Senior C&I Functional Design Engineer

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 Control & Instrumentation (C&I) capability at Rolls‐Royce SMR is responsible for defining, designing and delivering the control, protection and automation architecture that underpins safe and efficient operation of the power station. The Functions Control and Automation team sits at the heart of this, defining the plant’s functional behaviour, control philosophy and system‐level requirements that drive the design of C&I systems across the entire RR SMR plant.

As a Senior C&I Functional Design Engineer, you will lead the development of C&I functional specifications for systems across the RR SMR power station. You will capture, structure and define plant control functions and translate them into implementable system requirements, ensuring clarity, traceability and alignment with plant‐wide objectives. You will collaborate closely with C&I architects, component owners, system owners, plant system engineers and modelling teams to ensure functional requirements support the plant’s operating philosophy, system interactions and overall design intent. You will take responsibility for packages of work, supporting technical decision‐making and ensuring cross‐disciplinary alignment throughout the design lifecycle. This role provides the opportunity to shape the behaviour of a next‐generation nuclear power plant, working at the interface between systems engineering, plant operations, safety, modelling and C&I system design.

We’ll Need You To:

• Lead the development of C&I functional specifications for systems across the RR SMR plant
• Capture, structure and define plant control functions and translate them into implementable system requirements
• Support the development of the plant operating philosophy and ensure functional requirements align with overarching plant needs
• Develop well‐defined functional designs that articulate complex system interactions and dependencies
• Collaborate with C&I architects, system owners, plant engineering teams and modelling & simulation teams
• Lead work packages, including work breakdown, planning and delivery
• Support technical decision‐making and ensure alignment across multidisciplinary teams
• Produce clear functional documentation, diagrams, descriptions and structured design justifications
• Contribute to verification and validation of functional designs and requirements
• Present functional designs and decisions to technical and non‐technical stakeholders
• Mentor and support junior engineers within the C&I function

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:

• Experience of power plant operation and control, or equivalent industrial experience in system/plant control
• Strong understanding of control theory and its application to complex systems
• Experience producing functional designs and specifications for C&I systems
• Knowledge of C&I lifecycle activities including V&V, commissioning and maintenance
• Understanding of designing systems resilient to faults (redundancy, diversity, defensive design principles)
• Knowledge of key C&I standards such as IEC 61508, IEC 61513 and IEC 61226, or equivalents from other safety‐critical industries
• Strong systems engineering capability, including requirements management, interface management and structured problem‐solving
• Experience with MBSE and requirements tools such as Capella (preferred), DOORS or Polarion
• Excellent communication skills, able to present technical information clearly to internal and external stakeholders, including regulators
• Strong stakeholder management skills and proven ability to work collaboratively across disciplines
• Ability to provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers
• Degree in electrical, control, instrumentation, systems engineering or related technical discipline (or equivalent experience)

We welcome applicants from a wide range of regulated, safety‐critical industries.

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

Salary and Package: The salary band for this will be between £53,700–£70,500 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be some flexibility with the starting salary in exceptional cases, and there is potential for future progression.

Benefits include:

• Bonus – Performance‐related target opportunity 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 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

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, and a culture that values diversity, collaboration and continuous learning.

Selection Process: The closing date for this role is 6th April 2026. The process will begin with an introductory call with the Talent Acquisition Partner, with interviews being able to take place straight away.

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