Senior Project Engineer - Nuclear Fuels

The Project Engineering Discipline provides multi-discipline engineering team leadership and coordination across the engineering project lifecycle for Costain's Energy, Water, Transport, Nuclear, and Defence sectors. We are growing our engineering team for UK projects in the nuclear fuels and decommissioning sector. We are keen to hear from candidates with experience in an Engineering Management role at Concept/FEED/Detailed Design for multi-discipline projects in highly regulated site environments.

Reporting to the Framework Senior Engineering Manager, you will be responsible for managing the delivery of multi-disciplinary engineering design and/or sub-contract packages on major projects through various stages of the project lifecycle to meet schedule, budget, safety, and quality requirements. The role is based at the Costain Manchester Office, with an expectation of office-based work up to three days per week. Our informal, dynamic working policy allows employees to discuss and agree on flexibility regarding where, when, and how they work, subject to role, client, and team requirements. Short-term/notice travel to company, supplier, or client offices or sites for business purposes may be required.

Responsibilities

• Manage the delivery of multi-discipline engineering design on major projects through the various stages of the project lifecycle, ensuring safety-by-design, sustainability, digital enablement, cost-effectiveness, compliance, technical soundness, and achievement of commercial delivery targets.
• Ensure engineering resource requirements are identified and effectively utilized to maximize productivity and efficiency.
• Ensure all Engineers fully understand the detailed scope, basis of design, budget, and program requirements of the project.
• Coordinate engineering and design interfaces between Costain and other project partners/supply chain partners.
• Support project management and controls with contractual communications, progress meetings, risk reduction meetings, cost reports, and management of multi-disciplinary design teams.
• Regularly report to senior operational management on engineering delivery performance.
• Maintain a commercial focus, challenging project scope to prevent uncontrolled scope creep.
• Ensure effective deployment of company engineering delivery processes, including design strategy, master deliverable register, project schedule, work/cost breakdown, process safety management, and engineering governance.
• Identify and mitigate project and program risks early, escalating issues as necessary.
• Ensure compliance with client and Costain governance processes and obtain necessary approvals.
• Develop project relationships, fostering trust and team support.
• Lead by example, embodying the company's values and behaviors, and maintaining high standards of safety and ethics to ensure safe operations and client satisfaction.
• Ensure personal and corporate compliance with health and safety policies, relevant legislation, and client and company requirements, working in a manner that prevents harm to individuals and the environment.
• Collaborate with business development, work winning, and marketing teams to develop and tender new opportunities, including developing engineering strategies, estimates, schedules, risk registers, and technical proposals.
• Support the Discipline Manager in mentoring project engineering staff and improving corporate processes, including workflows, methods, competencies, software systems, and standards.
• Ensure lessons learned are captured and embedded.

Qualifications

Essential

• Experience coordinating multi-discipline engineering design teams in the Nuclear, Chemical, or similar process infrastructure sectors.
• Good knowledge of major project delivery processes from work winning to project handover.
• Understanding of UK technical and regulatory standards for the civil nuclear sector and global best practices.
• Strong focus on process safety, quality, and environmental leadership.
• Knowledge of project controls, including schedule, cost, risk, and change management.
• Collaborative, innovative, and agile mindset.
• Customer-facing experience with relationship development and influence skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to work regularly from the Manchester office.
• Mobility to travel to project sites, offices, and suppliers.

Desirable

• Chartered Engineer and membership of a professional engineering institution.
• Association for Project Management qualification or accreditation.

About Us

Costain improves people's lives through smart infrastructure solutions in energy, water, transportation, and defense. We focus on strategic, regulatory, legislative, and performance-driven projects, offering services across the asset lifecycle, including consultancy, digital solutions, and asset optimization. We value diversity and are committed to an inclusive workplace. Due to high application volumes, we are unable to provide individual feedback at the application stage, but feedback will be shared after interviews. We are a Disability Confident employer, offering interviews to qualified applicants with disabilities.