Lead Chemist (Nuclear Engineering)

Rolls-Royce SMR; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 78,750; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Benefits allowance

Pension plan

28 days holidays + holidays purchase/s

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Home office stipend

Job summary

Rolls-Royce SMR is seeking a Lead Chemist to develop, justify, and integrate water chemistry control across the SMR design. The role blends deep technical expertise with leadership across the chemistry function.

Based in the UK with hybrid flexibility across Derby, Warrington or Manchester, you will engage regulators and customers, coach engineers, and help shape the safety case and long-term capability for the chemistry discipline.

Qualifications

• Degree in chemistry or closely related discipline.
• Strong practical experience in applied chemistry.
• Experience in nuclear, power generation, or other highly regulated industries.
• Understanding of PWR plant behaviour and ALARP principles.
• Ability to interpret chemistry data and assess implications for safety and operability.
• Clear, confident communication across varied audiences.
• Strong collaboration and relationship-building across teams.
• Experience coaching or mentoring others in a technical environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead water chemistry control and justification activities across all reactor operating modes and systems.
• Act as primary technical interface, representing the chemistry discipline with authority.
• Contribute to the SMR safety case and regulator/customer engagement.
• Coach and mentor junior engineers to build technical capability.
• Conduct detailed technical reviews to ensure outputs meet quality and compliance.
• Drive strategic development of the chemistry team and future direction.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to identify gaps and propose solutions.
• Engage with external industry communities to keep Rolls‑Royce SMR at the forefront of practice.
• Own and manage delivery plans for cost, schedule, and quality.

Skills

Chemistry degree

Applied chemistry experience

Nuclear industry experience

PWR knowledge

ALARP principles

Data interpretation

Communication skills

Collaborative skills

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in chemistry or related field

Job description

Pay Range £60,000.00

At Rolls‑Royce SMR, our mission is simple and ambitious: to deliver clean, affordable energy for all. Our Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programme provides a British solution to a global energy challenge, helping the world transition to low‑carbon energy while supporting energy security.

We are in pole position to become a world leader in SMR technology — a next‑generation approach to nuclear energy and the UK’s premier green export opportunity. As a fast‑growing organisation backed by decades of engineering excellence, this is an exciting time to join us.

The Team You’ll join our Materials & Chemistry team, a growing group of more than 20 engineers supporting the full lifecycle of the Rolls‑Royce SMR power plant, from concept design through to operation and decommissioning. The team plays a cross‑functional role across the business.

Role Summary — Lead Chemist As a Lead Chemist, you will play a key strategic and technical role in developing, justifying, and integrating water chemistry control across the Rolls‑Royce SMR design.

This Role Is Important Because You Will

• Represent the chemistry discipline to regulators, partners, and potential customers.
• Shape the long‑term capability, strategy, and technical excellence of the chemistry function.
• Ensure our chemistry approach meets the highest standards of performance, safety, and compliance throughout the SMR lifecycle.

This is a role for someone who wants to combine deep technical expertise with leadership, influence, and broad business impact.

Key Responsibilities In this role, you will be doing things like:

• Leading water chemistry control and justification activities across all reactor operating modes and systems.
• Acting as a primary technical interface, representing the chemistry discipline with authority and clarity.
• Contributing to the SMR safety case, including engagement with the regulator and potential customers.
• Coaching and mentoring junior engineers to build technical capability in the team.
• Conducting detailed technical reviews to ensure chemistry‑related outputs meet quality, accuracy, and compliance requirements.
• Driving strategic development of the chemistry team — identifying opportunities, building networks, and influencing the future direction of the discipline.
• Collaborating across multidisciplinary teams, identifying gaps or non‑conformances and proposing robust, practical solutions.
• Staying connected to external industry communities, ensuring Rolls‑Royce SMR remains at the forefront of nuclear chemistry practice.
• Owning and managing delivery plans, ensuring work is delivered to cost, schedule, and quality requirements.

The Impact You Will Have

• Directly influence the safety, operability, and performance of the Rolls‑Royce SMR.
• Help shape the UK’s future clean‑energy landscape.
• Build long‑term technical capability and excellence within the chemistry discipline.
• Represent Rolls‑Royce SMR to regulators, customers, and industry experts.
• Play a major role in progressing our SMR design through GDA Step 3 and beyond.

This is an opportunity to deliver work with real purpose — improving energy security, reducing global carbon emissions, and advancing world‑leading nuclear technology.

Essential Qualifications & Skills We will need you to bring:

• A degree (or equivalent) in chemistry or a closely related discipline.
• Strong, practical experience in applied chemistry.
• Experience working in the nuclear, power generation, or other highly regulated industries.
• Understanding of PWR plant behaviour, ALARP principles and regulatory expectations (highly beneficial).
• Ability to interpret chemistry data, predict trends, and assess implications for safety and operability.
• Clear, confident communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical information to varied audiences.
• Strong collaboration skills — able to build relationships across multidisciplinary teams and external organisations.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, or supporting others in a technical environment.

Location & Ways of Working We offer full flexibility across our UK offices in Derby, Warrington or Manchester, with hybrid working available. Typical expectations are around two days per week in the office, although this may vary depending on individual needs and team activities. We will discuss this with you during the recruitment process.

Pay And Benefits We anticipate paying a salary of between £60,000-£78,750 plus:

• Bonus - Performance related bonus up to 12.5%
• Benefits Allowance - £2200, 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 4 days
• Family Friendly Policies
• Private Medical Insurance - BUPA single cover health care
• Life Assurance - 6x pensionable pay
• £250 - One‑off payment for new starters for home office purchases

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.

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