National AI Awards 2025Discover AI's trailblazers! Join us to celebrate innovation and nominate industry leaders.

Nominate & Attend

Senior Scientist / Engineer - Time & Frequency

National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
London
2 days ago
Create job alert

Join to apply for the Senior Scientist / Engineer - Time & Frequency role at National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
4 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants
Join to apply for the Senior Scientist / Engineer - Time & Frequency role at National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
Our world-leading Time & Frequency department seek an experienced and practicing Senior Scientist / Engineer.
ABOUT THE ROLE:
You will be joining our team at an exciting time - we maintain the UK’s National Time Scale, UTC (NPL), and are currently developing a new resilient Time Scale facility that will underpin o ur Critical National Infrastructure (C NI). This will address the risks associated with our dependency on global navigation satellite systems (such as GPS) that are vulnerable to both natural and intentional interference.
As Senior Scientist / Engineer, you will join a multi-disciplinary team of Scientists and Engineers in our National Timing Centre to develop new Time and Frequency infrastructure within the UK. You'll have a pivotal role in creating robust systems for ground- and satellite-based Time and Frequency dissemination, based on Atomic Clocks located at several UK sites. This will include testing and implementation of:
Satellite communication
Optical fibre
GNSS-based and monitoring subsystems
Key responsibilities:
Leading a team of System Engineers and Scientists to deliver high-quality projects to time, quality and cost
Design and implementation of hardware / software for satellite communication, optical fibre and GNSS-based time and frequency transfer techniques for comparing distant atomic clocks
Developing novel time dissemination systems, equipment and applications to support UK sovereign and industry needs
Collaborating with wider teams to innovate high-specification solutions
Interacting with internal / external stakeholders to determine their needs and tailor expert solutions
ABOUT YOU:
Reporting to a Principal Scientist, you’ll enjoy a pivotal role in the design of critical UK infra structure that pushes the boundaries of measurement accuracy for the UK’s new resilient Time Scale.
Essential skills:
Experience in Time and Frequency measurement/Time scales
A degree in a relevant field of Science or Engineering (or equivalent experience)
Leading Systems Engineering processes; including requirements, design and implementation
A rigorous approach to problem solving and the ability to develop solutions to difficult problems
Team management
Advantageous:
A postgraduate degree in a relevant field of Science or Engineering; such as satellite navigation systems (GNSS), SATCOM, communications or systems engineering
Postgraduate experience (industrial or R&D) in software engineering applications, such as
Python, LabVIEW or MATLAB
Professional experience within an Engineering or R&D environment
Experience of working on Systems Engineering projects; from start to completion
Practical knowledge of SATCOM, optical fibre, and GNSS-based systems
Real-time monitoring and control of electronic hardware
Experience in atmospheric propagation of radio/microwave signals or Space science/systems
Experience of working on software for robust operational systems
We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.
However, to work in this role in the Time & Frequency department, you will need to have an SC clearance with no restrictions, or you must have the ability to obtain an SC clearance.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.
ABOUT NPL:
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK.
NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.
At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we hold memberships and accreditations to ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome, please see our Diversity & Inclusion page.
We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of benefits. Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success.
To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.
Seniority level Seniority level Associate
Employment type Employment type Full-time
Job function Job function Science and Engineering
Industries Research Services
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at National Physical Laboratory (NPL) by 2x
Get notified about new Postdoctoral Researcher jobs in London Area, United Kingdom .
Post-doctoral Research Associate, Randall Cell & Molecular Biophysics London, England, United Kingdom 3 weeks ago
London, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
London, England, United Kingdom 3 days ago
London, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago
Post-doctoral Research Associate in Neuroimaging London, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago
London, England, United Kingdom 4 weeks ago
London, England, United Kingdom 20 hours ago
Applied Research Scientist, AI (Protein, Biology Focus) Postdoctoral Research Associate in Radiopharmaceutical Development London, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago
Research Scientist (Chemistry) - AI Trainer Funded PhD Studentships in Outbreak-Related Behaviours London, England, United Kingdom 5 days ago
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Informatics London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
London, England, United Kingdom 4 weeks ago
Biosensor Research Scientist (Nanotechnology) London, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
Research Scientist, GenAI Speech (London) London, England, United Kingdom 1 day ago
London, England, United Kingdom 18 hours ago
Applied Research Scientist, AI (RNA, Biology Focus) London, England, United Kingdom 6 months ago
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Organometallic Chemistry London, England, United Kingdom 3 weeks ago
Research Scientist | Reinforcement Learning | Python | Machine Learning | Deep Learning | Hybrid, London London, England, United Kingdom 3 days ago
London, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 year ago
Research Scientist - AI Agent (Contractor) London, England, United Kingdom 1 year ago
Postdoctoral Training Fellow - Computational Single Cell Biology (Dr Stephen-John Sammut) London, England, United Kingdom 3 days ago
Research Scientist - Analytical Development London, England, United Kingdom 15 hours ago
London, England, United Kingdom 2 months ago
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Related Jobs

View all jobs

(Associate) Principal Scientist - Antibody Engineering (London)

(Associate) Principal Scientist - Antibody Engineering (London)

Principal Scientist

Principal Scientist

Principal Scientist

Principal Scientist

National AI Awards 2025

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

How to Present Biotech Concepts to Non-Scientists: A Public Speaking Guide for Job Seekers

In today’s biotechnology job market, your ability to explain complex science clearly is just as important as your lab skills. Whether you're applying for a research role, pitching to investors, or collaborating with marketing teams, you'll often need to present technical information to people without a scientific background. This blog explores how biotechnology job seekers can develop and deliver compelling presentations that make sense to non-scientists. From structuring your content to designing effective slides and using storytelling to bring data to life, these techniques will help you stand out in interviews and on the job.

Biotech Jobs Employer Hotlist 2025: 50 UK Companies Actively Hiring Right Now 

Bookmark this guide – we refresh it every quarter so you always know who’s really expanding their life‑science teams. The UK biotechnology scene is on a tear in 2025. Venture & follow‑on funding hit £3.5 billion last year, up 94 % on 2023, and Q1 2025 alone brought in another £924 million of equity for scaling therapeutics, diagnostics & deep‑tech platforms  bioindustry.org. Meanwhile, Westminster’s new industrial strategy pledges a record £86 billion for science & tech, with life sciences top of the eight “high‑growth” priority sectors . The consequence? Hiring is white‑hot. From big‑pharma giants to gene‑editing start‑ups, employers need research scientists, QC analysts, bioprocess engineers, bioinformaticians, regulatory specialists & commercial leads – right now. Below you’ll find 50 organisations that have posted UK vacancies or announced head‑count growth during the past eight weeks. They’re grouped into five bite‑size categories so you can jump straight to the type of employer – & mission – that excites you. For every entry you’ll see: Main UK hub Example recent vacancy Why it’s worth your time (tech, culture, impact) Use the internal search on BiotechnologyJobs.co.uk to pull up live roles, or set a free alert so fresh openings land in your inbox.

Return-to-Work Pathways: Relaunch Your Biotechnology Career with Returnships, Flexible & Hybrid Roles

Returning to work after a career break can feel like stepping into a new frontier—especially in a fast-evolving sector such as biotechnology. Whether you’ve paused your professional journey for parenting, caring responsibilities or another life chapter, the UK’s biotech industry now offers a variety of return-to-work pathways designed to help you transition back smoothly. From formal returnships and part-time contracts to hybrid and fully flexible roles, these programmes acknowledge the value of your transferable skills and life experience. In this guide tailored for parents and carers, you’ll discover how to: Grasp the current demand for biotech talent in the UK Translate your organisational, communication and resilience skills into the laboratory and beyond Tackle common re-entry challenges with practical solutions Refresh your scientific and technical knowledge through targeted learning Access returnship and re-entry programmes specifically in biotech Find roles that fit around family commitments—be they flexible, hybrid or full-time Balance work with caring duties Navigate applications, interviews and networking in the biotech world Learn from inspiring returner success stories Get quick answers in our FAQ section Whether you’re keen to step back into a research lab, quality control, regulatory affairs or bioinformatics team, this article will map out the steps and resources you need to reignite your biotechnology career.