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AWE is currently recruiting for an Explosives Operations Manager, working within our Explosive Materials and Initiation Science (XMIS) team this role will afford you the opportunity to build upon your skills and experience gained in managing a laboratory environment within our Materials and Analytical Science (MAS) function.

Explosives Operations Manager

Location: Reading

Salary: £33,770 - £50,650 (dependant on suitability and level of experience)

Closing Date: 2nd November 2023

As part of our People Promise, AWE (one of the best 25 big companies to work for in the UK) has a range of benefits to suit you. These include:

Time to recharge your batteries with 270 hours of annual leave (plus every other Friday off work)

Consideration for flexible working arrangements so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know on your application if you wish to work part time

Opportunities for Professional Career Development that include funding for the annual membership of a relevant professional body, access to mentors and training

Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services

A generous defined contribution Group Personal Pension (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your own contribution)

Life Assurance

Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending

Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring for your family

A host of voluntary & core benefits to suit your health and wellbeing - more information available on our careers site

The role has three key parts:

Support the management of several explosives buildings that contain explosives characterisation processes (lab and building manager). You will be a key interface between many aspects of the Explosives Technology Centre (XTC)

Enable management of these processes by supporting Technologists and Scientists to bring online new processes and maintain current processes (support for safe system of work packs, asset change management etc)

Support hands-on testing within the laboratories carrying out materials characterisation methods to evaluate the safety and performance properties of energetic materials.

Additional responsibilities include:

Undertaking lab and building management including local work deconfliction, liaising with facility teams, monitoring the daily undertakings within the building, and conducting various process and lab safety assessments

Helping to develop operating instructions and safe systems of work

Helping to develop and maintain diagnostics

Providing support to evaluate, interpret and report data for routine analysis

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with knowledge and/or experience of managing a lab environment.

It is desirable that candidates can demonstrate at least a basic understanding / experience of the following:

Working with hazardous materials

Managing laboratories and/or facilities

Good laboratory practices, including document and laboratory quality

Safe systems of work (operating instructions, risk assessments, COSHH assessments, manual handling assessments)

Problem solving and troubleshooting

The role will likely include taking on a number of additional roles for which training will be required:

Risk / COSHH / Manual Handling Assessor

Asset change manager (ACM)

Trained to support 'deliberate firings' of explosives

Personal attributes should include:

Excellent communication skills, verbal and written

Ability to work with others collaboratively in a cross-team setting

Enthusiastic, positive, proactive, have a flexible attitude and able to take the initiative

Appreciating the need for quality

Candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role and be willing and able to work in designated areas