Mechanical Engineer

Assystem; Bridgwater; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

25 Days Annual Leave

Pension contributions

Healthcare

Professional membership fees

Volunteer days

Job summary

Assystem is recruiting a Mechanical Valve Engineer for the Hinkley Point C project. You will act as technical authority for valve design, review modifications, and ensure safety, quality, and regulatory compliance across construction and commissioning.

The role requires collaboration with designers, contractors, suppliers and safety case teams within a nuclear environment. Hybrid working is available, with extensive stakeholder engagement across disciplines.

Qualifications

• Degree or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience with valve qualification, testing, commissioning, and maintenance programmes.
• Experience in highly regulated industries such as nuclear, power generation, oil & gas etc.
• Understanding of valve design standards, pressure equipment requirements, and engineering codes.
• Experience reviewing engineering designs, technical specifications, and supplier documentation.
• Knowledge of quality assurance and configuration control processes.
• Strong technical problem-solving and decision-making capability.
• Excellent organisational and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent in English.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain understanding of valve systems within the EPR design and their safety contributions.
• Review and assess valve-related design changes, queries, concessions, and non-conformances.
• Provide technical oversight to ensure compliance with nuclear safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Support acceptance of construction and installation activities relating to valve systems.
• Ensure valve design, manufacture, testing, and installation comply with codes, standards and project specs.
• Collaborate with designers, contractors, suppliers and internal stakeholders to resolve technical issues.
• Support commissioning activities and ensure valve performance requirements are met.
• Interface with regulators and independent assessment bodies as required.
• Coordinate specialist support from external organisations and subject matter experts.
• Contribute to lessons learned and risk management.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Valve qualification

Nuclear/regulated industries

Valve design standards

Design review

Quality assurance

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

English fluency

Education

Bachelor/Master in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

About Assystem

Today, Assystem is among the top three independent nuclear engineering firms worldwide. With over 60 years of experience in highly regulated sectors, the group supports public and industrial stakeholders in the execution of complex and strategic infrastructure projects, subject to high safety and security requirements.

Assystem mobilizes 8,000 experts in 13 countries and intervenes across the entire project lifecycle, in engineering, project management and digital solutions.

Why Join the Community of Switchers?

As a member of Assystem, you’ll be part of a team driving the low-carbon energy future. We’re ranked second globally in nuclear engineering, offering you the chance to work on world-class projects like Hinkley Point C. Together, we’ll innovate and shape tomorrow’s energy solutions.

Overview

Job Description

Working on a major nuclear power plant project, the Mechanical Valve Engineer will support the design review, acceptance, and construction delivery of safety-classified plant systems. The role forms part of the intelligent customer function on behalf of the project, ensuring valve-related design solutions meet nuclear safety, quality, and operational requirements.

Operating Environment

The Valve Engineer acts as the technical authority for reviewing and accepting design modifications raised during construction and ensuring technical justification from the responsible designer and contractors. The role involves managing interfaces between construction contractors, designers, equipment suppliers, commissioning teams, and nuclear safety stakeholders.

Working within project’s multidisciplinary engineering environment, the successful candidate will provide specialist expertise across the lifecycle of valve operations, from design review through installation, testing, commissioning, and handover.

Technical Scope

• Nuclear-classified valve design and specification.
• Safety, isolation, control, pressure relief, and check valves.
• Motor-operated valves (MOVs), pneumatic valves, hydraulic actuators, and manual valve assemblies.
• Valve sizing, selection, and performance assessment.
• Pressure boundary integrity and valve qualification.
• Piping systems and valve interfaces.
• Mechanical equipment and process system integration.
• Valve maintenance, operability, and reliability engineering.
• Manufacturing, assembly, testing, and inspection of valves.
• Welding and pressure equipment regulations.
• Valve-related Instrumentation & Control (I&C) interfaces.
• Commissioning and operational readiness of valve systems.

Dimensions

The Joint Design Office is a large multidisciplinary engineering organisation supporting the project. As a Valve Engineer, you will interface regularly with:

• Responsible Designers.
• Turnkey Contractors.
• Construction and Installation Teams.
• Quality and Inspection Teams.
• Safety Case Engineers.
• Commissioning Engineers.
• Regulatory and Independent Oversight Bodies.
• Equipment Manufacturers and Supply Chain Partners.

Principal Accountabilities

• Develop and maintain an understanding of valve systems within the EPR design and their contribution to nuclear, environmental, and conventional safety functions.
• Review and assess valve-related design changes, technical queries, concessions, and non-conformances.
• Provide technical oversight to ensure compliance with nuclear safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Support acceptance of construction and installation activities relating to valve systems.
• Ensure valve design, manufacture, testing, and installation comply with applicable codes, standards, and project specifications.
• Work collaboratively with Responsible Designers, contractors, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to resolve technical issues.
• Support commissioning activities and ensure valve performance requirements are met.
• Interface with regulators and independent assessment bodies as required.
• Coordinate specialist support from external organisations and subject matter experts.
• Contribute to lessons learned, technical risk management, and continuous improvement activities.

Nature and Scope

Working on behalf of the nuclear licensee, the Valve Engineer will use technical expertise and professional judgement to identify, assess, and resolve complex engineering issues arising during construction and commissioning. The role requires close collaboration with safety case teams, system designers, construction personnel, and equipment suppliers to ensure engineering requirements are properly justified, implemented, and maintained throughout the project lifecycle.

The successful candidate will act as a professional engineer responsible for reviewing supplier designs, protecting safety case compliance, and supporting delivery of critical project milestones.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience with valve qualification, testing, commissioning, and maintenance programmes.
• Experience in highly regulated industries such as nuclear, power generation, oil & gas etc.
• Understanding of valve design standards, pressure equipment requirements, and engineering codes.
• Experience reviewing engineering designs, technical specifications, and supplier documentation.
• Knowledge of quality assurance and configuration control processes.
• Strong technical problem-solving and decision-making capability.
• Excellent organisational and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong communication and technical reporting abilities.
• Fluent in English

Desirable

• Chartered Engineer status or working towards professional registration.
• Experience with EPR or large-scale nuclear new build projects.
• Knowledge of nuclear safety case development and regulatory compliance.
• French language skills

Additional Information

What we offer

• Hybrid Working – Flexibility to work from home and the office
• 25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays
• Buy & Sell Holiday – Make your time off work for you
• 8% Company Pension Contributions
• Income Protection & 3x Salary Death-in-Service Cover
• Competitive Sick Pay – Support when you need it
• Healthcare Cash Plan – Claim back on dental, optical & more
• Free Digital Gym Access – Expert-led fitness classes
• Exclusive Discounts – Restaurants, days out & top brands
• 24/7 Employee Support Line – Mental health, financial & legal help
• Cycle to Work Scheme – Save money & go green
• Free Flu Jabs & Eye Test Vouchers
• Paid Professional Membership Fees
• Volunteer Days – Make a difference on company time

Join Assystem and contribute to delivering sustainable and innovative engineering solutions for the Hinkley Point C project.

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We are committed to equal treatment of candidates and promote, as well as foster all forms of diversity within our company. We believe that bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives is essential for creating innovative and impactful solutions. Skills, talent, and our people’s ability to dare are the only things that matter !. Bring your unique contributions and help us shape the future.