Role
Role: Assistant Chief Design Engineer – Turbine Island
Location
Location: Hybrid working with one of the following Derby, Manchester, Warrington
Our mission
Our mission is to deliver clean, affordable energy for all. Our Small Modular Reactor (SMR) provides a British solution to a global energy challenge. We are in pole position to become a world leader in SMRs and the UK’s premier green export technology.
The team
The Conventional Island Engineering organisation designs and integrates the non‑nuclear plant systems critical to SMR performance, safety and licensability. Within this, the Turbine Island team delivers technically complex, regulator‑ready turbine solutions at the heart of power generation efficiency.
Role Summary
We are seeking an Assistant Chief Design Engineer (ACDE) – Turbine Island, reporting to the Chief Design Engineer – Conventional Island. This senior role provides technical and programme leadership for the Turbine Island scope, supporting delivery of generic and site‑specific designs while ensuring integration, governance and regulatory alignment across the Conventional Island.
Key deliverables / duties
We’ll Need You To
- Acting as deputy technical authority for the Turbine Island, supporting the Chief Design Engineer in leading design, integration and governance across the full Turbine Island lifecycle
- Providing senior multidisciplinary technical leadership, coordinating mechanical, electrical, civil, structural and systems engineering inputs to deliver coherent, traceable and regulation‑ready designs
- Supporting development and ongoing management of the integrated engineering programme, working closely with Programme, Planning, Safety and Delivery functions to align scope, schedule, resource and design maturity
- Leading and assuring the site‑specific adaptation of the generic Turbine Island design, ensuring seismic, geotechnical, climatic and infrastructure constraints are addressed while maintaining design intent
- Managing and assuring engineering governance, configuration control and design change, chairing or contributing to technical reviews, readiness assessments and programme decision gates
- Acting as a principal technical interface for Turbine Island matters, engaging effectively with internal disciplines, site developers, suppliers, delivery partners and regulators
- Supporting identification, assessment and mitigation of technical, programme and supply‑chain risks, ensuring issues are visible, controlled and resolved
- Overseeing and guiding supplier technical performance, including management of design contracts, resolution of technical queries and collaborative optimisation of cost, quality and performance
- Championing systems engineering, digital engineering and modularisation approaches, driving innovation, consistency and continuous improvement across the Turbine Island scope
- Providing visible, credible senior leadership across the engineering community, mentoring leaders, influencing at all levels and enabling collaboration to resolve complex cross‑functional challenges
This is a highly visible leadership role, suited to an experienced engineer who thrives on integration, influence and shaping complex, safety‑critical programmes at scale.
Skills, Knowledge And Experience
We’ll Need You To
- Degree‑qualified in a relevant engineering discipline (mechanical, nuclear or related); Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working towards equivalent
- Significant experience delivering turbine or large rotating equipment solutions across the full product lifecycle in a regulated industry
- Strong capability in engineering governance, systems integration and safety‑related decision‑making
- Broad understanding of adjacent Conventional Island systems, including Balance of Plant and Cooling Water Island
- We’ll ask about your experience leading multidisciplinary teams and interfacing with regulators
Location
This role offers hybrid and flexible working. Regular attendance will be expected at Derby, Manchester or Warrington, aligned to programme delivery, collaboration and stakeholder needs.
What’s in it for me?
- We anticipate paying a salary of £85,600 to £108,400
- Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 30%
- Benefits Allowance – £8,500 per annum, enabling you to create a bespoke package
- Pension - 12% employer and 6% employee contributions
- Holidays - 28 days holiday (+ public holidays) and the ability to buy or sell up to 4 days
- Private Medical Insurance - BUPA single cover health care
- Life Assurance - 6x pensionable pay
- £250 - One-off payment for new starters for home office purchases
Selection process & screening
The recruitment process will include an initial conversation with Talent Acquisition, followed by interview stages with senior engineering stakeholders. Due to the nuclear environment, offers are subject to BPSS clearance, a DBS check and basic financial probity screening.
Our commitments
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to inclusive recruitment practices and will make reasonable adjustments where required.
Confidence can sometimes hold people back. There’s no such thing as a “perfect” candidate — if you feel you meet around 75% of the criteria, we would love to hear from you. We also welcome applications from those considering a sector move or bringing transferable skills.
Why Join Us?
You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:
- A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
- Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
- A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.
Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.
Our Application Process
Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:
- Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
- Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
- Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check
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