Finn

Graduate Physicist

How long have you worked at AWE?
11 months

What did you study at university?
BSc Physics with Theoretical Astrophysics, MASt Applied Mathematics

Why did you choose AWE?
After leaving university, I wanted to be able to continue to do physics in my work, which AWE certainly offered. AWE has given me the opportunity to use the physics I learnt at university and to apply it to meaningful real-world situations. Also, as AWE is a large company covering a broad range of areas within physics, I knew that I would be able to work on something I was interested in.

Tell us about your time at AWE?
I have been working in computational physics looking at weapon effects. I spend most of my time using and writing code to model certain effects to understand them further.

What was your first impression of AWE?
That the work people do is incredibly diverse and exciting.

What are the benefits of AWE?
I think the graduate scheme is a great way to get started in the company. It exposes you to lots of different areas, which gives you a broader overview of the business and allows you to find out what interests you most. The 9-day fortnight and generous holiday entitlement also give you a good work-life balance.

What do you most enjoy about your current role?
Trying to model physics as efficiently and accurately as possible in a computer code and testing the codes against real world experiments. I’m also really enjoying improving my programming skills, including learning new languages.

How do you see your career progressing?
I would like to work towards becoming a charted physicist and increasing my knowledge in the field I am working in.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about joining the AWE graduate programme?
If you want to continue learning and using physics beyond your degree in important real-world applications, then AWE is for you.