Question 1

What does the Postgraduate Electrical Engineer role at ITER involve?

Accepted Answer

The Postgraduate Electrical Engineer role at ITER Organization (PGT-3333) is an early-career position within the Engineering Services Department's Electrical Engineering Section at the ITER site in St-Paul-lez-Durance, France. Depending on the scope of activity assigned, the postholder contributes to the full engineering lifecycle of electrical components and systems — covering specification, design, manufacturing supervision, construction, testing, commissioning, and system integration. Day-to-day responsibilities include performing engineering analyses and calculations, drafting design documents and diagrams, witnessing factory acceptance tests, supporting commissioning and Site Acceptance Tests, and performing infield troubleshooting and maintenance.

Question 2

What is ITER and why is its electrical engineering so complex?

Accepted Answer

ITER — International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor — is the world's largest fusion research project, a tokamak being built by 35 nations at St-Paul-lez-Durance in southern France to demonstrate that fusion can produce net energy at scale. Its electrical engineering systems are among the most demanding ever constructed: the device requires enormous superconducting magnet coils energised by high-current DC power conversion systems, megawatt-scale radio frequency heating systems operating up to 170 GHz, high-voltage infrastructure above 500 kV, and extensive protection and instrumentation systems — all of which must operate reliably in a high-radiation nuclear environment.

Question 3

What is the ITER Postgraduate Programme?

Accepted Answer

The ITER Postgraduate Programme is designed for recent masters graduates who want to strengthen their technical foundations and develop professional skills through hands-on responsibilities within an international team. Postgraduate positions are two-year fixed-term contracts at Grade P1 and are open to early-career professionals seeking practical experience in a world-leading fusion project. Multiple positions are being filled through this recruitment round, and a reserve list of rostered candidates will also be drawn up for future vacant positions.

Question 4

What is the salary for the ITER Postgraduate Electrical Engineer position?

Accepted Answer

ITER Organization does not publish a fixed salary figure for this postgraduate role. Salary is determined at Grade P1 on the ITER salary scale, which candidates can explore using the ITER Salary Simulator linked from the original job listing at iter.org. ITER staff are internationally recruited and benefit from a compensation package that reflects the organisation's status as an intergovernmental body, which may include tax advantages depending on the candidate's nationality and country of residence.

Question 5

What qualifications and experience are needed to apply?

Accepted Answer

The essential qualification for the ITER Postgraduate Electrical Engineer role is a master's degree or equivalent in Electrical Engineering. Candidates must have demonstrable knowledge in at least one of the following areas: electrical power distribution, large current conversion, DC switching and transmission, high voltage DC power supply, electromagnetic calculation and analysis, or infield testing of electrical components. Fluency in English, both written and spoken, is required. Relevant internship or project experience in design, procurement, manufacturing, installation, or troubleshooting of electrical systems is advantageous but not mandatory.

Question 6

What level is this role and is it suitable for recent graduates?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the ITER Postgraduate Electrical Engineer role (PGT-3333) is explicitly an entry-level position at Grade P1, designed for recent postgraduates rather than experienced engineers. The programme is structured to develop skills under the leadership of a discipline manager, and prior professional experience is advantageous but not required. Candidates who have completed a master's degree and have relevant project or internship experience are the target profile for this role.

Question 7

Where is the role based and is remote working available?

Accepted Answer

The Postgraduate Electrical Engineer role is based onsite at the ITER Organization headquarters in St-Paul-lez-Durance, Bouches-du-Rhône, in the Provence region of southern France. The nature of the work — including witnessing factory acceptance tests, supporting commissioning and site acceptance tests, and performing infield operation and troubleshooting — requires sustained onsite presence. Staff may also be requested to work outside standard hours, including nights, weekends, and public holidays, and those undertaking on-call or shift work must hold a driving licence valid in France.

Question 8

What are the specialist technical tracks available within this postgraduate role?

Accepted Answer

The ITER Postgraduate Electrical Engineer role (PGT-3333) spans five specialist tracks depending on the scope of activity assigned. Power Distribution covers industrial voltage levels from AC 400V to 400kV and DC systems, including switchyards, transformers, protection coordination, and instrumentation. Power Conversion covers thyristor and IGBT-based high-current systems, reactive power compensation, and AC/DC conversion with large superconducting coils. High Voltage covers technology above 500 kV including FEM-based insulation design. Radio Frequency covers systems from 1 MHz to 170 GHz including RF power generation and waveguide transmission for plasma heating. Electro-mechanical Engineering covers motors, actuators, drives, electromagnetic latches, and associated control systems.

Question 9

Who will the postgraduate electrical engineer collaborate with at ITER?

Accepted Answer

Postgraduate electrical engineers at ITER work within the Engineering Services Department's Electrical Engineering Section under the day-to-day leadership of a discipline manager. The role involves collaboration with procurement and supply chain teams during tendering and manufacturing supervision, with commissioning and operations teams during testing and site acceptance, and with quality assurance functions when witnessing acceptance tests and drafting associated reports. ITER is an international organisation drawing staff from 35 member countries, so the working environment is highly multicultural and collaborative by design.

Question 10

How do I apply for the ITER Postgraduate Electrical Engineer role?

Accepted Answer

You can apply for the ITER Postgraduate Electrical Engineer role (PGT-3333) via the full listing on Fusion Future at https://fusion-future.com/jobs/jobs-iter-electrical-engineering-postgraduate, which links directly to the ITER Organization application portal. The closing date for applications is 17 May 2026. Please note that this is a direct position with the ITER Organization itself, not a role with an ITER member-state domestic agency; applicants from outside the European Union should verify visa and work authorisation requirements for France before applying.

Postgraduate(s) in Electrical Engineering

Overview

Key Responsibilities

Requirements