Senior Engineer – Geotechnical in Manchester

Locations: Hybrid working with your primary office location being whichever is closest to you: 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 crisis. We are in pole position to become a world leader in SMRs and the UK’s premier green export technology.

The Ground Engineering team plays a vital role in enabling site-specific deployment of our SMR technology. Combining geotechnical engineering, geological insight, and nuclear safety principles, the team delivers innovative, integrated solutions that underpin critical infrastructure across complex, multidisciplinary programmes.

In this context, we are looking for a Senior Engineer – Geotechnical to support our growing Ground Engineering team across key programmes including GBE-N and ČEZ. Working within a collaborative and technically demanding environment, you will play a central role in delivering and assuring geotechnical design solutions that are fundamental to the safety, constructability, and performance of our SMR projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the review, coordination, and production of geotechnical designs (e.g. foundations, earthworks, retaining walls), reporting, and technical assurance and validation of safety-critical designs, including integration of generic and site-specific solutions and review of programme-wide deliverables.
• Managing the scope, specification, supervision, and interpretation of Ground Investigations and factual geotechnical design development on multi-disciplinary projects, including oversight of external consultants and third-party suppliers.
• Supervising and mentoring junior engineers, and working closely with interfacing disciplines (including hazards, structural, civil, and constructability teams) to deliver integrated design solutions.

Candidates shall have a background in Geotechnical Engineering or Engineering Geology, with demonstrable experience in the analysis and design of geotechnical and foundation solutions. Experience in the nuclear sector or other highly regulated environments involving safety-critical infrastructure is desirable, but not essential.

The role requires a strong understanding of multidisciplinary design interfaces, a collaborative approach, and the ability to demonstrate the robustness and technical validity of solutions in support of safe and efficient design development.

In addition, the following are desirable attributes for the role:

• Experience of working on large infrastructure projects in the UK.
• A valid driving licence and willingness to travel to site.

What you’ll bring

This is a technically demanding and high-impact role, and you’ll bring strong engineering judgement, attention to detail, and the confidence to challenge and validate complex solutions within a regulated environment, alongside:

• Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng) or working towards chartership, or equivalent demonstrable experience in geotechnical engineering or engineering geology.
• Strong knowledge of geotechnical analysis, foundation design, earthworks, retaining structures, and relevant standards such as Eurocode 7.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary environments, contributing to integrated design and embedding health and safety considerations (e.g. CDM 2015).

This role offers flexible working; however, regular attendance at a UK office will be required to support programme delivery, governance, and stakeholder engagement.

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 purchases.

Selection process

We aim to update applicants within 1–2 weeks of application. The process will include an initial conversation followed by two interview stages. Due to the nature of our work, successful candidates will be required to undertake BPSS clearance, DBS checks, and financial probity screening.

Our commitment

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is fundamental to our culture, and we are committed to fair and accessible recruitment practices. We are a Disability Confident organisation 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 requirements, we’d 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.

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.