Junior Characterisation Consultant

Amentum; Risley; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Amentum is seeking a Junior Characterisation Consultant to join the Radiation Protection & Characterisation team in the UK. This early-career role develops technical and consultancy experience across nuclear decommissioning, radiological characterisation and radiation protection projects.

You’ll work with experienced specialists, receiving guidance while building skills to become an effective consultant, with a mix of desk-based work and field support at client sites.

Qualifications

• A degree in a relevant STEM subject (physics, chemistry, environmental science, geography or related).
• Permanent eligibility to work in the UK.
• Ability to achieve BPSS clearance and any project-specific clearances.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Analytical approach with an interest in scientific data.
• Good problem-solving skills and logical thinking.
• Ability to work well in a team and take ownership of tasks.
• Good organisation and time-management skills.
• Willingness to ask questions and pursue professional development.
• Customer-focused approach and ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders.
• Flexibility to travel to client sites when required.
• Full UK driving license is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Support the development of building and facility history files.
• Assist with the development of Sampling and Analysis Plans.
• Support the development of Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) and Data Quality Assessments (DQAs).
• Review analytical and radiological data, helping to identify trends and make recommendations.
• Assist with the production of technical documentation including method statements, job reports and risk assessments.
• Support the development and interpretation of radiological fingerprints.
• Assist consultants in advising clients on sampling methods and characterisation requirements.
• Work with colleagues across characterisation, radiometrics and radiation protection.
• Support field-based characterisation activities at nuclear and other client sites.
• Undertake training to support radiation and contamination survey activities.
• Assist with maintenance and recording of radiation monitoring equipment and PPE.
• Liaise with laboratories and subcontractors under supervision.
• Contribute to internal improvement initiatives and development of capability.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Strong communication

Teamwork

Problem solving

Time management

Willingness to travel

Questioning mindset

Education

Physics degree

Chemistry degree

Environmental science degree

Geography degree

Job description

At Amentum, we're not just solving problems; we're engineering the future. Our team is driven by an unyielding commitment to innovation, integrity, and collaboration, tackling some of the most significant challenges in science, security, and sustainability. If you're passionate about making a real impact and want to be part of a community that values ethical excellence, this is the place where your ambition can thrive.

Here, we believe that success comes from continuously pushing boundaries and working together to deliver on our promises. We embrace challenges with confidence and are dedicated to creating a secure and vibrant future for all.

We’ll inspire and empower you to deliver your best work so you can evolve, grow and succeed – today and into tomorrow. We offer an exciting range of opportunities to develop your career within a supportive and diverse team who always strive to do the right thing for our people, clients and communities.

People are our greatest asset, and we offer a competitive package to retain and attract the best talent.

In addition to the benefits you’d expect, UK employees also receive free single medical cover and digital GP service, family-friendly benefits such as enhanced parental leave pay and free membership of employee assistance and parental programmes, plus reimbursement towards relevant professional development and memberships.

Work-life balance and flexibility is a key focus area for us.

The Opportunity

Amentum is looking for a Junior Characterisation Consultant to join our Radiation Protection & Characterisation team.

This is an early-career opportunity to develop technical and consultancy experience while working on a range of nuclear decommissioning, radiological characterisation and radiation protection projects across the UK.

You will work alongside experienced characterisation, radiometrics and radiation protection specialists, receiving technical guidance and practical experience while developing the skills required to become an effective Characterisation Consultant.

The role combines desk-based technical work with opportunities to support field activities at client sites. It would suit someone at the beginning of their career who has a relevant technical degree and wants to develop within the nuclear and radiological characterisation sector.

Previous Nuclear Industry Experience Is Not Required.

Your Role

As a Junior Characterisation Consultant, you will:

• Support the development of building and facility history files.
• Assist with the development of Sampling and Analysis Plans.
• Support the development of Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) and Data Quality Assessments (DQAs).
• Review analytical and radiological data, helping to identify trends, develop conclusions and make recommendations.
• Assist with the production of technical documentation including method statements, job reports and risk assessments.
• Support the development and interpretation of radiological fingerprints.
• Assist experienced consultants in providing advice to clients on sampling methods and characterisation requirements.
• Work alongside colleagues from characterisation, radiometrics, radiation protection and other technical disciplines.
• Support field-based characterisation activities at nuclear and other client sites.
• Undertake training and development to support radiation and contamination survey activities.
• Assist with the maintenance and recording of radiation monitoring equipment and associated RPE/PPE.
• Liaise with laboratories, subcontractors and other project stakeholders under appropriate supervision.
• Contribute to internal improvement initiatives and the continued development of our characterisation capability.
• Undertake technical and professional development appropriate to your role and experience.

About You

To be considered for this role, you will have:

• A degree in a relevant subject such as physics, chemistry, environmental science, geography or another related STEM discipline.
• Permanent eligibility to work in the UK.
• The ability to achieve at least Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance and any additional security clearance required for individual projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• An analytical approach and an interest in working with scientific and technical data.
• Good problem-solving skills and an ability to approach unfamiliar technical challenges logically.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a team while also taking responsibility for your own tasks.
• Good organisation and time-management skills.
• A willingness to ask questions, learn from experienced colleagues and take ownership of your professional development.
• A customer-focused approach and the confidence to communicate with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Flexibility and willingness to travel to client sites when required.

A full UK driving licence is desirable.

Desirable Experience

We do not expect applicants for this role to already have extensive nuclear industry experience. However, experience or knowledge in any of the following would be beneficial:

• Nuclear, radiological or other highly regulated industries.
• Radioactivity, radiation protection or nuclear physics.
• Environmental sampling or monitoring.
• Laboratory analysis or scientific data interpretation.
• Statistics and data analysis.
• Environmental science or contaminated land.
• Field-based scientific or engineering work.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone with the potential and motivation to develop rather than someone who already knows every aspect of radiological characterisation.

You will be curious, analytical and comfortable asking questions. You should enjoy working with data and solving technical problems, while also recognising that consultancy requires good communication, teamwork and an understanding of client requirements.

You will be supported by experienced specialists within RP&C and given opportunities to develop through a combination of technical work, project experience and site-based activities.

This is an opportunity to build a career in a specialist area of the nuclear industry while contributing to real characterisation and decommissioning projects from the outset.

Our Culture

Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and diversity. We put people at the heart of our business, and we genuinely believe that we all succeed by supporting one another through our culture of caring. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

We aim to embed inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected, and if we are diverse, we’re more creative. We accept people for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, mental health, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. This is reflected in our wide range of Global Employee Networks centered on inclusion and diversity.

We partner with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain diverse talent. For greater online accessibility, please visit www.vercida.com to view and access our roles. As a Disability Confident employer, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team.