Senior Engineer - Layout and Installation Assemblies in Manchester

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

We are Rolls‑Royce SMR and we’re doing something that’s never been done before. We’re revolutionising an industry. This is more than just a job; this is a legacy.

The Layout and Installation Assemblies team is responsible for the design and delivery of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) modules and installation assemblies across the Reactor Island. These solutions are fundamental to our modular delivery strategy and play a critical role in ensuring safe, efficient and constructible plant design.

About the Role:

As a Senior Engineer - Layout and Installation Assemblies, you will be responsible for the design and delivery of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) modules and installation assemblies within the Reactor Island Layout design. You will develop an understanding of the full technical requirements and lifecycle of the modules, creating arrangements and layouts while helping determine manufacturing, installation and commissioning strategies. The role requires a strong understanding of how fluid and waste management systems interface with plant structures, equipment, supporting systems and operational activities across the facility lifecycle. You will ensure that plant and system arrangements support safe, efficient and practical operation, inspection, testing, maintenance, replacement and eventual decommissioning.

Working within a core Layout and Installation Assemblies team, you will have responsibility for the development of a defined cluster of modules within a critical area of the Reactor Island design. Getting the layout, modularisation and installation design right is absolutely critical to achieving the overall business objective and is a key part of our innovative SMR approach.

We’ll Need You To:

• Develop and validate Reactor Island layouts to ensure all requirements are met.
• Progress a defined cluster of modules through the Design Review process.
• Proactively engage with stakeholders to capture requirements and assumptions.
• Understand technical and programme risks associated with Reactor Island installations and make informed engineering decisions.
• Work alongside component, layout and CAD engineers to develop integrated module clusters.
• Support the optimisation of manufacturing, installation and lifecycle delivery strategies through digital engineering, constructability and operability principles.
• Lead assessments of plant operability, maintainability and accessibility throughout the design lifecycle.
• Ensure layouts support efficient commissioning, testing, flushing, inspection and turnover activities.
• Apply Design for Safety principles throughout the design process.
• Ensure fluid and waste management systems are effectively integrated with wider plant systems and structures.
• Support solutions that maximise plant availability and minimise outages, operational restrictions and system isolations.
• Work closely with manufacturing, operations, commissioning and maintenance stakeholders to ensure through‑life requirements are fully incorporated within the design.
• Contribute to technical reviews and project review gates throughout the programme lifecycle.

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:

• Proven experience delivering layout and installation design programmes to time, cost and quality targets.
• Experience developing engineering solutions from concept through to detailed design.
• Understanding of robust design methodologies, DfX principles and engineering trade‑off studies.
• Strong systems engineering capability, including: Requirements management, Stakeholder management, Technical and programme risk management, Through‑life design considerations, Gated design review processes.
• Strong technical report writing and communication skills.
• Ability to influence and engage with stakeholders across multiple disciplines.
• Experience in the integration or design of mechanical process systems.
• Experience with piping system design and plant layout development is highly desirable.
• Nuclear industry experience is advantageous but not essential.
• Experience within other highly regulated sectors such as Energy, Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Defence or Process Industries is also welcomed.
• Knowledge of modular construction approaches, constructability assessments and assembly sequencing would be beneficial.
• Familiarity with CDM regulations and construction delivery principles is desirable.

Qualifications:

• Degree‑qualified in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer, or actively working towards Chartership.

Salary and Package:

We anticipate paying a salary of between £50,650-£66,500 DOE plus:

• Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 12.5%.
• 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 5 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 closing date for this role is to be confirmed. The selection process is expected to consist of:

• Introductory discussion with the Talent Acquisition team.
• Technical interview stage.
• Competency-based interview stage.

Due to the regulatory requirements of the nuclear sector, successful candidates will be required to complete:

• Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance.
• A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
• A financial probity check.

Please note this role is subject to Export Control restrictions and additional eligibility requirements may apply.

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

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. We are happy to discuss flexible working. We will also make workplace adjustments for disabled employees if these are needed to help them perform at their best in the role, and we are happy to discuss this once a job offer has been made.

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 and experiences who can bring fresh perspectives to our growing business.

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.