Engineering Capability Lead - Process Optimisation in Manchester

Locations: Hybrid working with your primary office location being whichever is closest to you: Derby, Warrington or Manchester.

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

The Team: Engineering Governance and Process sits at the centre of our engineering ecosystem, shaping how we deliver safe, repeatable and scalable plant design. The team drives consistency, innovation, and discipline across our engineering community, ensuring standards underpin every decision we make.

Role Summary: In this context, we are looking for an Engineering Capability Lead – Process Optimisation, reporting to our Lead Engineer – Continuous Improvement. Working across a broad stakeholder group, this role will lead and deliver process improvements that enhance engineering delivery, strengthen assurance, and embed clear, scalable ways of working across the business.

Key Accountabilities: We’ll need you to:

• Lead end-to-end improvement activities, from problem definition through analysis, solution development, implementation, and embedding change.
• Facilitate workshops and stakeholder engagement to identify inefficiencies, clarify requirements, and drive practical, agreed outcomes.
• Improve engineering processes, guidance, and lifecycle frameworks to ensure clarity, usability, and consistent application.
• Develop measures and KPIs, using data and insight to track process effectiveness, compliance, and improvement impact.

This is a visible and business-critical role, requiring someone who thrives in ambiguity, brings structure to complex challenges, and builds momentum through collaboration and clear, outcome-focused delivery.

Skills & Experience:

• Degree in Engineering (or equivalent practical experience within a relevant technical or operational environment).
• Experience of leading structured improvement or problem-solving activity within engineering, manufacturing, or regulated settings.
• Strong understanding of engineering processes, lifecycle stages, and governance frameworks, with the ability to translate complexity into practical solutions.
• Experience using data, stakeholder insight, and continuous improvement tools to drive measurable change.

Location: We offer hybrid working, with regular attendance expected at one of our core sites (Derby, Manchester or Warrington), depending on team and business needs.

What’s in it for you:

• Salary of between £60,000-£78,750.
• Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 12.
• 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 purchases.

Selection Process: The process will include an initial conversation with Talent Acquisition, followed by two interview stages. Due to the nature of our industry, successful candidates will be required to complete BPSS clearance, including DBS and financial probity checks.

Inclusion Statement: We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, inclusive, and supportive recruitment practices. We are happy to discuss flexible working and will make reasonable adjustments where required.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back—there’s no such thing as a perfect candidate. If you feel you meet around 75% of the requirements, we would love to hear from you.

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.

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.