Safeguards - Nuclear Graduates 2027

Nuclear Graduates; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary £30,000 per year

25 days annual leave

Travel budget for training and travel

Pension scheme

Career development and mentoring

Job summary

Nuclear Graduates is recruiting for a two-year graduate programme sponsored by Rolls-Royce and the Office for Nuclear Regulation. You will gain broad insights across the UK nuclear sector while developing technical and professional skills.

Based with Energus, you will rotate through multiple sponsor locations, contribute to safe, secure and efficient nuclear operations, and complete a comprehensive development plan during the programme.

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal and teamwork abilities.
• Good communication, written and verbal.
• Ability to influence and persuade stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Gain broad exposure to the UK nuclear sector across roles and sites.
• Participate in three secondments with sponsor organisations over two years.
• Complete a structured professional development programme with industry support.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Teamworking

Influencing

Education

BSc or MSc in a relevant STEM subject

Degree in Security or political science

Job description

• Any relevant STEM subject

One Programme, Two Years, Three Secondments, Endless Opportunities

There has never been a more exciting time to join the nuclear sector. From energy generation to waste management, transport through to decommissioning, the Nuclear Graduates programme provides you with the opportunity to contribute to some of the biggest challenges facing our society.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has brought together leading businesses and organisations to create the award winning & professionally accredited Nuclear Graduates programme.

We are excited to announce that the sponsoring companies for the 2027 cohort are Rolls-Royce and the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

Whether your passion lies within science, engineering or business, Nuclear Graduates will ensure that over two years you will gain an invaluable insight into the breadth of the UK's nuclear sector, giving you the opportunity to contribute to innovative designs, systems, products, and services.

As a Nuclear Graduate, you will have the opportunity to see the nuclear sector from different perspectives, learning from leading experts on projects that have real impact. You will also receive a programme of professional development to enhance your skills and expertise, whilst also demonstrating a commitment to understanding the communities in which the nuclear sector works.

Being a Nuclear Graduate sponsored by ONR, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and security of the UK's nuclear industry. As the nation's independent nuclear regulator, ONR's mission is to protect society by securing safe nuclear operations.

Safeguards are defined as measures to verify that countries comply with international obligations not to use nuclear materials from civil nuclear programmes for non-peaceful purposes.

ONR looks to seek and achieve sustained compliance with domestic safeguards regulations, which require operators to account for and control qualifying nuclear material.

ONR also works to enable the UK to meet its international safeguards obligations including the operation of the State System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material and facilitation of the international Atomic Energy's Agency (IAEA) safeguards verification activities in the UK.

We are looking for individuals who have the capacity to display strong interpersonal skills in addition to their strong technical competencies. The role demands building and maintaining effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including licensees, government bodies, and international partners. We therefore look for individuals who can display an ability to influence and persuade, make sound judgements, have good communication, effective teamworking, as well as a self-awareness of their own limits.

We welcome applications from individuals with a degree (BSc or MSc) in:

• Any relevant STEM subject
• Security or political science subject

Throughout your two-year journey on the Nuclear Graduates programme you will be employed by Energus whilst being supported by an industry leading sponsoring organisation.

At the end of your two-year programme, you will be supported in securing a role with your sponsoring organisation or within the wider nuclear sector.

Entry requirements

• A minimum of a 2:2 in a relevant degree subject.
• Candidates need to have the right to work for the duration of the 2 year programme. Any offers will be conditional upon satisfactory right to work checks
• Successful completion of security clearance checks
• Applicants must be willing and able to travel and relocate. Energus head office is based in Workington, Cumbria, but role locations will vary dependent on sponsor location.

Start date: September 2027

Recruitment stages

• Online application form - please complete all required sections of the application to ensure this is submitted successfully.
• Psychometric assessment - called Neurosight, this will be sent via email.
• Online interview - a 30 minute video interview with representatives from one of the sponsoring organisations.
• Assessment centre - these will be delivered face to face and will involve various activities, alongside insightful information around the nuclear industry and our programme.
• Offer - following our assessment centres, we aim to issue outcomes within two weeks. Successful candidates will begin their exciting journey as a Nuclear Graduate, working with our dedicated Energus People & Skills team to complete security paperwork ahead of starting the programme in September 2027.
• Onboarding - we welcome all our graduates ahead of the start date, through social media groups and welcome sessions, ensuring you are prepared, and any support required is in place, providing you with the best start to your exciting future as a Nuclear Graduate.

Face-to-face assessment centres will take place in early 2027. If you are invited to an assessment centre and are unable to attend, unfortunately you may be unable to complete the selection process.

Closing Date: 12:00 (noon) Friday 6th November 2026

Company Benefits:

• Salary £30,000 per year
• £5,500 individual travel budget (for traveling to training and meetings whilst on programme)
• £3,500 flexible individual training budget
• Access to three secondments to give you experience across the breadth of the UK nuclear sector
• A dedicated team of experts to support your development and progress throughout your time on the programme
• A sponsor company lead to provide you with day-to-day support during your programme and with your secondments
• A dedicated mentor, assigned to you upon starting the programme who will stay with you throughout your Nuclear Graduates journey
• A comprehensive, tailored programme of professional development
• The support of a dedicated Nuclear Graduates programme team throughout the two years of your graduate programme. As Mental Health First Aiders the team are fully equipped to assist you through your Nuclear Graduates journey
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• 6 discretionary days leave for study and relocation
• Energus contributory pension scheme
• Energus Employee Assistance Programme and DigiCare+
• EnergUS Extras, providing in-house news, wellbeing resources and employee discounts
• Membership of up to 2 professional institutions
• Access to an independent Employee Assistance Programme service offering a 24/7 support line
• Opportunity to participate in our Cycle2Work Scheme

As proud members of the Disability Confident Scheme, Energus aim to create a fair and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you have a disability or health condition and require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know – we will work with you to ensure your needs are met. We are committed to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. In the event of a high number of eligible applicants, we will prioritise those whose skills and experience most closely match the requirements of the role.