Whole-Plant Design Integration Lead

UK Atomic Energy Authority; South Leverton; On-site; GBP 66,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Outstanding pension

Relocation allowance

Flexible working options

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous annual leave

Inclusive culture

Job summary

UK Fusion Energy Ltd invites a seasoned engineering leader to the Whole Plant Design Integration Manager role at West Burton, Nottinghamshire. You will drive integration across IPTs to deliver a coherent, operable and licensable fusion plant, balancing performance, safety and cost while guiding senior stakeholders.

You will lead a specialist team, champion unified design decisions, and ensure baselines stay aligned with design intent as the STEP programme progresses on a national-scale energy

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering, physics or related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Experience delivering and integrating complex engineering systems within major capital projects in high-hazard or highly regulated environments.
• Demonstrable experience of whole-plant design integration, multidisciplinary engineering and management of complex technical interfaces.
• Proven ability to lead technical decision-making, manage engineering risks and opportunities, and apply systems-thinking across the full lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the overall plant integration strategy.
• Establish plant-wide design principles and integration objectives.
• Ensure engineering activities align with programme requirements and governance.
• Provide independent technical recommendations to support key design decisions.
• Resolve cross-disciplinary engineering challenges and competing design solutions.
• Develop and improve integration processes, standards and practices.
• Own plant-level spatial integration, including layout and interfaces.
• Ensure technical baselines remain consistent and traceable.
• Chair technical forums and lead evidence-based decision-making.
• Balance priorities across engineering, operations, safety and programme delivery.
• Build consensus across teams and escalate key decisions and risks.
• Identify integration risks and manage technical debt.
• Evaluate the whole-plant impact of design changes and maintain alignment with baselines.

Skills

Systems engineering

Integration leadership

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication skills

Engineering judgement

Regulated environments

Education

Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer

Job description

UK Fusion Energy Ltd invites a seasoned engineering leader to the Whole Plant Design Integration Manager role at West Burton, Nottinghamshire. You will drive integration across IPTs to deliver a coherent, operable and licensable fusion plant, balancing performance, safety and cost while guiding senior stakeholders.

You will lead a specialist team, champion unified design decisions, and ensure baselines stay aligned with design intent as the STEP programme progresses on a national-scale energy