Head of Mechanical Equipment

Rolls-Royce SMR Limited; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 86,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus – 20% target opportunity

Benefits Allowance – £8,500 per year

Pension – 12% employer / 6% employee

Holidays – 29 days + public holidays

Private Medical Insurance

Life Assurance – 6x pensionable pay

Job summary

Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd is seeking a Head of Mechanical Equipment to lead a large engineering function spanning plant, commodity and support equipment. You will set technical direction, govern design choices and drive risk management across the SMR programme.

You will report to the Chief Design Engineer, collaborating with Engineering, Supply Chain and Operations to deliver safe, robust solutions and accelerate industrialisation for deployment.

Qualifications

• Requires a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or working towards registration.
• Experience leading complex, safety‑critical engineering programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Mechanical Equipment function with technical, programme and people leadership for ~60 engineers.
• Act as delegate for the Chief Design Engineer, owning key design decisions and risk management.
• Drive development and delivery of integrated mechanical equipment solutions across plant, commodity and support equipment.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations and Programme teams to meet milestones and manage suppliers.
• Shape the industrialisation strategy ensuring safe, scalable deployment.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategy development

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Degree in Mechanical or Nuclear Engineering

Job description

Location: Hybrid working with regular travel to Warrington, Derby and Manchester

Our Mission

At Rolls‑Royce SMR, we're delivering a new generation of low‑carbon nuclear power. By combining world‑class engineering expertise with innovative manufacturing and deployment techniques, we're transforming how nuclear power stations are designed, built and deployed. Our mission is to provide affordable, scalable clean energy that supports energy security and helps achieve net‑zero ambitions worldwide.

Team Reporting to the Chief Design Engineer

The Team Reporting to the Chief Design Engineer, you'll lead the Mechanical Equipment function within our Engineering organisation. This is a senior leadership role responsible for a large team of engineers and specialists delivering mechanical equipment solutions that are critical to the success of the Rolls‑Royce SMR programme. Working closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations and Programme teams, you'll help shape technical strategy, build organisational capability and deliver complex engineering solutions at scale.

The Role

This is a unique opportunity to lead one of the most significant engineering functions within Rolls‑Royce SMR. As Head of Mechanical Equipment, you'll be responsible for the technical direction, governance and delivery of the Mechanical Equipment scope, covering plant equipment, commodity equipment and support equipment across the power station. Acting as a delegate to the Chief Design Engineer, you'll provide leadership across a large engineering organisation, guide key design decisions, manage technical risk and ensure the delivery of safe, robust and integrated engineering solutions. You'll play a key role in developing our industrialisation strategy, working with internal teams, suppliers and external stakeholders to support the successful deployment of Rolls‑Royce SMR technology. This is a highly visible position with the opportunity to influence technical, programme and business outcomes across the organisation.

What We’ll Need You to Do

• Lead the Mechanical Equipment function, providing technical, programme and people leadership across a team of approximately 60 engineers and specialists.
• Act as a delegate for the Chief Design Engineer, taking ownership of key design decisions, technical governance and programme risk management.
• Drive the development and delivery of integrated mechanical equipment solutions, including plant equipment, commodity equipment and support equipment across the SMR programme.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations and Programme teams to deliver programme milestones, manage supplier partnerships and ensure successful execution.
• Shape the industrialisation strategy for Mechanical Equipment, ensuring solutions are safe, scalable and ready for deployment.

What You’ll Bring

• Degree-qualified in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering or a related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, or working towards professional registration.
• Significant experience leading complex engineering programmes within regulated industries such as nuclear, aerospace, defence, oil and gas or other safety‑critical sectors.
• Proven experience leading large multidisciplinary engineering teams and influencing senior stakeholders across a complex organisation.
• Strong understanding of mechanical equipment design, product development, technical governance and engineering delivery.
• Excellent communication, collaboration and leadership skills, with the ability to drive alignment and performance across multiple functions.
• Experience of industrialisation, manufacturing scale‑up, design authority or regulatory engagement would be advantageous.

Location (Detailed)

This role can be based from any Rolls‑Royce SMR location with hybrid and flexible working arrangements available. Regular collaboration across Derby, Warrington and Manchester will be required, with occasional travel to other business and customer sites as needed.

What’s in It for You

We anticipate paying a salary of between £85,600 - £112,350 DOE plus:

• Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 20%
• Benefits Allowance – £8,500 per annum, enabling you to create a bespoke package
• Pension – 12% employer and 6% employee contributions.
• Holidays – 29 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

You’ll be joining a rapidly growing organisation at a critical stage of its development, offering excellent opportunities for learning, professional development, and long-term career progression within a purpose-driven and innovative environment.

Pay Range: £85,600.00 - £112,350.00

Why Join Us

• 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

• 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

#LI-SZ1 #hybridworking #engineeringjobs #weareSMR

About Rolls‑Royce SMR

We are Rolls‑Royce SMR A career with Rolls‑Royce SMR offers a unique opportunity to contribute to an exciting organisation delivering a transformational mission. Rolls‑Royce SMR is a radically different approach to proven nuclear technology. Each Rolls‑Royce SMR power station will generate 470MW of low‑carbon energy - equivalent to more than 150 onshore wind turbines and enough to power a million homes for over 60 years.

With its Rolls‑Royce SMRs will play a vital role in supporting renewable energy by helping to overcome intermittency and ensure a stable, sustainable energy future.

We’re proud to be one of the few employers that can genuinely say we’re a strengths‑based organisation. Our people are here because of what makes them exceptional - and our role is to help them make the most meaningful contribution of their careers, doing work they love.

We offer opportunities that go beyond traditional career paths. At Rolls‑Royce SMR you can develop your career by exploring roles and challenges that align with your unique talents.

Our Culture

At Rolls‑Royce SMR, we are committed to ensuring that our teams reflect the communities we serve and that everyone can be themselves at work. We know that diverse teams are more innovative and get better results, and that our people can thrive and be more successful in truly inclusive cultures. Join us and help shape our culture.

Find out more about our inclusion pledge.

Join us

Rolls‑Royce SMR is a place where everyone can grow, so whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day and help shape our culture.

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 can thrive.

We Offer

At Rolls‑Royce SMR, our reward offering is focused on recognising you for your efforts and motivate you to continue achieving. Our rewards and benefits scheme are designed for employees to have complete control. By providing complete autonomy, you can focus on what’s important to you. Whether it’s investments, insurances or wellbeing, it’s in your hands. Work is an activity, not a place.

We understand due to commitments and lifestyle; the world of work has evolved beyond the 9 - 5. Whether its varied hours or hybrid working, our flexible working arrangements make it possible for employees to achieve a true work life balance.

Your career journey At Rolls‑Royce SMR, we don’t just want you to contribute, we want you to grow. We have open dialogue with our employees to understand the ambitions for their career and set plans to achieve them. Whether it’s helping you obtain formal qualifications or pairing you with a mentor, Rolls‑Royce SMR will provide you with a fulfilling career.

Our Team

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