Principal CE&I Responsible Engineer (Nuclear Sector) in Whitehaven

Following a number of project and long term framework wins in the Nuclear industry, we are seeking a Controls, Electrical, & Instrumentation Responsible Engineer (RE) to lead on the delivery of these challenging projects for our clients at all stages of the nuclear fuel cycle. As a CE&I Responsible Engineer (RE), you will be responsible for the management of CE&I design and engineering aspects of the Programme, meeting the specific needs of the nuclear licenced site requirements.

You will lead and manage the CE&I designers, whether they are Costain Engineering and Design or external consultants or subcontractors with design responsibility. You will be responsible for the design being delivered on time, to budget and technically compliant. All our designs must be safe, sustainable, and efficient to construct. A key requirement of the role is to ensure that the management systems, including digital processes and systems, are followed to provide assurance to stakeholders that design works are conducted appropriately.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role. This hybrid role is site based in Cumbria – typically 3-4 days a week with occasional office attendance in Risley as per business needs, therefore will probably suit someone ideally based in the Cumbria region.

This 15-year contract award will deliver critical utilities infrastructure upgrades at Sellafield’s Cumbria decommissioning site. The total value of Sellafield’s IDP is worth up to £2.9bn, split into three lots. Costain has been confirmed as Utilities Delivery Partner (Lot 3), worth up to £1bn to the company. The contract consists of an initial term of nine years with an option to extend by a further six years, either in a single extension or multiple smaller extensions.

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. As Utilities Delivery Partner, Costain’s role will include the completion of detailed design and all procurement, installation, construction, commissioning and handover activities that form part of the contract delivery.

Utilities involved:

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

Scopes include refurbishment/replacement of:

• 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
• demineralised water treatment and conditioning plant
• on-site chemical distribution system & support structures
• sewage treatment plant
• Improvements to rail and road tanker off-load facility

At Costain, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you—even if you don’t tick every box. Your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.

Responsibilities

Key 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 CE&I 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 active our sustainability goals, including reporting or carbon metrics etc as required. Ensuring 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 CE&I 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 the adherence to the Design Management Plan (DMP) and other controlling documents. Contribute to the update and development of Design Management processes in The Costain Way, and other engineering processes, though lessons learned. Ensure scope is suitably established in individual Projects and Call off Contracts to manage liabilities appropriately. Implement agreed processes so that the designs we received from designers are quality controlled, technically assured and are of sufficient detail (required level of information and coordination) for the design stage and purpose. Support with the delivery plan, with clearly defined outputs (deliverables) at each design stage (plan appropriate design stages and sub-design stages to control the design production) and define how design deliverables can be progressively checked and earned value measured. Hold the CE&I designers to account for delivering to this engineering delivery plan through reporting and contractual mechanisms.
• Design change: Oversee the management of CE&I 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 the design development and options selection and have appropriate ownership of the designs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

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

Essential

• Be an authority in CE&I design.
• Experience of utility infrastructure design.
• Experience of technical management being able to understand and review CE&I design deliverables.
• Experience in implementing and delivering strategic objectives and dealing with change.
• Extensive knowledge of UK legislation and standards.
• Awareness of risk identification, quantification, management and of HSE requirements.

Desirable

• Extensive experience of setting up and/or operating EDMS and design workflows.
• Experience in leading wider engineering related aspects of projects, such as information management, quality or assurance disciplines. Nuclear sector experience preferable, but experience of multiple infrastructure markets/sectors is desirable.
• Experience of developing & implementing procurement and contract strategies for design.

Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree / Engineering or management apprenticeship with industry experience.
• Chartered member of professional institute (MICE, MIStructE or RIBA).
• Project Management training / skills.

Desirable

• Master’s / post graduate degree (preferred).
• Other secondary professional qualifications and training (e.g. MAPM, MCIarb, MICW etc).