Lead Geotechnical Engineer

NUKEM Ltd.; Harwell; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Scheme

Employee Share Scheme

Salary Sacrifice Schemes: ElectricalVe

Technology and Cycle to Work

18 Weeks Full Maternity Pay (+21w SMP)

25 days holiday

Option to buy, sell and carry over up

In partnership with trade unions

Personal Development & Further Educ.

Long Service & Recognition Awards

Free Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

NUKEM Ltd. is seeking a Lead Geotechnical Engineer to embed within the STEP Design Authority to define and assure the geotechnical design basis for the STEP Prototype Plant. The role ensures ground stability and soil–structure interaction are adequately addressed and ALARP justification is provided for safety cases and the DCO.

The position requires 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with hybrid work and on-site presence at West Burton Power Station, Retford (3 days on site per week minimum).

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the geotechnical design basis and parameters, aligned with STEP safety functional requirements and classification.
• Assess and manage liquefaction, settlement, bearing capacity and slope stability risks for the SPP site.
• Develop and assure ground improvement strategies for large, heavily‑loaded, seismic‑sensitive nuclear structures.
• Seismic hazard response and load transfer.
• Blast and extreme event assessments.
• Integrate geotechnical data, models and assumptions into the STEP digital twin, supporting lifecycle change control and traceability.
• Support safety case authors with defensible geotechnical arguments, limits and claims.
• Interface with civil, structural, seismic, safety, CDM and construction teams to ensure design integration and buildability.

Job description

ENGINEERING/DESIGN STUDIES/METHODS - Other

Job title

Lead Geotechnical Engineer

Contract type

Permanent

Telework?

Hybrid (telework possible)

Description of the assignment

Role: Lead Geotechnical Engineer

Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday

Location: Candidates can be based at either of the below sites on a hybrid basis – 3 days per week site/office presence as a minimum.

• West Burton Power Station, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 9BL

We are actively recruiting on either a permanent or contract basis. If contract, in initial duration will be 12 months.

There has never been a more exciting time to join NUVIA UK. As a result of significant growth and major contract awards, including the STEP fusion programme and major frameworks supporting the UK's defence and nuclear infrastructure, we are expanding our capability and delivering some of the UK's most innovative and strategically important programmes. Operating across the nuclear, defence and energy sectors, our work supports critical national infrastructure, strengthens energy security and contributes to the UK's long-term resilience.

Purpose

To provide an embedded Lead Geotechnical Engineer within the STEP Design Authority (DA) to define, integrate and assure the geotechnical design basis for the STEP Prototype Plant (SPP).

The role exists to guarantee foundation performance, ground stability and soil–structure interaction for safety‑classified and non‑safety‑classified structures under normal, seismic, extreme and faulted conditions, ensuring geotechnical risks are demonstrably ALARP and suitably justified for the DCO, nuclear safety case and construction phases.

Required Outcomes

• A STEP site geotechnical design basis that is coherent, traceable and defensible for DCO and nuclear safety case purposes.
• Clear demonstration that ground‑related hazards (e.g. liquefaction, settlement, slope failure) are identified, mitigated and managed across the plant lifecycle.
• Assured foundation and earthworks solutions for heavy, safety‑significant fusion structures.
• Integration of geotechnical data and assumptions into STEP’s digital twin and information management environment, supporting configuration control and long‑term traceability.
• Geotechnical evidence packs suitable for:
• DCO submission and Examination
• Safety Case (PCSR / PSR inputs)
• Independent assurance and regulatory scrutiny

Profile

Key Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the geotechnical design basis and parameters, aligned with STEP safety functional requirements and classification.
• Assess and manage liquefaction, total and differential settlement, bearing capacity and slope stability risks for the SPP site.
• Develop and assure ground improvement strategies appropriate for large, heavily‑loaded, vibration‑ and seismic‑sensitive nuclear structures.
• Seismic hazard response and load transfer
• Blast and extreme event assessments
• Integrate geotechnical data, models and assumptions into the STEP digital twin, supporting lifecycle change control and traceability.
• Support safety case authors by providing defensible geotechnical arguments, limits and claims.
• Interface with civil, structural, seismic, safety, CDM and construction teams to ensure design integration and buildability.
• Identify geotechnical risks to programme, safety or cost and support optioneering to reduce uncertainty at early design stages.

Why us?

Employee Staff Benefits:

• Private Medical Scheme*
• Employee Share Scheme
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes: Electrical Vehicles, Technology and Cycle to Work
• 18 Weeks Full Maternity Pay* (+21w SMP)
• 25 days holiday (increasing to 28 days after 5 years’ service, 31 days after 10 years’ service)
• Option to buy, sell and carry over up to 5 days annual leave per year
• In partnership with trade unions
• Personal Development & Further Education Support
• Long Service & Recognition Awards
• Free Employee Assistance Programme

*After 1 year of service.

Job location

Europe, United Kingdom, England

Affiliated entity

NUVIA is a branch of VINCI, the world's largest integrated concessions and construction group. NUVIA is more specifically the nuclear entity of the VINCI Group and is involved in the entire life cycle of nuclear facilities, from new build to decommissioning, maintenance and operation.

NUVIA is constantly growing, with more than 2700 employees worldwide. On average, 100 men and women join us every year. Now, more than ever, we are looking for new talent to support the group's growth.