Principal Process Engineer - Nuclear

Highfield Professional Solutions Ltd; Warrington; On-site; GBP 83,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Highfield Professional Solutions Ltd is seeking a Principal Process Engineer to lead a nuclear process engineering team on a major programme in Warrington. The role demands technical leadership within a safety-critical environment and delivery of design work across concept, preliminary and detailed stages.

The position offers hybrid working with 3 days in the Warrington office, SC clearance, and an initial 12-month+ contract at a rate of £61 per hour Inside IR35.

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering or equivalent.
• CEng with IChemE.
• Experience leading teams of Process Engineers.
• Experience managing workloads and resources.
• Strong communication and report-writing skills.
• Experience supporting nuclear safety case development.
• Knowledge of hydrogen generation hazards.
• Experience with safety assessment techniques such as HAZOP.
• Ability to work within time and cost constraints.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of Process Engineers and manage workloads.
• Deliver process engineering design to project schedules.
• Support Responsible Process Engineer with planning and estimates.
• Develop and assess concept, preliminary and detailed design.
• Produce key process deliverables: Basis of Process Safety and hydrogen hazard management.
• Assess hazards from fuel storage in ponds and transport flasks.
• Support nuclear safety case development and substantiation.
• Collaborate with PM, Safety Assessors, Plant Engineering, Operations, Commissioning.
• Present designs at assurance reviews and safety committees.

Skills

Team leadership

Process engineering

Hazard assessment

Hydrogen hazard knowledge

HAZOP experience

Communication skills

Education

Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering

CEng with IChemE

Job description

Principal Process Engineer - Nuclear

Location: Warrington - Hinton House
Hybrid: 3 days per week in the Warrington office
Rate: £61 per hour
IR35: Inside IR35
Contract: 12 months +
Clearance: SC Clearance required

Lead Process Engineering on a Major Nuclear Programme

Are you an experienced Principal Process Engineer looking for your next long-term contract within the nuclear sector? This is an excellent opportunity to join a major nuclear engineering programme in Warrington, taking a lead role within a small team of process engineers and helping deliver technically challenging work in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment. You will play a key role in the development of the G3 Phase 3 project, supporting the project through concept development and into preliminary and detailed design.

The Opportunity

The project involves the movement and storage of nuclear fuel following Post-Irradiation Examination (PIE), including the transfer of fuel in PIE cans inside transport flasks via an intermediate storage pond before onward transfer to long-term storage. As Principal Process Engineer, you will provide technical leadership to the process engineering team, working closely with a wide range of engineering and project disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Leading a small team of Process Engineers and managing workloads, resources and delegation.
• Delivering process engineering design in line with project schedules and requirements.
• Supporting the Responsible Process Engineer and Engineering Manager with team building, estimates and programme planning.
• Developing and assessing concept, preliminary and detailed design.
• Producing and reviewing key process engineering deliverables, including Basis of Process Safety, hydrogen hazard management strategies, DSEAR assessments, sequence and interlock definition documentation and process calculations.
• Assessing hazards associated with fuel storage in ponds and transport flasks/sealed containers, including corrosion, hydrogen generation, heat generation and liquor carryover.
• Supporting nuclear safety case development and providing appropriate nuclear substantiation.
• Working collaboratively with Project Management, Safety Assessors, Plant Engineering, Operations, Commissioning and other design disciplines.
• Presenting process designs at assurance reviews, technical committees and management safety committees.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering or equivalent.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) with IChemE.
• Proven experience managing teams of Process Engineers.
• Experience managing workloads, resource profiling and delegation.
• Strong communication and report-writing skills.
• Experience supporting nuclear safety case development and nuclear substantiation.
• Understanding of hydrogen generation through radiolysis and associated hazard management.
• Experience with safety assessment techniques such as HAZOP.
• Ability to work effectively within time and cost constraints.

Desirable

• Previous experience working to Sellafield Ltd processes and procedures.
• Experience undertaking DSEAR assessments.
• Knowledge of nuclear material transfers, transport flasks and nuclear storage ponds.

Why Apply?

This is a chance to take a genuine technical leadership role on a high-profile nuclear programme, working alongside experienced multidisciplinary engineering teams and contributing to the development of safety-critical nuclear infrastructure. With a 12-month+ contract, £61 per hour Inside IR35 and hybrid working, this represents a strong opportunity for an experienced Principal Process Engineer seeking a long-term assignment in the Warrington nuclear engineering market.