Post Doctorate Scheme 2025 - Environmental Scientist

National Nuclear Laboratory Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering organization dedicated to environmental science and nuclear safety. As an Environmental Scientist, you will tackle significant challenges in waste management and decommissioning, contributing to the future of cleaner energy. This role offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with leading experts, engage in impactful projects, and develop your skills through a comprehensive two-year Post Doctorate programme. With a focus on personal and professional growth, you'll be supported in your journey to becoming a Subject Matter Expert in a dynamic and inclusive workplace. If you are passionate about making a difference and advancing your career, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave

Attractive Pension Plans

25.5 Days Annual Leave

Reduced Gym Membership

Company Bonus

Learning Opportunities

Employee Assistance Program

Cycle to Work Scheme

Life Assurance

Enhanced Sick Pay Benefits

Qualifications

• PhD in relevant field required, with experience in radiation-controlled environments.
• Ability to work on environmental safety assessments and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and review facility safety documentation and environmental assessments.
• Conduct audits and inspections of laboratory buildings.

Skills

Data Interpretation

Environmental Assessments

Technical Documentation

Research and Development

Education

PhD in Chemistry

PhD in Geochemistry

PhD in Environmental Science

Tools

Environmental Audit Tools

Data Analysis Software

Job description

Job Description

UKNNL is where you’ll experiment to help solve global challenges. As part of our Waste Management & Decommissioning capability, your work will impact the lives of generations. By finding new ways to avoid, reduce, store and treat nuclear waste, and drive down the cost of decommissioning, you’ll help to deliver cleaner energy and influence our nation’s energy future. You’ll face new challenges every day, working in unique locations on ground-breaking projects. Whichever area you specialise in this is a place to do great science for a good cause.

As the national laboratory for nuclear fission in the UK, we are harnessing nuclear science to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges.

The Environmental Science team is looking for an Environmental Scientist (or similar) to join them to provide technical support to this growing area. You will work closely with Technical Leads and interact with a range of internal and external customers and collaborators.

The role will provide you the opportunity to work closely with leading experts within UKNNL and contribute to the continued safe operation of key UKNNL facilities, as well as wider environmental management activities both in the UK and internationally.

Minimum Requirements

To join the UKNNL Post Doctorate programme you will have a PhD in chemistry, geochemistry or environmental science and preferably have a proven ability to work in a radiation-controlled and/or contaminated site environment.

You will have the right to work in the UK and be able to achieve SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).

Main Responsibilities

We are developing the next generation of technical experts. Not only will you receive the opportunity to work on challenging and exciting projects, but you’ll continually learn from skilled and knowledgeable industry experts who are leaders in their field. We will help you become everything you can be, by challenging, stretching, and pushing you to your limits while supporting you every step of the way.

You will work internally to UKNNL in support of facility operational safety cases and for external customers such as Sellafield Ltd and Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).

Your duties will include:

• The development and review of facility safety documentation
• Delivering environmental assessments for plant safety cases from inception through all levels of project
• Carrying out Environmental audits/inspections of UKNNL laboratory buildings
• Undertaking source/pathway/receptor environmental impact assessments for contaminated land and radioactive waste disposal sites
• The development of conceptual models for contaminant transport and mitigation on nuclear-licensed sites
• The assessment, analysis and reporting of technical information relating to radioactive waste, environmental protection and discharges from nuclear sites

You will have a strong focus on data interpretation and analysis and will provide expert articulation of findings and results to our customers. In addition, there will be the opportunity to work on internally funded R&D projects, author journal publications and contribute towards knowledge exchange activities within the wider nuclear industry.

The role is both desk and site-based and it is anticipated that, while the primary focus will be in the environmental safety assessment area, there will be opportunity to support work and research activities in other areas covered by the team, for example waste and site characterisation, decontamination, remediation, waste treatment and new-build reactor design.

UKNNL recognises that academia and industry are very different environments, our Postdoctoral Development Scheme will smooth the transition whilst supporting you as you take your first steps towards becoming a Subject Matter Expert.

Your two-year scheme will provide the opportunity to develop your technical knowledge and skills whilst providing you with an insight into UKNNL’s strategy and direction. You will receive an overview of how the company operates and delivers its projects.

You will undertake personal development through training aligned to your personal development plan and understand your strengths, weaknesses, and behaviours. You will receive a personal budget to support your development within your field of expertise.

From day one you’ll have a role in a technical team involved in delivering real customer projects. You will have direct sight of the value that your skills and knowledge have to our industry and by extension our society. The Postdoctoral Development Scheme runs alongside your role, providing you the space and skills to develop in a commercial environment whilst helping you decide how to advance your technical expertise.

Our two-year programme is designed to give you:

• An introduction to UKNNL so you understand where we sit in the wider context of the nuclear industry and how we work
• An introduction to the technical expertise at the core of our business so you understand how your expertise interrelates with our wider technical portfolio
• A clear pathway of technical development
• Commercial awareness of the Business Operations of UKNNL
• Opportunity to network with mid-career professionals and experts
• Mentoring to achieve chartered status with your chosen professional body
• A choice of development activities tailored to you and your career aspirations
• Membership of a cohort of early career professionals to provide support in developing within the company
• The support of a dedicated early careers team and our strong, thriving early careers community.

You will be based in Warrington, Preston, Workington or Stonehouse. The UKNNL Environmental team have a presence at all locations. As such, if successful, you can work at any of these sites.

As part of the selection process for the Post Doctorate programme you will complete a Technical Interview against the skills and competencies required for this role.

Why join us?

UKNNL isn’t just a place where you can do career-defining work that makes a real-world impact. It’s also a place where you’ll feel appreciated and valued. We’re creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is free to be themselves and feel like they belong. We put your wellbeing first, we push you to reach your potential, and we do everything possible to help you feel safe, supported and inspired.

Employee Benefits

• Sector leading Family-Focused Policies: celebrate life events, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave and a week off for your marriage.
• UKNNL offers attractive pension plans. If you contribute 5%, UKNNL contributes 15%. Alternatively, if you choose not to contribute (0%), UKNNL will still contribute 10%.
• Annual Leave: Benefit from 25.5 days of leave, plus 4 extra days to be taken during Christmas shutdown, plus Bank Holidays.
• Reduced gym membership with discounts of up to 25% from 3,700 gym and leisure providers across the UK
• Company Bonus: Be rewarded for your contributions.
• Learning Opportunities: Enhance your skills through excellent development programmes.
• Employee Assistance: Access support for personal and professional challenges.
• Cycle to Work: Stay active and eco-friendly.
• Life Assurance: Ensure peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
• Enhanced Sick Pay Benefits: Receive support during illness or injury.
• Access to ‘Mydiscounts’ which has a range of special offers and discounts from more than 200 suppliers, including medical insurance and dental insurance.
• Health Care: Health savings plan which allows you to claim money back on visits to the dentist, optician and/or physiotherapist (limits apply).

About The Company

UKNNL is an incredible place to work. A place where people do things that have never been done before. A place where people push boundaries to further themselves, the business and society as a whole.

This is a place where personal and professional opportunities are limitless. If you want to change the world, if you want to tackle climate change, if you want to help advance medical science, if you want to help put things in space, if you want to answer the big questions, if you want to work with extraordinary materials, if you want to meet great people, learn new skills, challenge yourself, work flexibly, and build a long successful career with the power to make a real impact… you can do it all here.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

UKNNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (ED&I) where UKNNL aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures, providing reasonable adjustments as appropriate. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging and the ability to access to workplace in a way which works for you.