Senior Engineer – Auxiliary & Waste Block Lead in Derby

We are Rolls‑Royce SMR and we’re doing something that’s never been done before. We’re revolutionising an industry. That’s a once‑in‑a‑career opportunity for those excited by such a challenge. This is more than just a job; this is a legacy.

The Reactor Island Integration team is responsible for the development and integration of major plant areas across the SMR power station. The Auxiliary & Waste Block contains a range of important systems, equipment and facilities that support plant operations, waste management and long‑term maintainability.

About the Role:

As a Senior Engineer – Auxiliary & Waste Block Lead, you will be responsible for coordinating and driving a multidisciplinary engineering team to deliver the Auxiliary & Waste Block design scope. You will provide technical leadership across layout and installation design activities, working closely with stakeholders from Civil, Architectural, Mechanical Handling, Systems, Components, Human Factors, E3S, Construction and Supply Chain teams to develop an optimised and integrated solution. This is a key integration role, requiring strong technical judgement, stakeholder management and leadership capability to ensure successful delivery of a complex engineering scope through the gated design lifecycle.

We’ll Need You To:

• Lead the delivery of the Auxiliary & Waste Block scope across the SMR programme
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams to develop integrated layout and installation solutions
• Develop design definitions in line with the gated engineering lifecycle
• Lead technical reviews, definition reviews and design maturity activities
• Resolve complex technical challenges and integration issues
• Support development of block delivery strategies alongside key engineering stakeholders
• Develop and maintain plans to deliver scope to cost, schedule and quality targets
• Manage technical risks, assumptions, issues and lessons learned
• Provide technical checking, governance and approval where appropriate
• Coach and support engineers across the wider team
• Drive collaboration across engineering disciplines to achieve programme objectives

Key Skills Required:

We know there’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ candidate. If you meet around 75% of the criteria below, we’d love to hear from you:

• Proven experience delivering layout and installation design programmes
• Experience developing design solutions from concept through to detailed design definition
• Strong understanding of Design for X (DfX), trade studies and engineering decision‑making
• Experience applying systems engineering principles, including:
• Requirements management
• Stakeholder management
• Technical and programme risk management
• Design for through‑life operation and fault scenarios
• Gated design review processes
• Experience leading engineering work packages or multidisciplinary teams
• Strong technical communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience providing technical coaching, supervision and review
• Strong understanding of contamination control and nuclear waste management
• Experience in nuclear mechanical systems design is advantageous
• Candidates with experience in modularisation and mechanical process system design from other industries are also encouraged to apply

Qualifications:

• Degree‑qualified in an Engineering discipline or equivalent experience
• Experience leading engineering teams or major engineering work packages
• Chartered Engineer (or working towards Chartership) desirable

Location:

Hybrid working with one of the following as your primary site: Derby, Manchester or Warrington

Salary and Package:

The salary band for this role will be between £50,650 – £66,500 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be flexibility with the starting salary in exceptional cases, and the role may develop further over time.

Benefits include:

• Bonus – Performance‑related target opportunity up to 12.5%
• Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum for a bespoke package
• Pension – 12% employer and 6% employee contributions
• Holidays – 28 days (+ public holidays) with the ability to buy or sell up to 4 days
• Private Medical Insurance – BUPA single cover
• Life Assurance – 6× pensionable pay
• Home Office Support – £250 one‑off payment for new starters

Selection Process:

The closing date for this role is 10th August 2026. The process will begin with an introductory call with the Talent Acquisition Partner, with interviews being able to take place straight away.

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