Materials Technician

Civil Works Alliance; West of England; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Civil Works Alliance (CWA) is seeking a Materials Technician to support Sizewell C, focusing on marine and tunnels aspects. You will develop and validate concrete mixes, perform materials testing, and help establish laboratory facilities for QA throughout construction and production phases.

Key tasks include on-site and lab inspections, maintaining calibration, and timely reporting to project teams. Essential experience in UKAS labs and a valid UK driving licence are required.

Qualifications

• Experience in a UKAS accredited laboratory handling construction materials.
• Minimum NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Inspect and test materials on site and in the laboratory, reporting risks and opportunities.
• Maintain UKAS standards and comply with the quality system.
• Deliver test results by contract deadlines and report findings to teams.
• Calibrate equipment and notify the Lab Manager of defects.
• Develop testing programmes for trials and contribute to KPI reporting.

Skills

UKAS lab experience

Data analysis

Communication skills

Education

NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent

Tools

Excel

MS Office

Job description

Help Shape the UK’s Energy Future

Materials Technician Opportunity with the Civil Works Alliance (CWA), Supporting Sizewell C

As part of the CWA (Civil Works Alliance), you will support the building of Sizewell C. Sizewell C will be a 3.2-gigawatt power station generating low-carbon electricity for around 6 million homes and will play a key role in our energy future, supplying reliable, clean electricity for at least 60 years. This role will be within the Marine and Tunnels Section.

What will you do?

As part of the marine and tunnels package the development of nuclear qualified concrete mix(es) for the precast tunnel lining (Segments) and precast heads are required. Development and approval of these concrete mixes to the Clients specification requires expertise in the field of concrete mix design, material testing and thermal modelling. This role is required to facilitate the development of these mix(es) and provide ongoing support throughout the construction/production phase of the project. In addition, there are a number of materials required for the operation and launch of the tunnel boring machines such as specialist grouts, sprayed concretes etc. these materials also require trial works and reporting to demonstrate their suitability for use prior to the works commencing. This role is also responsible for the establishment and ongoing operation of laboratory facilities for marine and tunnels works in accordance with the contract specifications.

• Undertake inspection and testing on site and in the laboratory as required by the contract, identifying and reporting areas of risk and opportunity immediately
• Maintaining high standards of work and compliance with UKAS accreditation requirements
• Comply with the site quality system for materials testing laboratory, including materials reporting
• Deliver results by deadlines as required by the contract and project teams
• Maintain equipment calibrations and notify the lab manager of any defects requiring attention
• Identifying, recording and reporting of Best Practice to Project and offsite and pass to Laboratory Manager
• Producing summary compliance reports of material compliance as required by the contract by required deadlines
• Training and development of junior staff to ensure succession plan in place
• Manage expectations of materials team in regard to test result reporting and testing timescales
• Development of testing programmes for trials
• Executing trials and ongoing quality testing requirements as per agreed Specifications, Scopes or ITP’s

What are we looking for?

Essential

• Previous Experience of working within a UKAS accredited laboratory and working with construction materials
• Minimum NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent
• Full UK driving License

Desirable

• SMSTS or SSSTS qualified
• Member of a professional institute
• Experience in training others
• Experience in reporting KPI’s and reports to a timescale
• Experience managing a defined budget
• Experience of preparing and reviewing risk assessments and method statements

Essential

• Good interpersonal/communication skills
• Ability to collect, manage and present data in a clear manner

Desirable

• Knowledge of construction materials (Concrete, Grout)
• Desire for continuous improvement and development
• Quick learner
• Proficient skills in Microsoft Office (particularly excel)
• Well organised

What we will offer you?

The CWA is a single delivery organisation made of up of the client (Sizewell C) and three parent companies - Balfour Beatty, Bouygues and Laing O'Rourke - which offer industry leading packages including market leading salaries, generous annual leave entitlements, pension scheme and other flexible benefits.

About Us

The CWA celebrates the creativity and innovation that comes from a diverse workforce, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds — especially those from under‑represented communities. Our project is built on five core values: Humility, Positivity, Respect, Solidarity, and Clarity.

By joining us, you’ll be encouraged to bring your whole self to work, speak up, and share your ideas. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. If you decide to apply, please avoid including sensitive personal data in your CV.