Senior Aerothermal Engineer
Possible
Sponsorship likelihood
This employer issued few or no visas recently
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£46,800
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2122 (81% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £46,800, and Odqa Renewable Energy Technologies is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
This could also be SOC 2126 (Aerospace engineers). We read the code off the advert, so it is our best guess, not the employer's.
New graduate or PhD holder? Pick one of the lower rates.
What each route needs for this job
| Occupation code | New entrant 70% of going rate | STEM PhD 80% of going rate | Relevant PhD 90% of going rate | Standard rate 100% of going rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2122 Mechanical engineers Most likely code | £33,400 | £37,400 | £42,100 | £46,800 |
2126 Aerospace engineers Also possible | £36,700 | £41,900 | £47,200 | £52,400 |
We use the lowest threshold across the plausible codes. Likelihood is Possible at most when the pay clears only a lower rate, or only under a less likely code. How the Home Office picks the code
About the role
About Us
Odqa is a breakthrough company in solar thermal energy generation, spun out of the University of Oxford and co-founded by jet engine pioneer Prof. Peter Ireland. The company develops systems that replace fossil fuels with clean heat, achieving up to 800 °C in real-world applications. Team members work at the intersection of advanced thermofluids, renewable energy, and industrial-scale deployment, contributing directly to climate solutions. The organization values innovation, rigorous engineering, and practical impact in the field.
The Role
This is a unique opportunity to work on a transformative renewable energy technology. Within the performance team you’ll develop trusted aerothermal models, support validation and technology demonstration programmes, and work integrally with the engineering team to deliver the lowest Levelised Cost of Heat (LCOH) power plant solutions. At Odqa, you'll also have the unique opportunity to work alongside Professor Peter Ireland FREng and the Oxford Thermofluids Institute, from which Odqa's technology was founded.
Key Responsibilities
- Maintain and develop low order aerothermal models (MATLAB/Python) for CST power plants and their constituent subsystems, with heavy focus on receiver technology.
- Perform subsystem and system level performance trade studies of CST plants, interfacing with mechanical design and technoeconomic modelling, to optimize designs for the lowest LCOH.
- Build, run and interpret CFD simulations (ANSYS) of convective, radiative and conjugate heat transfer for receiver geometries and other system components, and perform low-order model verification.
- Design and plan experiments for model validation (define methodology, instrumentation, test matrices and post processing) with clear quantification of uncertainty.
- Work together with mechanical, materials and stress engineers to optimise the performance and durability of CST receivers.
Requirements
- Degree in Mechanical, Aerospace or related Engineering discipline (or equivalent experience).
- 5+ years of relevant industry or postgraduate research experience in aerothermal engineering.
- Demonstrated experience in the maintenance and development of low order models in software environments such as Matlab and Python.
- Solid, hands-on CFD experience, ideally with ANSYS, applied to heat transfer or convective flow problems.
- Experience of working integrally with Systems Engineering processes.
- Clear written and verbal communication for technical documentation and cross-team collaboration.
Desirable
- Experience modelling and designing heat exchangers for high temperature applications.
- IP awareness and management through the design process.
Details
Level: The role is written for a senior engineer level, however, we welcome applications from candidates at higher experience levels.
Reporting to: Head of Engineering
Location: Oxford / Hybrid (expected in Oxford office 3 days per week)
Duration: Full time
Salary: Competitive (based on experience level), participation in staff share options scheme, ability to provide visa sponsorship.
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with Odqa Renewable Energy Technologies, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
Mechanical engineers (SOC 2122) · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · basic pay · ~66k in sample- Middle half £38,896–59,800
- Median £48,516
- Going rate £46,800
- Threshold £41,700
- New entrant £33,400–42,100
Similar sponsored roles
See all UK visa jobsNo close matches live right now.
Browse more sponsored jobs at Odqa Renewable Energy TechnologiesAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. Odqa Renewable Energy Technologies holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2122 going rate of £46,800. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.