Operations Team Leader

Job Introduction

An opportunity has risen for a Technical Support Officer to join the Waste & Residues Processing Services (W&RPS) business area Vitrification Team.   The team is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the Vitrification Test Rig (VTR) and development work in support of Sellafield Ltd.’s waste treatment missions.  The team operates in non-active chemical plant and laboratory environments and work includes maintenance of the test rig and associated systems, delivery of full-scale experimental programme operations carried out as shift work and supporting analytical and research project work.

Primarily, you will be working within the Operations Team and be responsible for the routine care and maintenance of the plant engineered systems and ad-hoc project work.  You will report to, and directly support, the associated Operations Manager and Team Leaders in the delivery of the maintenance and operations programmes and this will routinely include the planning, supervision and delivery of tasks controlled through Safe Systems.  You may be responsible for the direct supervision of Process Operators during shift and day work and may also be responsible for junior members of the team, for example, Graduate and Scientific Apprentices.

The W&RPS business area provides a wide variety of waste treatment technology services to Sellafield Ltd. and other customers across the nuclear landscape.  The Operations Team Leader role presents potential candidates with a unique opportunity to gain real plant, laboratory, technical and project experience with the ability to broaden their own experience within key nuclear technology areas.

Role Responsibility

• Preparation, updating and validation of instructions and key safety documentation used in both plant and laboratory environments.
• Planning of maintenance and operational activities and specified projects.
• Preparation of Safe Systems of Work packages and Work Requests to support operations, maintenance and ad-hoc project activities.
• Development towards operation of the Vitrification Test Rigs to the specification in test schedules; monitoring rig performance and key operating parameters.
• Act as Person Organising Work and Safety Supervisor for assigned tasks.
• Deployment and supervision of Operators on plant to maintain operation of test rigs.
• Support to technical teams producing experimental proposals and test schedules.
• Liaising with relevant services to facilitate rig maintenance (NNL Facilities Team Leaders, Riggers, Scaffolders, etc.).
• Training and development to Operators and Technicians, ensuring training records and SQEP status are maintained.
• Management and supervision of the receipt and storage of reagents materials.
• Monitoring of solid and liquid waste generation and undertaking of safe, timely disposals.
• Management of acquisition and archiving of process samples.
• Maintenance of good housekeeping standards.
• Maintenance of stock levels of operating consumables.

The Ideal Candidate

• HNC in Engineering, Scientific or Process Plant Control discipline (suitable experience will be considered in lieu of formal qualifications).
• Qualifications and/or experience of supervising others in plant or laboratory environments.
• Good knowledge and experience of management of safety in operational environments.
• Experience in planning and delivering tasks to safety, quality, time and cost constraints.
• High initiative with the ability to plan and deliver assigned tasks.
• POW and Safety Supervisor Key Safety Appointment holder or proven ability to attain those roles.
• Ability to develop towards the role of Operations Team Leader to supervise shift operations on the Vitrification Test Rig.
• Demonstrable customer focus with good written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to interact with own team and other departments and at higher levels.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of plant control systems such as operational and trending software.
• Good computer/software package/IT skills.

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 microdrilling technology, or as large as developing state-of-the-art power systems for spacecraft, based on radioactive materials.

National Nuclear Laboratory