Principal Engineer in Thurso

Vacancies have arisen for Principal Engineers to join either the Reactors or Infrastructure Programme Engineering teams. The Reactors programme post takes responsibility for both Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) and Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR). This is a pivotal role at the heart of facility engineering, acting as the primary technical authority, safeguarding engineering integrity, and ensuring that critical plant and infrastructure remain safe, compliant, and fully operational throughout their lifecycle.

As the driving force behind engineering excellence, you will influence everything from plant performance and maintenance strategies to long term operational planning and decommissioning readiness. You’ll provide expert guidance to senior leaders, oversee engineering governance, and ensure that modifications, upgrades, and day to day activities are delivered to the highest standards.

What You Will Be Doing

In this role, you will shape and govern the engineering framework that underpins the safe, reliable, and compliant operation of the site. You’ll lead the development of technical strategies and processes, ensure robust integration with safety and environmental requirements, and provide authoritative oversight across engineering governance, competence, and project delivery. Key Deliverables for the role are:

• Control the development, validation and continuous improvement of engineering strategies, procedures and technical governance across complex projects.
• Assist projects to develop an engineering and safety case delivery strategy, optimising plans to respond to changes when necessary and integrate engineering activities with safety, environmental, waste, and regulatory requirements, maintaining effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead investigations, assess engineering capability, and manage Design Authority arrangements to ensure high‑quality, compliant engineering performance.
• Provide guidance as a line manager, developing a capable technical organisation and ensuring consistent application of specifications, authorisations and project support.

Who We Are Looking For

You will bring significant engineering expertise and professional credibility to this role, combining deep technical knowledge with the ability to influence and represent the organisation at all levels. Drawing on substantial experience across the full engineering lifecycle, ideally within a nuclear or similarly complex industrial environment, you’ll apply sound judgement, strong stakeholder skills, and a proven understanding of Dounreay’s modification and governance requirements.

• Chartered Engineer (or equivalent) with extensive nuclear or industrial engineering experience.
• Strong ability to collaborate across programmes, facilities, safety case teams, and multidisciplinary engineering functions.
• Confident representing the organisation at internal and external forums, including effective engagement with regulators.
• Post specific capability analysis assessment.

We are looking to hold interviews week commencing Monday 01 June 2026, however, please note that this vacancy may close earlier than the stated deadline should we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

If you require assistance at any point during the recruitment process contact careers@dounreay.nrservices.uk at the appropriate time so we can make any necessary, reasonable adjustment.

Some Reasons We Think You’ll Love It Here

Please note: All successful candidates who do not already hold security clearance will need to provide proof of identity, eligibility to work in the UK, and employment/education history (typically covering the last 3–5 years) in line with NRS Baseline Security requirements. Some roles may also require full Security Clearance, which involves additional checks. For details, please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) guidance.