Lead Electrical Engineer - Earthing

Rolls-Royce SMR Limited; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus 12.5%

Benefits Allowance £2,200/year

Pension contributions 12%/6%

Holidays 28 days + buy/sell 4

Private Medical Insurance

Life Assurance 6x pension

Job summary

Rolls-Royce SMR Limited is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer – Earthing to shape and verify earthing and lightning protection across a nuclear-inspired power station. You will provide technical leadership, substantiate designs to UK/EU standards, and drive robust system architecture and documentation.

The role requires MBSE experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to partner with suppliers and internal teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in regulated industries; nuclear preferred.
• Strong knowledge of earthing and lightning protection design and verification.
• Familiarity with UK/Europe codes and standards.
• Nuclear/high-integrity environments experience preferred.
• Proven ability to manage external partners and contracts.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for earthing and lightning protection systems.
• Assess and substantiate designs for compliance with UK/international standards.
• Develop system architecture, specifications and design documentation.
• Guide designers and review work across project gates.
• Identify risks and craft mitigations during design and integration.
• Support capacity planning, strategy and team development.
• Collaborate across plant engineering teams for standardized design approaches.
• Engage with suppliers, customers and regulatory bodies as needed.
• Coach junior engineers and oversee delivery of work packages.

Skills

Earthing design

Lightning protection

Regulatory compliance

System architecture

MBSE tools

Contractor management

Stakeholder communication

Field installation experience

Education

Electrical engineering degree

Equivalent relevant experience

Tools

Capella

DOORS

Polarion

Job description

Role Title

Lead Electrical Engineer – Earthing

About the Role

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 Electrical Systems team is responsible for delivering safe, resilient and technically robust electrical infrastructure across the Rolls‑Royce SMR power station. Earthing and lightning protection systems are fundamental to ensuring plant safety, regulatory compliance and system integrity. This includes the design, verification and substantiation of systems that protect both people and equipment, ensuring a consistent and compliant approach across the station.

We’ll Need You To

• Provide technical leadership for earthing and lightning protection systems
• Assess and substantiate designs to ensure compliance with UK and international standards
• Develop system architecture, specifications, design documentation and component selections
• Support designers by offering technical guidance and design review input
• Lead or contribute to technical reviews, ensuring quality is maintained through project gates
• Identify risks and develop mitigations during system design and integration
• Support capacity planning, long‑term strategy and team development
• Work across power station engineering teams to deliver standardised, commoditised approaches to system design
• Represent electrical engineering in working groups, supplier engagements, customer discussions and regulatory dialogue
• Manage or oversee supply chain partners delivering work packages
• Coach and mentor less experienced engineers across the electrical discipline

Key Skills Required

• Experience across the electrical system lifecycle in a regulated industry (nuclear preferred but not essential)
• Strong knowledge and experience in earthing and lightning protection system design, assessment, verification, installation, commissioning and maintenance
• Knowledge of relevant earthing and lightning protection codes and standards for the UK and Europe
• Experience developing earthing and lightning protection systems in nuclear or high‑integrity environments
• Knowledge of systems engineering methodologies, including MBSE tools such as Capella, DOORS or Polarion
• Proven ability to manage contract partners delivering technical work packages
• Understanding of commercial availability and cost considerations for materials
• Practical field experience in earthing or lightning protection design or installation
• Strong communication and presentation skills, including the ability to present complex information to technical and non‑technical audiences
• Degree in electrical engineering or related discipline (or equivalent relevant experience)

Location

Hybrid working with one of the following as your primary site: Derby, Manchester or Warrington

Salary and Package

The salary band for this will be between £60,000–£78,750 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be some flexibility with the starting salary in exceptional cases, and, in due course, the role may be developed further.

Benefits

• Bonus – Performance‑related target opportunity 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 4 days
• Private Medical Insurance – BUPA single cover
• Life Assurance – 6x pensionable pay
• Home Office Support – £250 one‑off payment for new starters

Selection Process

The closing date for this role is 16th October 2026. The process will begin with an introductory call with the Talent Acquisition Partner, with interviews 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, and a culture that values diversity, collaboration and continuous learning.

Equal Opportunities Statement

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.

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