Lead Engineer – Electrical Systems (Site Specific Design) 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 Electrical Systems team is responsible for delivering the electrical architecture and infrastructure that supports the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the SMR power station. As our international deployment programme grows, site‑specific design activities are becoming increasingly important to ensure the generic plant design can be successfully adapted to meet local regulatory, licensing and site requirements.

About the Role:

We are recruiting for two Lead Engineer opportunities within our Site Specific Design team. One role will focus on supporting our Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE‑N) programme in the UK, while the second role will focus on supporting our ČEZ programme in the Czech Republic.

In both positions, you will provide technical leadership across the lifecycle of Electrical Systems for a site‑specific variant of the SMR nuclear power plant design. You will be responsible for leading the electrical design response to site‑specific requirements and constraints, ensuring alignment with the generic SMR design while identifying, assessing and controlling any required design changes.

The UK‑focused role will particularly benefit from experience of UK nuclear regulation, site licensing and grid code compliance. The Czech‑focused role will particularly benefit from knowledge of Czech nuclear regulatory practices and licensing requirements.

Working closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, you will apply structured systems engineering principles to ensure robust design integration, traceability and compliance across the site‑specific design lifecycle.

We’ll Need You To:

• Lead electrical engineering delivery for site‑specific SMR design variants
• Maintain alignment between site‑specific designs and the generic design baseline
• Assess site‑specific requirements, assumptions, constraints and interfaces
• Translate plant, operational, safety and site requirements into electrical system specifications
• Provide technical leadership across system owners, component owners and interfacing disciplines
• Ensure site‑specific electrical designs remain compliant with applicable requirements and standards
• Support systems engineering activities including requirements management, interfaces, assumptions and traceability
• Define and support verification and validation activities for site‑specific electrical requirements
• Support design reviews, technical assurance and configuration control activities
• Act as an intelligent customer for partner and supply chain electrical design activities
• Provide design evidence to support safety case, licensing and regulatory activities
• Support procurement, construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance activities where affected by site‑specific design decisions
• Coach and mentor engineers across the Electrical Systems team

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:

• Strong experience across the electrical systems lifecycle, including specification, design, assessment, verification, testing, installation, commissioning and maintenance
• Experience working on complex electrical systems within highly regulated industries such as Nuclear, Defence, Aerospace, Rail, Automotive or Oil & Gas
• Knowledge of electrical system architecture, protection systems, earthing, electrical distribution, generation systems and batteries
• Strong understanding of systems engineering principles, including: Requirements management, Interface management, Configuration control, Verification and validation, Design traceability
• Experience managing design changes and assessing impacts across engineering disciplines
• Knowledge of relevant electrical standards and codes
• Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to stakeholders
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering activities and influencing technical decisions
• Experience acting as an intelligent customer for supplier and partner deliverables
• Ability to mentor and develop engineers
• Experience with international nuclear projects, grid integration, site licensing or regulatory engagement activities would be advantageous.

Qualifications:

Degree‑qualified in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering or a related discipline. Candidates with equivalent knowledge and experience will also be considered.

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 £60,000 – £78,750 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be flexibility in exceptional cases, reflecting the technical leadership responsibility of the role.

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 5 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 16th 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