Position Title: Senior Technologist– Sustainability and Strategy
Reporting to: Head of Technology – Sustainability and Strategy
Job Type: Permanent
Location: Cranfield or London /Hybrid working
Travel: As required
Salary: Competitive
About the ATI
The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is an independent company established as a collaboration between Government and Industry to define the UK’s aerospace technology strategy and fund a wide variety of transformative research and technology projects, securing the UK’s position as a global leader in aerospace technology development. The UK government recently announced continued support for the Institute to 2030, with R&D funding of £975m. This will be matched by industry, generating funding of circa £2bn for UK aerospace R&D, building on the £3.2bn already invested to date.
The ATI was established in 2014 and has since cemented itself in the centre of the UK aerospace technology and innovation scene. The ATI Programme has generated an extensive portfolio of over 400 cutting-edge projects across the sector, making a significant impact through securing jobs, maintaining skills and delivering economic benefits in every country and region in the UK. Project partners include SMEs, large companies, research centres and academia, reinforcing the UK’s capabilities in aerospace R&T through fostering collaboration. The ATI works in partnership with the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) and Innovate UK to offer funding streams designed to accelerate innovation in the UK to maintain global competitiveness.
Having now been established for over 10 years, the ATI has generated significant impact through advancing technologies that will play a key role in enabling aviation to reduce its environmental impact through providing thought leadership on all aspects on the future of flight. The UK aerospace sector is going through a major change cycle to meet its sustainability responsibilities, which entails substantial technology investment and development. It is vital, then, that the ATI continues to evolve with ambitious plans to deliver on its mission of transforming aerospace through technology and innovation.
The ATI employs approximately 50 people, with all areas of the business working collaboratively to contribute to the thought and delivery effort. The ATI possesses a unique level of influence; positioned at the centre of the industry’s technology and innovation scene, the ATI works with a large and complex group of stakeholders and, as such, the way in which these networks are managed and engaged has a big bearing on the impact that can be achieved.
Its unique vantage point across the sector, coupled with its strong connections with both DBT and Innovate UK, allow the ATI to track relevant activity across all parts of the private sector – from start-ups, SMEs to large corporates – and academia in order to channel investment into new technology and R&D, facilitating cross-supply chain collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
Demand for ATI Programme funding is high continues to increase. Today the ATI provides a range of support to the aerospace sector including £240m/year funding for technology research, significant engagement and network facilitation, and a start-up accelerator. As the ATI continues to evolve, there is a growing need for collaborations with adjacent ecosystems and sectors such as energy and other transport modes such as automotive and marine.
Following the success of the ATI’s Fly Zero programme, a unique and first of its kind way of delivering collaborative strategic research for the UK, the organisation launched ‘Destination Zero’ in 2022. Destination Zero set out the UK’s sector-wide aerospace technology strategy and provides guidance on the challenges facing the aerospace industry if it is to meet the 2050 zero carbon target. The strategy provides guidance on the ATI Programme investment priorities and provides technology roadmaps across four areas of focus:
Zero-carbon emission aircraft technologies:
Zero-carbon emission technologies are focused on propulsion and infrastructure development to enable zero-carbon tailpipe emissions. This encompasses battery, hydrogen, and fuel cell technologies, much of which are in early stages of development.
Ultra-efficient aircraft technologies:
Ultra-efficient technologies are focused on improving energy efficiency and hence impact CO2 emissions, NOx and noise. Continued development of crucial high value, sustainable, high productivity manufacturing technologies will position the UK to be a first-choice location for the industry.
Cross-cutting enabling technologies:
To enable both the zero-carbon and ultra-efficient opportunities, the UK must develop cross-cutting enabling technologies and capabilities for whole aircraft design and analysis. These capabilities should extend to the aircraft lifecycle from design, through manufacture & assembly, operation, and end of life.
Non-CO2 technologies:
Published in March 2024, the ATI Non-CO2 Technologies Roadmap is the first of its kind. It reflects the UK aerospace sector’s collective view of the research actions needed to improve understanding and reduce broader atmospheric emissions from aircraft. Addressing the priority areas identified in the Non-CO2 Technologies Roadmap will reduce uncertainty in fundamental science and deliver technology solutions to mitigate or prevent non-CO2 emissions during flight.
ATI Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Statement:
We are experts in our field, trusted to be impartial in our activities, and present a fair and independent view. We are passionate about innovation and technology and understand the rewards of bringing together a diverse and forward-thinking team to explore, enhance and shape our aerospace agenda. We are committed to equality in everything we do. We are proud to lead by example, demonstrating independent leadership and collaborating for success in all aspects of our work.
ATI Values
We collaborate for success – bringing together the best people
We provide independent leadership – leading the sustainable aerospace agenda
We are forward thinking – driving progress in innovation and technology
Background to Recruitment
The Technology Team plays a vital, front-line role in delivering the ATI’s strategic objectives. The success of the organisation has led to a surge in demand for the support and funding that the ATI provides. Accordingly, there is now a need to expand the Technology Team in order to increase the ATI’s delivery capability.
The Technology function is split into four key focus areas:
- Systems & Propulsion
- Whole Aircraft
- Structures, Manufacturing & Materials
- Sustainability & Strategy
Whilst there are four distinct focus areas, the Technology Team operates collaboratively as programmes and projects can often overlap, requiring insight and specialist knowledge from across the team.
The Technology function develop an ambitious technology strategy for the aerospace sector before leading the execution of the strategy through the stimulation and assessment of a portfolio of funded projects. A central facet of the technology team’s activity is to challenge and enhance the sector through thought leadership and, in so doing, further develop ATI capability and influence to ultimately drive UK economic benefit through the technological advancement of our aerospace industry.
The Role & Responsibilities
The role of a Technologist in the ATI provides a unique level of exposure to the full spectrum of innovation and technological development in the UK aerospace industry. The Technology function is responsible for building the ATI’s technical capability and external networks whilst leading the ATI’s work to define the UK’s strategic direction for key challenges facing the industry.
A core responsibility of the role is to support ATI technology portfolio analysis, providing insight into a variety of strategic technology areas, whilst also developing the technical capabilities that impacts ATI technology strategy and influencing the organisation’s network of stakeholders. Stakeholders include OEMs and their associated supply chains, SMEs and start-up technology providers, research specialists, academia and government.
Working collaboratively with industry, research centres and academia, the Technologist will operate in a hands on capacity, encouraging the creation of consortia that, with joint industry-government funding, will deliver the research & technology programmes that make up the technology strategy for UK PLC.
The Technologist will lead the review of project proposals and funding requests, feedback to stakeholders and provide recommendations for funding into government. Accordingly, the role of the Technologist has a significant impact in developing the roadmaps that define the critical content of aerospace technology strategy and in ensuring that technology developments are linked to products, manufacturing and market opportunities – all towards the aim of driving UK economic benefit and facilitating the net zero 2050 mission.
Sustainability & Strategy
Led by Adam Morton, Head of Technology – Sustainability & Strategy, the team coordinates ATI workstreams on low-carbon fuels, greenhouse gas abatement and environmental modelling.
Of the four areas that make up the ATI’s Technology function, the Sustainability & Strategy has the broadest scope and requires significant levels of engagement with strategic leaders of high-profile businesses across the aerospace and aviation sectors and beyond.
As referenced previously, in 2024 the team launched the ATI’s non-CO2 roadmap, pulling together inputs from across equipment manufacturers, airlines, airports, fuels companies, service providers and academia – an industry first. This roadmap will inform the activities to be prioritised for funding under a new ATI Non-CO2 Programme which launched in early 2024.
The Sustainability & Strategy team engages with all areas of the industry to prioritise industrial research, technology development and enabling-technology projects with the potential to deliver the greatest sustainability and economic benefit for the UK. The Non-CO2 Technologies Roadmap shows the milestones to 2050 and sets out the priority areas for research.
Responsibilities will include:
- Provide sustainable technology inputs to ATI Technology, SME and Non-CO2 Programmes, reviewing and providing feedback on technology project proposals.
- Support Non-CO2 Programme including monitoring status of science and technology themes coming forward.
- Participate in the wider external stakeholder network to ensure ATI remains fully informed and engaged in developments in academic / policy / operational trials / other external initiatives in this field.
- Build understanding of key aerospace sustainability issues across the ATI.
- Develop and manage external networks with industry, academia, government and non-government stakeholders to influence understanding of key environmental challenges and priorities.
- Support ATI external communications including development and launch of thought-leadership pieces.
- Support the UK Government on delivering policies around sector decarbonisation, non-CO2 emissions, air quality, noise and circular economy.
- Guide sustainability modelling demonstrating the potential environmental benefits of ATI investment and exploring sustainability pathways to 2050 and beyond.
- Represent the ATI at UK and International Conferences.
- Working in collaboration with other ATI teams to deliver key objectives
Required skills, competencies and behaviours:
- Degree qualified in Engineering or Science with experience working in a professional aerospace or aviation role;
- A good appreciation of the key environmental challenges facing the sector and the main technical and non-technical solutions under development;
- Some appreciation of adjacent sectors including energy and fuel supply, and emerging options including liquid hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF);
- Experience writing short, concise briefing documents for both technical and non-technical audiences
- Capable of strategic and independent thinking
- Preferably experience of technology assessment and exposure to collaborative technology programmes with multiple partners.
Organisation & Project Management:
- Capable of organising and facilitating a group of peers
- Strong project management skills, able to establish and apply pragmatic approaches to deliver activities effectively
- Develops and uses personal networks to support delivery
- Able to objectively review and provide intelligent assessment of technical proposals
- Excellent planning and delivery across concurrent projects
Communication:
- Clear and concise verbal and written communication abilities, including feedback to applicants
- Good self-awareness, demonstrating a high-level of professionalism and tact
- Capable of delivering impactful presentations and support external communications
Stakeholders:
- Ability to lead and influence stakeholders through a challenge – to be an agent of change within the sector
- Outstanding communication and engagement skills, able to effectively and convincingly communicate ideas to senior stakeholders
- Ability to engage with diverse range of people including entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives and government officials with gravitas
- Capable of influencing other people at all levels (e.g., CTO, Chief Engineer, Technical Specialist)
- Ability to engage with diverse range of people including entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives and government officials with gravitas
Characteristics/Behaviours:
- Demonstrates the ATI’s core values (we collaborate for success, we provide independent thought leadership and we are forward thinking)
- Self-starter
- Energy and drive to deliver
- Open minded and forward thinking, to drive progress in innovation and technology
- Comfortable with a high level of ambiguity
- Commitment to continuing professional development
- Ability to quickly understand new contexts and situations, ask relevant questions, engage on topics and challenge ideas constructively
- Agility to respond to new needs and issues, bringing a positive ‘can do’ attitude in the face of challenges
- Able to demonstrate leadership and independent thinking
- Leads by example, demonstrating high-performance and integrity in work
- Natural collaborator, with strong work ethic and team spirit
- Able to work in cross functional teams to deliver projects, proposal assessments, strategies and thought leadership work.
- Able to manage challenging conversations with external stakeholders
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be passionate about technology, innovation and making big things happen in the UK Aerospace industry.
It is expected that candidates will be STEM graduates currently or recently engaged in a technical capacity within the aerospace or aviation sector and possess a minimum of 3 years industry experience. Candidates should have a commercial awareness of the aerospace industry or a willingness to develop this further in the role.
It will be necessary for candidates to demonstrate a clear capability across a number of domain areas, new technologies and a broad view and insight into the research and technology developments that are likely to drive the future technical evolution of aircraft and aviation more broadly. These could include:
- Decarbonisation
- Low Carbon Fuels (e.g. SAF)
- Non Co2 (e.g. contrails)
- Noise
- Air Quality
- Next-generation engines
- Offsetting
Candidates will be comfortable operating with significant technical breadth rather than owning a specific technology niche. Familiarity with technology road mapping techniques and associated tools is desirable.
The role will engage with a broad range of dynamic businesses, academic institutions, research and technology organisations and government stakeholders. As such, the ability to navigate a complex and sometimes conflicting landscape of stakeholders, whilst developing strong relationships, is core. Accordingly, our ideal candidate will be a skillful influencer who is diplomatic in approach, whilst possessing the requisite drive and determination to operate effectively as a genuine catalyst for change. They will be comfortable in challenging convention with a strong capacity for encouraging collaboration in the pursuit of delivering effective solutions. Candidates will be comfortable with ambiguity, motivated by doing things differently and enthusiastic about being actively involved in delivery.
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
Location
The ATI has a flexible working policy. The Technology Team is based at the ATI office in Cranfield, and it is expected that candidates will spend 1 day a week at this office (on Tuesdays) and typically 1 day a week travelling to meet stakeholders.
The Opportunity
This is a unique opportunity to join an organisation that is leading the strategic direction of the UK aerospace sector. This role will provide an exceptional opportunity to build an in-depth knowledge of how the industry operates, enhancing career development whilst delivering tangible impact for the UK industry.
This role presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of UK aerospace and air travel. The candidate will enjoy a privileged perspective across the entire industry and beyond, and it is an exceptional opportunity to develop professional networks.
The role also provides a unique opportunity to shape and mould the ATI programme, ensuring the UK capitalises on its strengths and whilst supporting business-led collaborations and co-ordinated research efforts. The ATI has a vital role to play in transforming the industry and has the capacity to generate unparalleled impact, influence and contribution to the future of UK research, innovation and economic growth.
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
ATI Benefits
- Competitive salary
- Attractive pension scheme
- Private Medical Insurance
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Life Assurance
- Professional development training
- Paid membership to one professional body per year
- Hybrid working, including core hours
- 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas leave
- Company Maternity & Paternity Pay
- 30 days Company Sick Pay
How to apply
To apply, please send a CV and covering letter to Nic Davis at n.davis@oryxes.co.uk by Sunday 8th June 2025.