its people – and more broadly to the world.

As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we’re trusted to support, enable and undertake ground-breaking projects in an outstanding diversity of fields. Through world-class facilities and people, we’re driving progressive advances in science, engineering, computing and technology. Our research seeks to understand the Universe from the largest astronomical scales to the tiniest constituents of matter, yet creates impact on a very tangible, human scale.

For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/ 

You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/

About UK Research Innovation (UKRI) 

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

How we support EDI in the workforce 

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply 

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.