Control Systems Engineer

Westlakes Recruit; Warrington; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialized recruitment firm is seeking a Control Systems Engineer to provide engineering expertise in the design and verification of control systems used in nuclear facilities. Candidates will develop control system architectures and technical documents while ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Essential skills include PLC/DCS programming, control systems experience in regulated industries, and knowledge of nuclear I&C lifecycle. Applicants should be working towards Chartered Engineer status. This role is permanently based in the UK, offering a competitive salary.

Qualifications

• Control systems engineering experience in a regulated industry, preferably nuclear.
• Ability to interpret P&IDs, safety functional requirements, and mechanical schematics.
• Experience producing control philosophies, logic diagrams, and testing methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Develop control system architectures that support plant operation and safety functions.
• Produce technical documents including control philosophies and interface specifications.
• Configure and program PLC, DCS, or control platforms in compliance with nuclear standards.

Skills

Control systems engineering

PLC/DCS programming

Verification and validation skills

Knowledge of nuclear I&C lifecycle

Alarm management principles

Education

Chartered Engineer status or working towards it

Job description

Westlakes Recruit are currently recruiting for a Control Systems Engineer. Candidates can be based in either Derby, Warrington, Bolton, Sunderland, Glasgow, or Bristol and will be engaged on a permanent basis.

Role Purpose

Provide engineering expertise in the design, development and verification of control systems used in nuclear facilities. The role covers programmable logic controllers (PLCs), distributed control systems (DCS), safety‑related I&C functions and supporting systems such as SCADA/HMI. The engineer ensures that control system implementations are safe, compliant and fully traceable to nuclear requirements throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop control system architectures and functional designs that support plant operation, automatic sequences, interlocks and protection functions.
• Produce technical documents including control philosophies, functional requirements, logic descriptions, cause and effect diagrams and interface specifications.
• Configure and programme PLC, DCS or specialised control platforms in compliance with nuclear lifecycle expectations and relevant standards.
• Collaborate with EC&I, process, mechanical, safety and human factors engineers to ensure consistent system behaviour across interfaces.
• Integrate control logic with SCADA/HMI systems, historians, networks and field instrumentation.
• Apply good practice in alarm handling and annunciation, aligning with EEMUA 191 and site alarm strategies.
• Perform verification and validation tasks including peer review, simulation, software testing, FAT, SAT and commissioning support.
• Develop test specifications and ensure that test coverage aligns with requirements, functional hazards and safety classifications.
• Maintain configuration control, software versions, coding standards and technical baselines within nuclear quality frameworks.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Control systems engineering experience in a regulated industry, ideally nuclear, defence, energy or similar.
• Experience producing control philosophies, logic diagrams, sequence descriptions and similar deliverables.
• Ability to interpret P&IDs, process narratives, safety functional requirements and mechanical schematics.
• Strong understanding of PLC/DCS programming methods, including structured text, ladder logic, function block and sequential function charts.
• Experience with verification, testing, simulation or model‑based approaches for control logic validation.
• Knowledge of nuclear I&C lifecycle requirements, safety classification and applicable standards such as IEC 61513, IEC 60880, IEC 61508 and IEC 61226.
• Familiarity with alarm management principles and experience applying EEMUA 191.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of nuclear new build control architectures, reactor island control systems or balance of plant systems.
• Experience with digital twin concepts, advanced simulation or MBSE approaches.
• Experience with cyber security requirements for nuclear I&C systems.
• Chartered Engineer status or working towards it.

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Why We're Different

Westlakes Recruit are a people solutions business that understands the complexities of nuclear and the importance of our clients' mission critical objectives.

Smarter, faster, more agile - we have a laser focus on nuclear, with deep sectoral knowledge.

We develop nuclear talent pools before you know you need them! We do Nuclear. We only do Nuclear. We do all of Nuclear.

Powering a Diverse Nuclear Future: As an equal opportunities business, we value applications.