Principal Mechanical Responsible Engineer (Nuclear Sector)

Company: COSTAIN GROUP
Apply for the Principal Mechanical Responsible Engineer (Nuclear Sector)
Location: Manchester
Job Description:

Job Description

As a Mechanical Responsible Engineer (RE), you will manage the Mechanical design and engineering aspects of the Programme, meeting the specific needs of the nuclear–licensed site requirements. You will lead and manage Mechanical designers, whether they are internal Costain Engineering and Design staff, external consultants or subcontractors with design responsibility. You are responsible for ensuring designs are delivered on time, to budget and are technically compliant, with safety, sustainability and construction efficiency as core principles.

A key requirement of the role is to ensure that management systems, including digital processes and systems, are followed to provide assurance to stakeholders that design works are conducted appropriately.

This role is based in Manchester/Risley, with regular attendance at the site in Cumbria – typically 2 days per week minimum; therefore may suit someone based in Cumbria.

Security Clearance: The successful candidate must achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.

Project Information

15‑year contract award will deliver critical utilities infrastructure upgrades at Sellafield’s Cumbria decommissioning site. The IDP will deliver asset care task and project work on the existing site infrastructure as well as introducing new capability to enhance and evolve the Site Infrastructure. Contracts will be placed to deliver continued project and task work from inception, design, construction through to commissioning.

Utilities involved

  • Steam (LP and HP)
  • Water (Wastewater, Raw, Domestic & Demin)
  • Compressed air
  • Bulk chemical supply
  • Sewage treatment plant

Scopes

  • On‑site steam distribution system & support structures
  • On‑site water distribution system & support structures
  • Off‑site water supply and distribution system including domestic water treatment plant & storage reservoirs
  • On‑site compressed air generation & distribution system
  • On‑site bulk chemical storage tanks & associated equipment
  • Desulphurised water treatment and conditioning plant
  • On‑site chemical distribution system & support structures
  • Sewage treatment plant
  • Improvements to rail and road tanker off‑load facility

Responsibilities

  • Control relationships: Establish collaborative working relationships with the client, Costain and external partner design teams, project staff and supply chain.
  • Build strong interpersonal connections within the wider Costain Mechanical Engineering functions.
  • Delivery culture: Be a visible leader and develop a programme‑led design delivery culture across the Programme.
  • Embed the principles of carbon minimisation into our solutions.
  • Embed the principles of Production Thinking / MMC into our design solutions.
  • Ensure reporting on design progress and technical risks regularly.
  • Ensure that the designs are contributing to improved project quality on our projects.
  • Ensure the designs are constructable, follow safe‑by‑design principles and advance sustainability goals, including reporting or carbon metrics as required.
  • Ensure all applicable national and international codes of practice, legislation and company/client standards and procedures are complied with.
  • Design and engineering management: Set out the Mechanical design and engineering needs for the Programme and check they are clearly defined and understood by the wider team.
  • Follow and implement the engineering strategy.
  • Be accountable for adherence to the Design Management Plan (DMP) and other controlling documents.
  • Contribute to updating and developing Design Management processes in The Costain Way, and other engineering processes, learning from lessons.
  • Ensure scope is suitably established in individual Projects and Call‑off Contracts to manage liabilities appropriately.
  • Implement agreed processes so that the designs we receive from designers are quality controlled, technically assured and are of sufficient detail for the design stage and purpose.
  • Support the delivery plan, with clearly defined outputs at each design stage.
  • Hold the Mechanical design team to account for delivering to this engineering delivery plan through reporting and contractual mechanisms.
  • Design change: Oversee management of Mechanical design change to prevent unnecessary or disruptive design change.
  • Systematically challenge the need for design change.
  • Support the wider programme and project teams to manage contractual correspondence (up and down stream).
  • Outcome‑focused: Provide judgment and advice, including bringing in wider Costain expertise as required, to create optimised solutions, and to meet the requirements of the programme and achieve our objectives.
  • Influence the project/frameworks procurement and construction teams so that they are engaged in design development and options selection and have appropriate ownership of the designs.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Background in engineering management in a programme delivery environment is critical, with experience of a manufacturing site beneficial.

Qualifications

Essential

  • Essentially a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a management apprenticeship with industry experience.
  • Chartered membership of a professional institute (e.g. IMechE or CIBSE).
  • CSCS safety passport.
  • Minimum current BPSS, must be able to achieve SC clearance medium term.

Desirable

  • Master’s / postgraduate degree (preferred).
  • Other secondary professional qualifications and training (e.g. MAPM, MCIarb, MICW, etc.).
  • Project Management training / skills.

Disability Confident Employer

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant who discloses they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high‑volume, seasonal and high‑peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non‑disabled people.

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Posted: April 18th, 2026