Senior Design Engineer - Plant Equipment

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 Plant Equipment team is responsible for delivering a wide range of mechanical and process equipment into the SMR, supporting safe, compliant and repeatable power‑station designs. This senior role sits within the Miscellaneous Plant Equipment team and offers end‑to‑end ownership of products delivered into a complex, regulated environment.

About the Role:

As a Senior Design Engineer – Plant Equipment, you will work within the Miscellaneous Plant Equipment team to deliver a broad portfolio of SMR products. You will take ownership of allocated equipment and systems, working with stakeholders to understand and develop requirements, apply modularisation and standardisation principles, and oversee sourcing, development and delivery activities.

You will act as an intelligent customer for supplier‑delivered solutions, applying governance and quality processes, reviewing technical outputs and overseeing contract delivery. Alongside technical delivery, you will take responsibility for cost and programme considerations, which will continue to grow as the project and business mature.

The role involves reviewing and producing technical output across multiple fronts, working with a large number of internal stakeholders, customers and supply‑chain partners on a truly global scale.

We’ll Need You To:

• Own the delivery of key SMR plant equipment components
• Develop and manage requirements with internal stakeholders
• Apply modularisation and standardisation across equipment designs
• Act as the intelligent customer for supplier‑developed solutions
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with suppliers
• Coordinate stakeholders across engineering, safety and delivery teams
• Deliver key business milestones and programme objectives
• Apply engineering governance and quality processes
• Review and approve technical outputs across multiple workstreams
• Oversee contract delivery, including cost and programme considerations
• Support and mentor junior engineers within the team
• Adapt to new, unfamiliar scope and evolving business demands
• Travel between SMR office locations and supplier sites as required

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 in mechanical or plant‑equipment design
• Proven ability to take ownership of technical scope and delivery
• Experience working with suppliers and acting as an intelligent customer
• Strong stakeholder coordination and communication skills
• Understanding of engineering governance and quality assurance
• Ability to balance technical, cost and programme demands
• Experience supporting or mentoring engineers
• Flexible mindset suited to a fast‑evolving programme environment
• Willingness to travel to support supplier and programme needs

Qualifications:

Degree‑level qualification or HND (or equivalent) in a relevant technical discipline. Achieved, or actively working towards, professional institute recognition.

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 £50,650 – £66,500 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be flexibility in exceptional cases, and the role may develop further as the organisation grows.

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 23rd 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