Senior Layout and Assemblies Engineer (Site Specific) in Cheshire, Warrington

Locations: Hybrid working with one of the following closest locations as primary: Derby, Warrington or Manchester.

Our mission is to deliver clean, affordable energy for all. Our Small Modular Reactor (SMR) provides a British solution to a global energy challenge. We are in pole position to become a global leader in SMRs and the UK’s premier green export technology.

The Reactor Island Integration team sits at the core of engineering delivery, bringing together mechanical, electrical and architectural disciplines to create a fully integrated plant design. Driving layout optimisation, modularisation and constructability, the team ensures our SMR design is safe, efficient and ready for role.

In this context, we are looking for a Senior Layout and Installations Engineer – Site Specific, reporting to the Manager - Site Specific Layout. As a senior technical contributor within the team, you will lead the development of site-specific Reactor Island MEP Layout and Installations, ensuring the integration of structures, systems and components into a cohesive, buildable Reactor Island design.

This is a highly influential role combining technical leadership, systems thinking and design delivery. You will shape layout maturity from concept through to detailed definition, applying robust engineering decision-making to deliver optimised, safe and compact solutions aligned to our modular build philosophy. Alongside this, you will mentor engineers, drive quality through review gates and play a key role in advancing design readiness for site specific regulatory and deployment milestones.

What you’ll be delivering:

• Leading the development of integrated site specific Reactor Island layouts, ensuring alignment across mechanical, electrical and architectural systems.
• Applying systems engineering principles to manage requirements, assumptions, risks and design maturity through gated review processes.
• Work with the site specific project team and customers to interpret the RR SMR generic design against site and country-specific requirements.
• Driving optioneering and design decisions to achieve safe, ALARP and buildable layouts aligned to modular delivery.
• Collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to optimise integration, constructability and operational performance.
• Producing and reviewing technical documentation, including integration reports, specifications and safety case inputs.
• Coaching and supporting junior engineers, contributing to capability development within a growing team.

Skills & experience:

• Degree-qualified in Mechanical, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline, with Chartered status (or working towards).
• Experience delivering complex layout or integration design programmes, from concept through to detailed design, within regulated or safety-critical environments.
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering, requirements management, risk management and gated design review processes.
• Experience in process plant, MEP layout or systems integration, with the ability to drive robust engineering decisions.
• Familiarity with relevant codes, standards and regulatory environments (nuclear or comparable highly regulated sectors) - with exposure to international codes/regulations considered advantageous.

This role can be based at any Rolls-Royce SMR location, with hybrid working supported. Regular collaboration across teams is expected, with occasional travel as required.

What’s in it for you:

• We anticipate paying a salary of between £50,650-£66,500.
• Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 7%.
• Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum, enabling you to create a bespoke package.
• Pension - 12% employer and 6% employee contributions.
• Holidays - 28 days holiday (+ public holidays) and the ability to buy or sell up to 4 days.
• Private Medical Insurance - BUPA single cover health care.
• Life Assurance - 6x pensionable pay.
• £250 - One-off payment for new starters for home office purchase.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment practices and will make reasonable adjustments where needed.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back—but there’s no such thing as a perfect candidate. If you feel you meet around 75% of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you. We also welcome applications from those with transferable skills from other industries such as oil & gas or complex process engineering.

Selection process:

The selection process will include an initial conversation with the Talent Acquisition team followed by interview stages with the hiring team. Due to the nature of our work, candidates will be required to undergo BPSS clearance and pre-employment screening, including DBS and financial probity checks.

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.