Principal Engineer

Nuclearinst; Dounreay; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Nuclearinst is seeking a Principal Engineer to join the Infrastructure Programme Engineering team in Scotland. This pivotal role acts as the primary technical authority, safeguarding engineering integrity and ensuring critical plant and infrastructure remain safe and fully operational throughout their lifecycle.

You will influence plant performance, maintenance strategies, long-term planning and decommissioning readiness, guiding senior leaders and ensuring high standards in modifications,

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer with extensive nuclear or industrial engineering experience.
• Strong ability to collaborate across programmes, facilities, safety case teams and multidisciplinary engineering functions.
• Experience representing the organisation at internal and external forums, including regulators.

Responsibilities

• Shape and govern the engineering framework underpinning safe, reliable operation of the site.
• Develop technical strategies and processes, ensure integration with safety and environmental requirements.
• Provide authoritative oversight across engineering governance, competence and project delivery.
• Support line management to develop a capable technical organisation and ensure compliance with specifications.

Skills

Chartered Engineer

Nuclear/industrial engineering

Stakeholder management

Engineering governance

Leadership

Job description

A vacancy has arisen for a Principal Engineer to join our Infrastructure Programme Engineering team. This is a pivotal role at the heart of facility engineering, acting as the primary technical authority, safeguarding engineering integrity, and ensuring that critical plant and infrastructure remain safe, compliant, and fully operational throughout their lifecycle.

As the driving force behind engineering excellence, you will influence everything from plant performance and maintenance strategies to long term operational planning and decommissioning readiness. You’ll provide expert guidance to senior leaders, oversee engineering governance, and ensure that modifications, upgrades, and day to day activities are delivered to the highest standards.

What you will be doing

In this role, you will shape and govern the engineering framework that underpins the safe, reliable, and compliant operation of the site. You’ll manage the development of technical strategies and processes, ensure robust integration with safety and environmental requirements, and provide authoritative oversight across engineering governance, competence, and project delivery. Key Deliverables for the role are:

• Control the development, validation and continuous improvement of engineering strategies, procedures and technical governance across complex projects
• Assist projects to develop an engineering and safety case delivery strategy, optimising plans to respond to changes when necessary and integrate engineering activities with safety, environmental, waste, and regulatory requirements, maintaining effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Manage investigations, assess engineering capability, and manage Design Authority arrangements to ensure high‑quality, compliant engineering performance
• Provide guidance as a line manager, developing a capable technical organisation and ensuring consistent application of specifications, authorisations and project support

Who we are looking for

You will bring significant engineering expertise and professional credibility to this role, combining deep technical knowledge with the ability to influence and represent the organisation at all levels. Drawing on substantial experience across the full engineering lifecycle, ideally within a nuclear or similarly complex industrial environment, you’ll apply sound judgement, strong stakeholder skills, and a proven understanding of Dounreay’s modification and governance requirements.

• Chartered Engineer (or equivalent) with extensive nuclear or industrial engineering experience
• Strong ability to collaborate across programmes, facilities, safety case teams, and multidisciplinary engineering functions
• Confident representing the organisation at internal and external forums, including effective engagement with regulators
• Post specific capability analysis assessment

We are looking to hold interviews week commencing Monday 17 August 2026, however, please note that this vacancy may close earlier than the stated deadline should we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

If you require assistance at any point during the recruitment process contact [e-mail] at the appropriate time so we can make any necessary, reasonable adjustment.