Senior Engineer - C&I Architecture

Rolls-Royce SMR; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus – 12.5% target

Pension – 12% employer + 6% employee

Holidays 28 days +

Private Medical Insurance

Home Office Support £250

Job summary

Rolls-Royce SMR is seeking a Senior Engineer – C&I Architecture to lead major architectural work packages and shape the C&I architecture for a next-generation nuclear power plant. You will ensure independence, separation and robust interfaces across reactor, conventional, and cooling water islands, working with safety, systems engineering and project teams.

You will maintain the architecture model (Capella) and system-level design descriptions, translate high-level requirements into functional

Qualifications

• Significant experience across the C&I system design lifecycle.
• Strong understanding of architectural resilience principles (independence, separation, segregation, diversity).
• Knowledge of C&I technologies, digital platforms, protection systems, instrumentation and software/hardware architectures.
• Experience applying IEC 61508, IEC 61513, IEC 61226 or similar from safety-critical sectors.
• Strong systems engineering capability including requirements management and interface management.
• Experience using MBSE tools (Capella preferred) and requirements tools (DOORS, Polarion).
• Ability to translate high-level plant requirements into clear functional architectures.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with stakeholders.
• Experience engaging with safety, engineering, suppliers and regulators.
• Mentor junior engineers and guide architecture development.
• Degree-qualified in electrical, control, instrumentation or systems engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead significant architectural work packages and present design decisions with rationale.
• Apply independence, segregation, and separation principles to C&I architecture.
• Maintain system-level architectural consistency across major plant islands.
• Develop and manage architecture deliverables including Capella model and system descriptions.
• Collaborate with systems engineering, plant architecture, safety case and integration teams.
• Support development and refinement of cross-cutting C&I system requirements.
• Ensure architectural changes are captured and integrated into the design lifecycle.
• Support architectural verification and validation activities and reviews.
• Present complex concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers on architecture development.
• Interface with internal and external stakeholders to align architecture.

Skills

C&I lifecycle

Resilience principles

C&I technologies

Protection systems

Instrumentation

Software/Hardware architectures

IEC standards

Systems engineering

Requirements translation

Stakeholder management

Mentoring

Communication skills

Education

Electrical/Control/Instrumentation/System engineering degree

Tools

Capella

DOORS

Polarion

Job description

We are Rolls‑Royce SMR and we're doing something that's never been done before. We're revolutionising an industry. That’s a once‑in‑a‑career opportunity for those excited by such a challenge. This is more than just a job; this is a legacy.

The Control & Instrumentation (C&I) team is responsible for delivering safe, secure and technically robust control, protection and monitoring systems across the power station. These systems underpin reactor safety, plant operation and the integration of safety‑classified and non‑classified systems. The C&I Architecture function ensures coherence, independence, separation, interface integrity and a unified functional design vision across the entire plant.

About the Role

As a Senior Engineer – C&I Architecture, you will take responsibility for complex architectural work packages and help define the overall C&I architecture for the Rolls‑Royce SMR power station. You will ensure that system‑level architectural principles — including independence, separation and segregation — are robust, technically justified and consistently applied. You will maintain a broad view of the complete station architecture across the reactor, conventional and cooling water islands to ensure alignment, safety and integration.

You will work collaboratively with plant‑wide architecture, systems engineering, safety, and project integration teams to maintain consistent interfaces, support cross‑cutting system requirements and ensure architectural updates flow smoothly through the design lifecycle. You will also contribute to and maintain key architectural deliverables including the architecture model (Capella) and system‑level design descriptions.

This is a role for someone who enjoys solving complex multi‑disciplinary engineering problems and wants to influence the direction of a next‑generation nuclear power plant.

We’ll Need You To:

• Lead significant architectural packages of work, generating design decisions and supporting rationale
• Apply independence, segregation and separation principles to C&I architectural decisions
• Maintain system‑level architectural consistency across all major plant islands
• Develop and manage architecture deliverables including the Capella model and system‑level design documentation
• Collaborate with systems engineering, plant architecture, safety case and wider integration teams
• Support development and refinement of cross‑cutting C&I system requirements
• Ensure architectural changes are captured, reviewed and appropriately integrated into the design lifecycle
• Support architectural verification and validation activities, including reviews
• Present and explain complex architectural concepts to technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Mentor more junior team members contributing to architecture development
• Interface effectively with internal and external stakeholders to support architectural alignment

Key Skills Required

We know there's no such thing as the 'perfect' candidate. If you meet around 75% of the criteria below, we'd love to hear from you:

• Significant experience across the C&I system design lifecycle, including specification, assessment, installation, commissioning and verification
• Strong understanding of architectural resilience principles (independence, separation, segregation, diversity)
• Knowledge of C&I technologies, digital platforms, protection systems, instrumentation and software/hardware architectures
• Experience applying industry standards such as IEC 61508, IEC 61513, IEC 61226 or similar from other safety‑critical sectors
• Strong systems engineering capability, including requirements management, interface management and structured decision‑making
• Experience using MBSE tools (Capella preferred) and requirements management tools (e.g. DOORS, Polarion)
• Ability to translate high‑level plant requirements into clear functional and logical architectural designs
• Strong communication and presentation skills, able to convey complex system interactions
• Experience engaging with internal and external stakeholders including safety, engineering, suppliers and regulators
• Ability to provide technical support, coaching and guidance to less‑experienced engineers
• Degree‑qualified in electrical, control, instrumentation or systems engineering, or equivalent experience

Location:

Hybrid working with one of the following locations as your primary site:

Derby, Manchester or Warrington.

Salary and Package:

The salary band for this will be between £53,700 - £70,500 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be some flexibility with the starting salary in exceptional cases, and, in due course, the role may be developed further.

Benefits include:

• Bonus – Performance‑related target opportunity 12.5%
• Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum for a bespoke package
• Pension – 12% employer and 6% employee contributions
• Holidays – 28 days (+ public holidays) with ability to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Private Medical Insurance – BUPA single cover
• Home Office Support – £250 one‑off payment for new starters

You’ll be joining a forward‑thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness and innovation. We offer a flexible, inclusive and supportive working environment, opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business, and a culture that values diversity, collaboration and continuous learning.

Selection Process:

The closing date for this role is 30th October 2026. The process will begin with an introductory call with the Talent Acquisition Partner, with and first‑round interviews able to take place straight away.

You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organization that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:

• A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
• Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
• A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organization, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.

Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.

Our Application Process

Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:

• Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
• Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check