Scientific Computing Graduate Review

In my scheme, we undertake four 6-month projects in different teams which can cover a range of different areas and topics, such as: computing infrastructure, software engineering, full stack development, data analysis, machine learning, scientific modelling and simulation, and high performance computing. As such, my day-to-day can change a lot between projects, as I get exposed to different technologies and different ways of working. In my current project, I'm working on the scientific modelling and simulation side with the Computational Engineering Group. We're collaborating with the ISIS Muon and Neutron Source, one of our particle accelerators based down in Oxfordshire, to try to simulate and study part of their beam. At the moment, my days mostly consist of editing the simulation code, configuring and running simulations on our supercomputer, and writing code to help analyse and visualise the simulation outputs, in order to present our findings to our collaborators.

Coming from a Physics background and transitioning into a more computational role, I have gained a huge amount of skills and capabilities. I have become familiar with the Linux command line and shell scripting, high performance computing, and have greatly improved my programming and software engineering skills. I've learnt new languages and libraries, with a focus on high-performance parallel computing (MPI, OpenMP, GPU programming), and have learnt about version control and continuous integration with git and testing. Aside from the technical skills, we're also encouraged to take part in graduate-led projects such as events organisation and public engagement. I've been part of the organising committee of two conferences, have helped to organise various events, and have also been part of various school visits and demonstrations. Through these opportunities, I've been able to greatly develop my soft skills such as leadership, communication, and project management.

In the three projects I have done so far, I have been given a very high degree of autonomy and personal responsibility for my own work and projects. Whilst I have always had support available, both from my line manager and wider team, my projects have been given clear and defined goals and I have largely been allowed to manage my own time on the project to try to meet these goals, with the expectation that I would seek help when needed.

I've received lots of support and guidance throughout my role, both from my line manager/team and from the wider department. My line managers have always been very supportive and encouraging, both in providing technical support and in encouraging me to seek out training and other professional development opportunities. The department also works on an open-door policy (quite literally along the hallway), which means that there has always been someone nearby to help with any questions or issues. This has been incredibly useful as I've been able to learn from a wide range of people with different specialities and experience.

Overall, STFC is very laid-back and welcoming, with a very friendly and approachable atmosphere. There's a great work-life balance, with a huge emphasis on personal and professional growth and development. In my work, I've never felt overly pressured or stressed, but I've still been encouraged to learn and make the most of my projects, which is a nice balance to have. Outside the work itself, there's a very nice on-site community with things such as coffee mornings, book and board game clubs, and various sports groups. Overall, it's a great place to work and I'm lucky to work with some very friendly and extremely knowledgeable people.

I've really enjoyed my time here and look forward to continuing my work at STFC once my scheme ends. Having the chance to try different things in my 6-month rotations has not only given me a great chance to develop a wide range of skills, but has also been invaluable in helping me find out where my interests are and what I'd like to do with my career going forward. Not only have I enjoyed the work, but I've worked with some incredible people, and I'm very grateful for the experience.

Yes

My best advice would be to be yourself and to not worry about what you don't know or what you don't have experience with. One of the great parts about the scheme at STFC is they're very happy to train people (even from different fields, as I've moved from physics to more computational work), and they don't expect you to know everything when you start. They're just looking for enthusiastic people who are willing and excited to learn. It's also always helpful to do some research on the company and department beforehand, to show your interest and your commitment to what we're trying to achieve.