Addressing climate change, meeting targets such as net zero and creating a sustainable future for humanity are among the biggest challenges that society faces today. Scientific measurement plays a key role across the board, to understand the Earth system, to identify the potential for innovation, to assuring innovations do deliver as intended. The role holder will have a great opportunity in learning NPL’s capability across environmental science, with the potential to work across atmospheric monitoring and emission measurements, to climate and Earth Observation.
We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to join one of our science teams on a fixed-term maternity cover. Reporting to the Group Leader and supported by a central Project Management Office (PMO), you will deliver customer funded and grant funded R&D projects through the full lifecycle.
You will bring structure, clarity and control to technically complex work, ensuring projects are delivered to agreed time, cost and quality, while remaining transparent, proportionate and compliant.
This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of science, delivery, and customer impact, contributing to projects that have real-world significance.
What We’re Looking For
- Proven experience delivering R&D or technically complex projects with hardware and software components.
- Strong customer‑facing and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience managing contracts or grant‑funded projects.
- Proven ability to work effectively within a scientific team environment.
- Strong capability in planning, forecasting, risk and financial management.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver commercial R&D projects to agreed time, cost, scope and quality.
- Build clear delivery plans, manage forecasts, risks, issues, dependencies and change control.
- Maintain strong relationships with customers, stakeholders, technical leads and the Group Leader.
- Coordinate delivery across internal teams, multiple partner organisations and subcontracts, tracking deliverables progress, ensuring alignment on plans and dependencies.
- Ensure deliverables, acceptance criteria, reporting and governance remain clear, proportionate and align with contractual obligations.
- Manage budgets, supplier inputs where relevant, and project closure in line with contract or grant terms.
- Capture lessons learned and contribute to continuous improvement in project management practice.
Desirable
- Professional project management qualification (e.g. APM PMF/PMQ, PRINCE2, PMP).
- Experience managing a portfolio of projects under a shared Technical Lead, balancing resource allocation, competing priorities and delivery timelines across multiple project stages.
Working at NPL
- Hybrid working supported, with a balance of on‑site collaboration and flexibility.
- Supported by a central PMO, providing tools, guidance and community.
- Work within expert scientific teams on projects with national and global impact.
- Be part of a culture that values integrity, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Diversity and Inclusion
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.
Security Clearance
To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.
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