Head of Radiological Protection Engineering

Role Title: Head of Radiological Protection Engineering

About the Team

The Performance & Analysis team is the centre of excellence within Rolls‑Royce SMR for the engineering analysis used to substantiate the performance and safety of the power station. The Head of Radiological Protection Engineering leads a group of specialist disciplines that are fundamental to the safety, licensing and operation of the SMR power station, including: Radiation Protection Engineering Severe Accident Analysis Radiological Consequences Analysis Radiation Physics & Shielding Analysis. Together, these teams provide the technical expertise, analysis and safety substantiation required to support design development, regulatory engagement and programme delivery across the SMR business.

About the Role

As Head of Radiological Protection Engineering, you will provide strategic, technical, programme and organisational leadership for all radiological engineering disciplines within Rolls‑Royce SMR. You will be responsible for developing and implementing the long‑term vision, capability strategy and organisational structure for the radiological engineering function, ensuring the business possesses the skills, tools, methodologies and governance arrangements necessary to deliver a licensable and commercially successful product. This role combines senior technical authority with organisational leadership. You will be accountable for the quality of engineering solutions delivered across the function, the delivery of work to multiple programmes, and the growth and development of approximately 40 engineers, specialists and technical leaders. You will work closely with engineering leadership, regulators, customers and industry bodies, providing direction on radiological protection, shielding, severe accident analysis and radiological consequence assessment while ensuring these disciplines operate as a cohesive and high‑performing organisation.

We'll Need You To:

• Act as the overall technical authority for radiological engineering and analysis across Rolls‑Royce SMR
• Lead the Radiation Protection Engineering, Severe Accident Analysis, Radiological Consequences Analysis and Radiation Physics & Shielding Analysis teams
• Define and deliver the long‑term strategic direction for the radiological engineering function
• Develop capability roadmaps, organisational structures and succession plans
• Ensure technical outputs are delivered to appropriate quality, cost and schedule expectations
• Lead the development of relevant elements of the E3S case and associated supporting documentation
• Support Generic Design Assessment (GDA), licensing activities and customer programmes
• Provide technical leadership across complex safety, licensing and engineering challenges
• Establish and maintain strong interfaces with Layout, Reactor Systems, Core Design, Licensing, Environmental Protection and Operations teams
• Lead regulatory engagement activities and provide technical representation to external stakeholders
• Act as deputy to the Head of Power Station Performance & Analysis Capability when required
• Promote a strong nuclear safety culture throughout the organisation
• Develop and mentor engineering leaders, technical specialists and future capability areas

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:

• Functional & Strategic Leadership
• Ability to act as the recognized technical authority for radiological engineering and analysis
• Experience defining long‑term technical strategies and capability roadmaps
• Ability to balance programme delivery with capability growth and organisational development
• Experience identifying future skills, methods, toolsets and organisational needs
• Ability to lead experts, managers and specialists while maintaining strategic oversight
• Organisational Management & Development
• Proven experience leading large technical organisations through managers and technical specialists
• Experience recruiting, developing and mentoring highly skilled engineering teams
• Ability to build and maintain a high‑performance engineering culture
• Experience managing organisational growth and technical capability expansion
• Programme Delivery & Technical Governance
• Significant experience delivering complex engineering programmes to cost, schedule and quality requirements
• Experience prioritising resources across multiple programmes and competing demands
• Deep understanding of technical governance, assurance, review and approval processes
• Experience acting as an intelligent customer for externally delivered technical services
• Ability to challenge technical assumptions and ensure robust engineering conclusions
• Nuclear Safety & Licensing
• Strong understanding of nuclear safety principles and defence‑in‑depth concepts
• Experience leading regulatory engagements and supporting nuclear licensing activities
• Ability to ensure radiological engineering considerations are appropriately integrated into engineering decisions
• Experience developing robust nuclear safety cases supported by analysis and evidence
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks beyond the UK would be beneficial
• Capability Development
• Experience developing engineering capability across people, processes and toolsets
• Proven ability to establish and implement best‑practice analysis methodologies
• Track record of driving efficiency, consistency and quality improvements across engineering functions

Qualifications

Degree qualified in Physics, Engineering, Mathematics or a related discipline. Chartered Physicist, Chartered Engineer, Chartered Scientist or equivalent professional registration. Significant experience within the nuclear industry. Demonstrable experience of technical leadership and line management.

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline
• Experience supporting GDA, licensing or regulator‑facing programmes
• Experience in radiation protection, shielding, accident analysis, reactor physics or safety case development
• Experience leading capability development within a growing organisation
• Experience managing and scaling teams through organisational growth

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 £85,600 – £112,350 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be flexibility in exceptional cases, reflecting the scale and strategic importance of the role.

Benefits include

• Bonus – Performance‑related target opportunity up to 20%
• Benefits Allowance – £8,500 per annum for a bespoke package
• Pension – 12% employer and 6% employee contributions
• Holidays – 29 days (+ public holidays) with the ability to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Private Medical Insurance – BUPA single cover
• Life Assurance – 6× pensionable pay
• Home Office Support – £250 one‑off payment for new starters

We’ll Be Joining a Forward‑Thinking Organisation

We offer a flexible, inclusive and supportive working environment, opportunities for growth in a rapidly scaling business, and a culture that values diversity, continuous learning and engineering excellence. 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 can thrive.

Selection Process

The closing date for this role is 23rd October 2026.

Pay Range

£85,600.00 - £112,350.00

Why Join Us?

• 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

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

We Are Rolls‑Royce SMR

A career with Rolls‑Royce SMR offers a unique opportunity to contribute to an exciting organisation delivering a transformational mission. Each Rolls‑Royce SMR power station will generate 470MW of low‑carbon energy - equivalent to more than 150 onshore wind turbines and enough to power a million homes for over 60 years. We’re proud to be one of the few employers that can genuinely say we’re a strengths‑based organisation. Our people are here because of what makes them exceptional - and our role is to help them make the most meaningful contribution of their careers, doing work they love. We offer opportunities that go beyond traditional career paths. At Rolls‑Royce SMR you can develop your career by exploring roles and challenges that align with your unique talents.

Our Culture

We are committed to ensuring that our teams reflect the communities we serve and that everyone can be themselves at work. We know that diverse teams are more innovative and get better results, and that our people can thrive and be more successful in truly inclusive cultures. Find out more about our inclusion pledge.

What we offer

Our reward offering is focused on recognising you for your efforts and motivating you to continue achieving. Our rewards and benefits scheme are designed for employees to have complete control. By providing complete autonomy, you can focus on what’s important to you. Whether it’s investments, insurances or wellbeing, it’s in your hands. Work is an activity, not a place. We understand due to commitments and lifestyle; the world of work has evolved beyond the 9‑5. Whether its varied hours or hybrid working, our flexible working arrangements make it possible for employees to achieve a true work life balance.

Your Career Journey

We don’t just want you to contribute, we want you to grow. We have open dialogue with our employees to understand the ambitions for their career and set plans to achieve them. Whether it’s helping you obtain formal qualifications or pairing you with a mentor, we will provide you with a fulfilling career.

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