Controls Software Developer Industrial Placement

Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Salary: £24,961 per annum

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours

Contract Type: Fixed-Term, 12months

Location:  Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire 

Closing Date: Sunday, 19th October 2025 

Interview Date: Dec 2025 / Jan 2026

Start Date:  September 2026

The ISIS Neutron and Muon Source is located at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire and is used for world-leading research in material and biological sciences. The Controls team is responsible for the control software that keeps the ISIS particle accelerators running. The expert crew of operators in the ISIS main control room (MCR) every day use the software we develop and maintain to supervise and control this sophisticated machine. Together we enable hundreds of visiting scientists to conduct their research!  

We are a small and friendly development team who work in a hybrid way, mixing working in the office and from home. We are experienced working with student developers, providing you with the training and support you need to develop your skills and contribute to our team and ISIS. 

Brief overview of the scheme

STFC’s incredibly diverse range of placements allow you to work alongside world leading engineers, scientists, and technicians in highly collaborative environments. With an STFC Industrial Placement you will become a critical member of the team in which you will be exposed to exciting projects and challenges from the start. 

We’ll provide challenges that match your skills, and each placement is a unique opportunity to pursue your career interests. You will be supported every step of the way by our dedicated Early Careers Development Team who will also ensure you benefit from a range of personal development opportunities. 

STFC offers a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas closure and flexible working hours. For more information on our full list of benefits, please visit here. 

About the role and a summary of key duties & responsibilities 

Phoebus is the open-source Java software developed by and used to control particle accelerators across the world. At ISIS, it is used by our MCR crew to operate the ISIS accelerators. One role of Phoebus is to monitor equipment across ISIS and alert the crew in the MCR of problems as they arise. False or unnecessary alarms may be manually suppressed by the MCR crew. However, when ISIS is shutdown or only running to one target hundreds of false alarms can be triggered. To address this, you will  

• develop a utility to allow the crew to easily and temporarily suppress alarms from specific areas of ISIS.  
• work to integrate your solution into the open-source Phoebus software.  

With the experience gained through this work, you will continue to improve the Phoebus user interface for our crew, though development of new tools and improvement of the existing interfaces. 

Person Specification  The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I). 

Essential:

• Studying for a degree in software development or computing discipline (S) 
• Are required or have requested to take an industrial placement year (S) 
• Have the right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the placement (S) 
• Able to commence employment in summer 2026 (S) 
• Experience programming in an object-oriented language, Java or Kotlin would be particularly useful (S&I)  
• Ability to work with other developers in a team (I)  
• Ability to adapt based on feedback from other developers and users (I)  

Desirable:

• Good communication and interpersonal skills (S&I)  
• Evidence of interest in web technologies and development frameworks, e.g. React (S&I)  
• Experience with version control, e.g. git, and software development best practice (I)  

Employee Benefits:

• 30 days holiday (in addition to 10.5 bank holidays and privilege days).
• Flexible working hours.
• An excellent defined average salary pension scheme.
• Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.
• Cycle to work scheme.

Link to more benefits: https://stfccareers.co.uk/rewards-and-benefits/

As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y

Application Guidance

Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate.

Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert.

Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received. 

We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us.

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what's possible!

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

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.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.  For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.

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 applicants with a disability who opt into the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for the role. 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.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.