Senior Engineer - Reactor Island Holistic Layout

Rolls-Royce SMR Limited; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

Rolls-Royce SMR Limited in the UK is seeking a Senior Engineer to lead the Reactor Island Holistic Layout across the early design stages, coordinating civil, systems, mechanical and architectural disciplines to deliver safe, buildable layouts.

Hybrid working with Derby, Warrington or Manchester as primary locations, you will mentor a 10–15 engineer team, drive design maturity, and ensure alignment with safety, quality and programme objectives.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering or equivalent industry experience.
• Chartered Engineer status or active progression toward Chartership.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of the Reactor Island Holistic Layout, ensuring design solutions meet safety, quality and commercial objectives.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary IPTs to develop integrated, buildable layouts across milestones.
• Drive stakeholder alignment across engineering disciplines to balance technical, operational and construction requirements.
• Provide technical leadership, coaching and governance to develop a high-performing engineering community.
• Support development of standards, processes and best practices for Reactor Island design.

Skills

Team leadership

Multidisciplinary teams

Systems engineering

Requirements management

Gated design reviews

Stakeholder management

Planning & scheduling

Technical decision-making

Modular construction

Nuclear project experience

Education

Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer status

Tools

CAD

Job description

Role: Senior Engineer - Reactor Island Holistic Layout

Locations: Hybrid working with one of the following locations as primary: Derby, Warrington or Manchester

Our mission is to deliver clean, affordable energy for all. Our Small Modular Reactor (SMR) provides a British solution to a global energy challenge. We are uniquely positioned to become a global leader in SMR technology and the UK's premier green energy export, helping to create a secure, sustainable and low‑carbon energy future. The Reactor Island Layout team is responsible for bringing together the many engineering disciplines that make up our power station design. By balancing operational performance, constructability, safety, maintainability and modularisation requirements, the team plays a critical role in transforming engineering concepts into an integrated and deliverable reactor design.

In this context, we are looking for a Senior Engineer - Reactor Island Holistic Layout to support our Reactor Island Holistic Layout Manager. Acting as a design leader across the Reactor Island programme, you’ll coordinate multidisciplinary teams, guide the development of integrated layout solutions and help shape one of the most important areas of our SMR design. Leading a team of approximately 10–15 engineers through influence rather than direct line management, you’ll play a central role in delivering safe, efficient and buildable reactor layouts.

We’ll need you to:

• Leading the development and delivery of the Reactor Island Holistic Layout, ensuring design solutions meet programme, safety, quality and commercial objectives.
• Coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams to develop integrated, optimised and buildable reactor layouts across key programme milestones.
• Driving stakeholder alignment across engineering disciplines, creating collaborative solutions that balance technical, operational and construction requirements.
• Supporting engineers within the team through technical leadership, coaching and governance, helping to develop a high‑performing and engaged engineering community.

More specifically, we’ll look to you for:

• Developing and maintaining the overall Reactor Island layout strategy, ensuring alignment with programme objectives, delivery plans and design maturity targets.
• Leading multidisciplinary Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) comprising specialists from Civils, Architecture, Systems, Mechanical Handling, Components, CAD, Human Factors, Operations, E3S, Supply Chain and Build Certainty functions.
• Driving the development of holistic layout solutions through all phases of the gated design lifecycle, from concept development through to detailed design definition.
• Supporting the optimisation of plant layouts through robust engineering decision‑making, trade studies, DfX methodologies and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Managing technical interfaces between systems, structures, components and operational requirements to ensure a fully integrated Reactor Island design.
• Developing delivery strategies that balance buildability, maintainability, operability and programme delivery requirements.
• Planning and coordinating layout activities to ensure delivery against cost, quality and schedule commitments.
• Leading technical reviews, design assessments and governance activities, presenting solutions and resolving technical challenges as they arise.
• Monitoring programme risks, lessons learned and engineering assumptions, ensuring these are captured, communicated and managed effectively.
• Providing technical checking, assurance and approval activities where appropriate.
• Supporting the development of standards, processes and best practices that improve the quality and efficiency of Reactor Island design activities.
• Building a collaborative and inclusive working environment where engineers are empowered to contribute ideas, challenge assumptions and continuously improve outcomes.

As you can see, this is a highly visible role at the heart of our reactor design programme. You’ll combine technical leadership, strategic thinking and stakeholder influence to help define how our future power stations are designed, built and operated, whilst contributing to one of the UK's most exciting clean energy projects.

We’re looking for:

• A degree qualification in an engineering discipline, or equivalent demonstrable industry experience.
• Chartered Engineer status, or active progression towards Chartership.
• We’ll ask about your experience leading complex engineering, layout, installation or integration programmes from concept development through to detailed design delivery.
• Demonstrable systems engineering experience, including requirements management, stakeholder management, technical risk management and gated design review processes.
• Experience leading teams, work packages or multidisciplinary engineering programmes, including planning, monitoring progress, managing risks and delivering key milestones.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence and align diverse technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Experience of modular construction, manufacturing integration, process plant design, nuclear projects or other complex engineering environments would be advantageous.
• The ability to simplify complex engineering challenges and drive robust, practical and balanced design decisions.

Location

We offer flexible and hybrid working arrangements and welcome applications from across the UK. Travel to Rolls‑Royce SMR offices and stakeholder locations will be required to support programme delivery and collaboration.

What’s in it for me?

We anticipate paying a salary of between £DOE plus:– £50,650-£66,500 Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 12.5% Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum, enabling you to create a bespoke package Pension - 12% employer and 6% employee contributions. Holidays - 28 days holiday (+ public holidays) and the ability to buy or sell up to 4 days. Private Medical Insurance - BUPA single cover health care Life Assurance - 6x pensionable pay £250 - One‑off payment for new starters for home office purchases.

Pay Range: - £

You’ll be joining a forward‑thinking organisation that values transparency, innovation and collaboration. We also offer: Opportunities to work on a first‑of‑a‑kind nuclear programme. Career development and progression within a rapidly growing organisation. Access to industry‑leading engineers and technical specialists. A flexible, inclusive and supportive working environment. The opportunity to help shape the future of clean energy in the UK and beyond.

Selection Process

The closing date for this role is to be confirmed. We expect the process to consist of an introductory discussion with the Talent Acquisition team, followed by technical and competency‑based interview stages.

Due to the requirements of the nuclear industry, successful candidates will be required to complete:

• Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Financial probity screening

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We are happy to discuss flexible working. We will also make workplace adjustments for disabled employees if these are needed to help them perform at their best in the role, and we are happy to discuss this once a job offer has been made.

Why Join Us?

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.
• 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 organisation, 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

We are Rolls‑Royce SMR

A career with Rolls‑Royce SMR offers a unique opportunity to contribute to an exciting organisation delivering a transformational mission. Rolls‑Royce SMR is a radically different approach to proven nuclear technology. Each Rolls‑Royce SMR power station will generate 470MW of low‑carbon energy - equivalent to more than 150 onshore wind turbines and enough to power a million homes for over 60 years. With its Rolls‑Royce SMRs will play a vital role in supporting renewable energy by helping to overcome intermittency and ensure a stable, sustainable energy future. We’re proud to be one of the few employers that can genuinely say we’re a strengths‑based organisation. Our people are here because of what makes them exceptional - and our role is to help them make the most meaningful contribution of their careers, doing work they love. We offer opportunities that go beyond traditional career paths. At Rolls‑Royce SMR you can develop your career by exploring roles and challenges that align with your unique talents.

Our Culture

We are committed to ensuring that our teams reflect the communities we serve and that everyone can be themselves at work. We know that diverse teams are more innovative and get better results, and our people can thrive and be more successful in truly inclusive cultures. Join us and help shape our culture. Find out more about our inclusion pledge.

Rolls‑Royce SMR is a place where everyone can grow, so whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day and help shape our culture. If there isn’t a role which is suitable for you now, you can Introduce Yourself.