Principal Engineer - Turbine Island in Manchester

Great British Energy - Nuclear is an arm’s length body of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, dedicated to supporting the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies in Great Britain. We play a crucial role in advancing nuclear new build, ensuring the UK’s energy security, and achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Great British Energy - Nuclear focuses on fostering innovation, facilitating investment, and coordinating efforts across the nuclear industry to build a resilient and sustainable energy future.

Great British Energy - Nuclear’s first step was to start the technology selection process for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in 2023. SMRs can potentially be quicker to deploy and less expensive to build than traditional nuclear power plants because they are smaller, have factory based modular manufacturing and more flexible deployment options. In June 2025, Great British Energy - Nuclear announced that Rolls-Royce SMR had been selected as the preferred bidder to build the UK’s first SMRs, following a technology selection process that began in 2023.

Great British Energy - Nuclear is aiming to deliver fast, based on a supportive and collaborative culture which values equality and diversity and creates an inclusive workplace. We draw on deep nuclear expertise – our Executive Committee has over 100 years of nuclear experience at home and abroad. GBN-E will unlock billions of pounds of private and public investment from design to operation, helping to get sites ready for development, and working to grow manufacturing capacity and skills capability.

Our activities will be driven by our values, which are:

• Trust - We prioritise safety, we act responsibly and with integrity.
• Collaboration - We work as a team; we value diversity and expertise.
• Challenge - We are curious and courageous in the way we think and act.
• Care - We are thoughtful, inclusive and respectful of others.
• Drive - We get things done and we make a difference.

If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format or would like us to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us and we will talk to you about how we can assist.

This is an exciting and challenging role where you will perform the Principal CS&A Engineer in Power Plant Team, responsible for leading, assuring and integrating all Civil, Structure and Architectural (CS&A) engineering activities that support the definition, justification and delivery of the SMR programme.

Operating as part of the client-side technical organisation, the role provides Intelligent Customer capability across all CS&A matters, ensuring that all design work undertaken by the Technology Partner (TP) meets GBE‑N requirements, regulatory expectations, safety, quality and performance standards. The role requires strong technical leadership across concept, preliminary and detailed design phases, ensuring the structural integrity, constructability, robustness, and regulatory compliance of Reactor Island civil and structural systems.

It combines technical governance, design assurance, programme integration and risk management with the ability to shape and review work packages, task orders, technical specifications, and contract documentation. The Principal CS&A Engineer will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, safety case authors, regulators, construction planning, BIM/modelling teams, and commercial and project management functions to ensure coordinated and efficient delivery.

The postholder must be comfortable providing authoritative engineering advice, challenging suppliers constructively, resolving technical issues, and representing GBE‑N at design reviews, site visits, regulator engagement and cross‑functional integration forums. They will also support capability development within the engineering team through mentoring, coaching and embedding best practice. This is a hybrid role with a mix of remote and site/office-based work.

Key Responsibilities:

• Responsibility for C&S discipline technical input for projects including preparation, checking and/or approval of engineering documentation.
• Ensure CS&A engineering decisions align with Reactor Island technical standards, nuclear safety requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Define CS&A design requirements, acceptance criteria and verification evidence needed for design maturity and safety case substantiation.
• Lead delivery of CS&A analysis, calculations, reports, design specifications and technical justifications.
• Review, check and approve engineering documentation, including structural assessments, general arrangements, foundations, reinforcement detailing, load paths and seismic considerations.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant national and international codes, UK legislation, nuclear standards, and GBE‑N quality processes.
• Challenge and deliver value engineering solutions without compromising safety or regulatory compliance.
• Draft, scope and technically assure CS&A work packages, task orders, and multi‑disciplinary deliverables.
• Develop and review subcontractor scopes of work, including geotechnical investigation (GI/SI) packages and contamination scopes.
• Lead optioneering exercises, define technical inputs to estimates, and support business case development.
• Ensure configuration control of design changes, risk identification and mitigation, and robust progress tracking.
• Participate in site visits, design reviews, safety reviews, constructability sessions and regulatory engagements.
• Provide guidance to project managers on CS&A technical risks, dependences and change impacts.
• Provide advice on nuclear‑specific structural requirements, resilience measures and specialist regulatory expectations.
• Preparing installation scopes of works and supporting constructability and delivery specialists.
• Mentor graduates and junior engineers, supporting their development in CS&A and nuclear engineering principles.
• Drive innovation, digital tools, and continuous improvement.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience required:

• Considerable experience within the UK nuclear industry at all stages of the project lifecycle.
• Good knowledge of design working practices and installation requirements of the discipline across a range of industries.
• Strong understanding of structural design for nuclear facilities, including seismic design, reinforced concrete structures, steel structures, and safety‑critical civil assets.
• Knowledge of UK building codes, Eurocodes, CDM regulations, nuclear industry standards and installation practices.
• Experience assessing new and historic structures, performing optioneering studies, defining scopes of work and preparing technical specifications.
• Competence in producing high‑quality deliverables to schedule and budget.
• Understanding of construction methods and constructability considerations in nuclear or high‑hazard sectors.
• Strong communication skills, able to engage confidently with clients, regulators and multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to work under time/cost constraints and prioritise effectively across competing demands.
• Confident, assertive and able to provide informed technical challenge.
• Understanding of BIM-enabled design environments.
• CSCS or CCNSG.
• C&S elements of pumped systems, such as fire and potable water.
• Knowledge and experience of common forms of contracts.
• Requirements Management experience.
• Nuclear Industry recognised training and qualifications.
• Function as Intelligent Customer (IC).

Qualifications:

• Minimum BEng Civil or Structural Engineering.
• Chartership with ICE or IStructE.
• Must be able to obtain Security Clearance (British Citizen or 5 years residency in UK).