Head of Fusion Technologies and Engineering Department

Eligibility Criteria - you can apply if:

You fulfil five general requirements

1. Being a citizen of one of the Member States of the European Union or of a third state fully associated with the Euratom fusion programme.
2. Enjoying your full rights as a citizen
3. Have fulfilled the obligations imposed on you by the laws of your home country concerning military service.
4. Producing the appropriate character references as to your suitability for the performance of your duties.
5. Being physically fit to perform your duties

Your Education & Experience are in line with our requirements

On the closing date of the application process, you must have:

At least a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more and, after having obtained the university degree, at least 15 years of proven professional experience, of which at least 2 years should have been acquired as a manager;

OR

At least a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is three years and, after having obtained the university degree, at least 16 years of proven professional experience, of which at least 2 years should have been acquired as a manager.

Your Language Skills are developed            

You must produce evidence of excellent written and spoken communications in English and of a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union.

Your Qualifications and Experience

It is essential that your professional history covers two areas:

Technical selection criteria

• University degree in engineering or physical sciences.
• At least 15 years of professional experience commensurate with the responsibilities described above in the “Your key areas of impact” section.
• At least 10 years’ experience of:
  • • Leading, motivating and developing multidisciplinary highly qualified expert teams of >20 personnel in organisations managing engineering and or R&D activities.
    • Sourcing and managing engineering or technical services with an average annual expenditure of >5 million EUR.
• Proven experience of at least 5 years in resource allocation negotiations and arbitration
• Proven experience in complex projects governance, organisation, and delivery

Management Skills

We take your management and behavioural abilities very seriously. The incumbent will be an exemplary leader. As part of the selection process, shortlisted candidates will attend a management assessment centre.

Amongst others, the following managerial competences in a non-eliminatory basis will be assessed:

• Ability to communicate clearly, demonstrate a collaborative management style and foster the well-being of staff.
• Ability to build productive and cooperative working relationships with hierarchy, partners, and stakeholders.
• Create and share a vision; motivate, coach, and develop others while fostering collaboration, trust, support, understanding, sharing and responsibility.
• Delegate, establish objectives and monitor follow-up of activities.

Advantageous Selection Criteria

In addition to the above, the following criteria may be considered:

• Working experience of design, construction and/or operation of magnetic fusion devices and/or their components.
• Proven track record of holding a managerial position in matrix organisations.
• Experience at senior management level in an organisation of 250+ employees.
• Experience of working in a nuclear environment.
• Post-graduate certifications in management studies, engineering, or project management.
• Experience working in international and multicultural environment.
• Track record in visibly championing/sponsoring or leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in the last 5 years.

Do you have a track record in leading and inspiring large multidisciplinary teams managing engineering or R&D activities? Are you ready to develop a centre of excellence for critical fusion technologies. Then this is the job for you as we are looking for our new Head of Fusion Technologies and Engineering!

Fusion for Energy (F4E) is managing Europe’s contribution to ITER, the biggest fusion experiment, and is contributing to several other major projects in the same domain. The fusion landscape is changing fast and F4E as a key European player will enter in a new organisation in the coming months. The Head of Fusion Technologies and Engineering Department, will be at the heart of this new organisation, counting around 100 members of staff whose head is a member of F4E’s leadership team.

Your key areas of impact

The newly created Fusion Technologies and Engineering Department supports F4E programmes and projects by providing them with technical services, expertise and highly qualified staff in the key domains of engineering and fusion technologies. It acts as a centre of competence and is the place where technical expertise is developed and recognised through attractive technical professional paths.

The Department has around 100 staff organised into five Units: (a) Mechanical Engineering, (b) Materials, Manufacturing and Metrology, (c) Project Engineering, CAD and Data Management, (d) Engineering Analysis, Plasma Engineering and System Qualification and (e) Electrical Engineering – I&C.

The Head of the Fusion Technologies and Engineering Department reports to the Director and is a member of F4E’s leadership team contributing to the collective leadership of F4E.

Their key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the efficient and flexible mobilisation of technical resources for F4E’s programmes and projects in close cooperation with the Projects Department
• Develop a centre of technical excellence ensuring the role of technical authority of F4E in collaboration with the Projects Department.
• Ensure the proper, timely and transparent identification and assessment of risks, and foster their mitigation through adequate internal controls, in line with F4E’s policies.
• Create a motivating and safe climate to foster the development of high performing teams, as well as supporting the professional development of the managers and staff under their authority.
• Seek and implement opportunities to improve the efficiency and performance of the programmes and projects, in particular, for the ITER project through integration and other means.
• Implement and monitor outsourcing strategies to optimize efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality of the technical support to the Projects Department.
• Develop and maintain the knowledge in critical fusion technologies.
• Contribute to the implementation of F4E´s Industrial Policy, particularly the Technology Development Programme. 
• Collectively contribute with the senior management team to strategic decisions affecting F4E and the implementation of the longer-term vision of developing fusion energy.
• Contribute to the development of the organization with respect to people, processes, and structure in cooperation with the relevant departments and units in the organization.
• Support effective relations with F4E’s key stakeholders including industrial suppliers and European Fusion Laboratories.