Luke Thomson Email & Phone Number

Alexandria, Va

Abingdon, Oxfordshire, Uk

Within UKAEA’s RACE extreme environment robotics centre I Led the multi-disciplined project teams in the execution and Engineering of remote handling projects. I completed unique and innovative designs of RH tooling and equipment from inception through to delivery including customer interaction, requirements capture and verification, design assessment Studies, design strategy, conceptual, preliminary and detailed design, analysis and evaluation, R&D test programs, internal and external reviews, build, commission and verification.Much of my work focused on the development of first-of-a-kind remote cutting, weld and inspection equipment for use in the hazardous radioactive environment of the ITER nuclear fusion reactor. Intervention in nuclear environments is commonly limited to inspection or decommissioning, ITER’s components will need to be replaced several times in the life time of the plant. Tooling capable of precision, code-compliant work without human intervention were developed for an environment where commonly used technologies could not work, or had not been shown to work, and where the consequences of fault or failure were high.Also part of my responsibilities were that of section leader, in which I was a line manager undertaking mentoring, coaching, performance management, recourse management and the communicate organisational aims and objectives to my seven line reports, as well as being heavily involved in the recruiting and hiring of new staff and providing the successful candidates with inductions, training, and support. Within the company I lobbied for and helped develop and maintain a system of continuous improvement. I also brought an electronic system of resource management to my section, which was then adopted by the department, eliminating many previous problems and helping projects to get delivered within their time and budget constraints.

Oxford, United Kingdom

A Project Leader & Senior Engineer leading the design and implementation of beamlines and experimental end stations for Synchrotron light sources around the world. I took designs from concept, through development and optimisation to commissioning and acceptance, while managing project budgets and schedule.My principle work was in the design of submicron-precision mechanical, optical, and thermal assemblies, and their integration with control and equipment/personnel protection systems. These included X-ray optics and thermal management systems for high heat loads, such as mirror, slit, diagnostic, and monochromator systems positioned by bespoke linear and hexapod designs. I also designed several experimental end stations. These were multi-axis systems, capable of positioning samples and detectors to submicron precision in up to six degrees of freedom. They also incorporated sophisticated sample environment control: hard vacuum to high pressure, cryogenic to furnace temperatures, and two tesla magnetic fields. All designs were ultra-high vacuum equipment subject to ionising radiation, requiring specialist knowledge of design and materials.My responsibilities also extended to administration of CAD and Analysis tools including the introduction, implementation, and administration of a product data management system controlling all CAD, and office documentation within the company.