Job Description

The UK Government has established UK Fusion Energy (UKFE) Ltd , a subsidiary of UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), to lead the charge in delivering fusion energy through design and delivery of the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion plant. UKFE is establishing itself, setting up the company, attracting talent, engaging with industry, developing a supply chain, and planning and constructing of the STEP prototype.

Fusion energy, crucial for combating climate change and ensuring energy independence, is expected to be commercially viable by mid-century. The UK, led by UKFE, aims for a prototype fusion plant, targeting first operations around 2040. UK Fusion Energy Ltd. will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year. Join UKFE and the STEP programme to be involved in this ground breaking journey.

As an employee of UKFE, you will benefit from:

• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporate bonus scheme up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working options including family friendly policies and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment.
• Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders, 
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays
• Wide range of career development opportunities
• A vibrant culture committed to being fully inclusive

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/

The salary for this role is £73,190 plus excellent benefits including outstanding pension

This position is to be based at West Burton, Nottinghamshire and onsite working is expected for 3 days each week.

For more information on UKFE, visit: https://careers.ukaea.uk/wp-content/uploads/download/UKIFS_CandidateRecruitmentPack.pdf

The closing date for this advert is set for the 10th April 2026.

STEP is a bold and ambitious programme, and we are developing pioneering new technologies in order to achieve the goal. We are generating considerable intellectual property which we will use to inspire and enable the fusion industry, strengthening the UK’s leadership in the industry.

As the programme progresses and our whole plant partners come on board, you will have responsibility for leading on a range of intellectual property matters generated by one of the STEP technology streams.

The role involves identifying, protecting and managing IP generated by the STEP technology stream, performing landscape and risk analysis, and advising the technology and engineering teams on all aspects of intellectual property.

Accountability 1: Client Counselling

Responsibilities:

• Advising technologists and engineers on IP matters.
• Ensuring that IP decisions are made in alignment with the IP strategy, always leading to best for programme outcomes.
• Developing collaborative relationships with technical and engineering teams.
• Being the go-to person for the specific technology stream.

Accountability 2: Identifying and Protecting Innovation

Responsibilities:

• Engaging with project teams to support the identification of potentially protectable intellectual property.
• Advising on protection options aligned with the IP strategy.
• Supporting the capture of intellectual property and recordal in the IP register.
• Determine patentability of protectable inventions
• Draft and prosecute patent applications and/or engage with external counsel to support the drafting and prosecution of patent applications.
• Identify suitable IP commercialisation opportunities and engage the innovation technology transfer team to enable and drive commercialisation of the IP assets.
• Produce IP register report documenting and communicating IP portfolio growth, value, and commercialisation opportunities.

Accountability 3: Landscape and Risk Analysis and Management

Responsibilities:

• Perform landscape and freedom to operate searching or engage with external expert search services to achieve same.
• Review and assess landscape search results, prioritising, and mapping relevance, and communicating the results to the technology workstream.
• Identify intellectual property risk, analyse potential impact on the programme and generate a freedom to operate opinion with support of external counsel where necessary.
• Communicate potential IP risk and management strategy with stakeholders.

Accountability 4: IP Portfolio Management

Responsibilities:

• Develop an annual IP portfolio management process, set and agree KPIs with technology workstream stakeholders.
• Define and control an annual technology stream IP budget.
• Manage the intellectual property portfolio in alignment with the IP and technology transfer strategy, always leading to best for programme outcomes.

Accountability 5: IP Training

Responsibilities:

• Prepare and deliver a suit of IP training materials suitable for different levels of experience with the technology workstream.
• Respond to additional IP training requests, as necessary.
• Manage IP training register.

Qualifications

Essential

• Proven experience advising clients (technologists and engineers) and managing intellectual property matters.
• Patent Attorney UK and/or European qualified with significant PQE.
• Demonstratable experience in invention identification and capture, prior art review and assessment.
• Extensive patent drafting and prosecution experience.
• Experience managing an IP portfolio ensuring alignment to the IP strategy, generating breadth, and controlling cost; producing concise, informative reports for stakeholders.
• Experience working as the IP expert in a matrix and project-based environment, and with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• The ability to build, collaborate and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, ranging from technical to executive.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, priority setting and attention to detail.
• Strong technical background with a degree in Scientific or Engineering discipline.

Beneficial:

• Experience of managing IP matters in an industry setting.
• IP risk assessment, freedom to operate analysis and opinion generation.
• High quality Prior art, landscape and freedom to operate searching.

Additional Information

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from British black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

UKFE is committed to being accessible. Please email talent@ukfe.uk if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions. Whilst not required at this time, there is a possibility of an SC Clearance being required in the future. If a candidate already holds an SC clearance, that clearance can be transferred to UKFE.

As we work towards our mission and goals, guided by our principles, STEP has six behaviours that are intended to capture the spirit of how we work:

• We champion safety
• We all matter
• We act as one
• We embrace change
• We are pioneering
• We deliver

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.