Irradiated Fuel Scientist

Job Introduction

Job Description for Irradiated Fuel Scientist:

NNL is where your understanding of reactors fuels the nation. As part of our Fuel Reactor & Reprocessing capability, you’ll play a vital role in developing the UK fuel cycle in line with advances in new technology and new processes. As old reactors reach the end of their lifespan, we need experts like you, with the technical skills to virtually model scenarios that not only enable us to explore new ways of managing the inputs and outputs of reactors, but also pave the way for the implementation of smaller, cleaner revolutionary new reactors. This is a place where you can use your knowledge and expertise to do long term meaningful work for years to come.

The Fuel Performance and Storage team is concerned with understanding the properties and behaviour of nuclear fuel. The team applies and coordinates expertise in the physical, chemical, nuclear and metallurgical properties of fuel in order to ensure safe and efficient irradiation, handling and disposal.

This job makes a direct contribution to sustainable nuclear power generation, supporting the UK’s objective for clean and secure energy production. The team’s work assures the safe and efficient operation of nuclear fuel in addition to providing the technical underpinning for long-term management and disposal of irradiated fuel after discharge from reactors. 

The position is suitable for a scientist or engineer with relevant experience for the subject area, including knowledge of the properties of irradiated fuel. The successful candidate will work as part of a team of technical specialists and national experts, investigating fuel properties, developing fuel examination methods and applying irradiated fuel performance knowledge to a wide range of challenges. The role is primarily concerned with performing work associated with ensuring the safe handling, storage and ultimate disposal of irradiated fuel.

Working with the technical lead for the area, the position supports the technical leadership of spent fuel studies at NNL, which includes the provision of specialist technical knowledge related to the evaluation of irradiated fuel properties, advising internal and external stakeholders. 

The role supports the leadership of a wide range of technical programmes undertaken in active and non-active facilities at NNL including hot cells at Windscale, active and non-active laboratories at Central Laboratory, and non-active development facilities at Workington. The role includes the technical co-ordination and delivery of tasks within the spent fuel and PIE area to agreed time, cost and quality requirements.

Training will be provided to develop as a task supervisor, providing safety supervision of work undertaken in development of equipment for examining irradiated fuel. 

Main Responsibilities for Irradiated Fuel Scientist:

• To carry out designated work packages to standards of safety, cost, quality and time adhering to NNL’s values and behaviours and maintain a high nuclear professionalism standard.
• Following appropriate training and experience, responsible for the safety supervision of work (task supervisor).
• As a subject matter specialist, conduct technical tasks associated with work programmes on irradiated fuel, within an integrated team including modellers, experimental scientists and engineers.
• As a project deputy technical lead, develop experimental programmes working in compliance with NNL processes and procedures with duties including:
  • Manage the analysis of analytical data produced to characterise spent fuel.
  • Leadership of self-contained packages of work, with guidance from the Technical Lead for a programme.
  • Technical supervision of experimental work within the agreed procedures.
  • Manage accurate records, reporting results to a high level of quality.
  • Contribute to the improvement of working practices.
  • Communicate with the customer and other stakeholders in order to develop the requirements of the work.
  • Maintain a good level of awareness of developments in the subject area.
• Take a leading role in science programmes as part of NNLs internal science & technology programmes related to irradiated fuel examination. 
• Identify opportunities for innovation, technology development and / or customer service.
• Professional membership via an established UK institution or a plan to become a Chartered Scientist or Engineer.

Essential Criteria for Irradiated Fuel Scientist:

• Advanced Degree in science-based discipline, or relevant equivalent experience.
• Experience with techniques used for examining irradiated fuel – or comparable inspection techniques used elsewhere. Alternatively, candidates should be able to demonstrate a significant interest and aptitude for developing understanding of such techniques. 
• A good awareness of characteristics of irradiated fuel and / or significant interest in developing this. understanding further based on demonstrated aptitude.
• A track record of innovation and improvement in a technical area.
• Demonstrated evidence of applying academically acquired knowledge in practical applications.
• Excellent data-taking / analysis skills, aptitude for experimental work.
• Demonstrated positive attitude to safety, security and other EHSS&Q requirements.
• A demonstrated enthusiasm for upholding high safety and technical quality standards. 
• Excellent communication and team working skills.
• Positive attitude to learning / development.
• Ability to work in collaboration with others, developing ideas that have been proposed by others within the team, whilst providing technical leadership.
• A pro-active and flexible approach to delivery in making sure that requirements and expectations are met.
• Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).

Desirable Criteria for Irradiated Fuel Scientist:

• Prior experience of techniques applicable to examination of irradiated fuel (in-cave or underwater).
• Understanding of irradiated fuel properties.

Why join us?

NNL isn’t just a place where you can do career-defining work that makes a real-world impact. It’s also a place where you’ll feel appreciated and valued. We’re creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is free to be themselves and feel like they belong. We put your wellbeing first, we push you to reach your potential, and we do everything possible to help you feel safe, supported and inspired.

We also offer a range of employee benefits:

• Sector leading Family-Focused Policies: celebrate life events, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave and a week off for your marriage.
• NNL offers attractive pension plans. If you contribute 5%, NNL contributes 15%. Alternatively, if you choose not to contribute (0%), NNL will still contribute 10%.
• Annual Leave: Benefit from 25.5 days of leave, plus 4 extra days to be taken during Christmas shutdown, plus Bank Holidays.
• Reduced gym membership with discounts of up to 25% from 3,700 gym and leisure providers across the UK
• Company Bonus: Be rewarded for your contributions.
• Learning Opportunities: Enhance your skills through excellent development programmes.
• Employee Assistance: Access support for personal and professional challenges.
• Cycle to Work: Stay active and eco-friendly.
• Life Assurance: Ensure peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
• Enhanced Sick Pay Benefits: Receive support during illness or injury.
• Access to ‘Mydiscounts’ which has a range of special offers and discounts from more than 200 suppliers, including medical insurance and dental insurance. 
• Health Care: Health savings plan which allows you to claim money back on visits to the dentist, optician and/or physiotherapist (limits apply).

About The Company

NNL is an incredible place to work. A place where people do things that have never been done before. A place where people push boundaries to further themselves, the business and society as a whole.

This is a place where personal and professional opportunities are limitless. If you want to change the world, if you want to tackle climate change, if you want to help advance medical science, if you want to help put things in space, if you want to answer the big questions, if you want to work with extraordinary materials, if you want to meet great people, learn new skills, challenge yourself, work flexibly, and build a long successful career with the power to make a real impact… you can do it all here.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

NNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (ED&I) where NNL aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging.

Recruitment Agency Notice

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for the provision of recruitment services. Only agencies on our PSL may provide CVs and only when the role is released to them by our recruitment team. We will not accept unsolicited CVs from suppliers not currently on our PSL. We explicitly reserve the right to add candidate details from unsolicited CVs from non-PSL agencies into our own candidate database and to pursue/hire such candidate(s) without any obligation, financial or otherwise, to the agency concerned.

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory