Deputy Programme Technical Lead (Defence Materials)

Job Introduction

The National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is a Government-owned company run on a commercial basis, providing expert advice and technical services to the nuclear industry and to government. We play a key role in the UK and global nuclear industry, that means reducing the cost of clean-up and decommissioning, maintaining critical skills and attracting talented new people to the industry.

Background to the role

Safe production of nuclear energy requires access to highly specialised facilities and knowledge for handling and examining irradiated materials from operating reactors. In the UK this capability is led by teams at NNL’s  site at Sellafield. The Defence Materials team supports a number of large, long-term post irradiation examination (PIE) projects on behalf of several of its major customers. The team provides information on the performance of reactor materials, supporting the ongoing operation of the UK reactor fleets.

Role Responsibility

What We Require

• The candidate will be accountable to the Materials & Corrosion Defence Materials Capability Manager to support the technical delivery of major PIE programmes in the defence area, making best use of available technologies and responding to evolving customer demands
• They will be accountable for ensuring technical quality assurance is established and maintained in the defence PIE contract, performing technical lead reviews and verification and approvals of selected reports generated within the defence area, ensuring that appropriate challenge is provided and that the relevant procedures are followed in accordance to the NNL Technical Manual
• Ensure adequate technical supervision of work is provided within the area
• Ensure the technical content and quality of deliverables meet customer expectations
• Support the Customer Work Stream Lead, Senior Project Managers and Project Managers in reviews of projects to identify lessons learnt, be proactive and make suggestions for improvement
• Support in the planning and scoping of work
• Interface with customer technical representatives
• Support the wider technical standards within NNL by participating in wider learning initiatives

The Ideal Candidate

• Chartered membership status of a relevant professional institution
• Proven track record in delivery of technical projects
• Significant experience as an appointed Technical Lead within a technical environment involving the design, manufacture and development of articulated electro-mechanical devices or materials characterisation/testing
• Experience in the provision of technical supervision
• An understanding of experimental design methods
• Proven ability to conform to appropriate safe systems of work
• Able to deliver compelling justification to underpin a technical strategy, scope and delivery against customer’s expectation
• Ability to work to a high security standard (SC Cleared or eligible)

Desirable Skills & Qualifications

• APMP qualified
• Radiation worker with active area working experience
• Previous experience of remote handling techniques would be an advantage

About the Company

Grounded in robust science and decades of experience, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is the authoritative voice in the UK and beyond for technological development within the nuclear power sector.

Our unparalleled understanding of the science, challenges and opportunities makes us an unrivalled authority and partner in the field, providing experts, technologies, and access to cutting-edge facilities to organisations around the world.

Harnessing potential technologies and translating them into to industry-ready solutions means our pioneering approach spearheads international improvement and technological progress.

We work on projects as small as drilling a hole to analyse underground wastes with our integrated micro drilling technology, or as large as developing state-of-the-art power systems for spacecraft, based on radioactive materials

National Nuclear Laboratory