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Operations & Technical Support Adviser

Please Note: The application deadline for this job has now passed.

Job Introduction

NNL is where you’ll experiment to help solve global challenges. As part of our Waste Management & Decommissioning capability, your work will impact the lives of generations. By finding new ways to avoid, reduce, store and treat nuclear waste, and drive down the cost of decommissioning, you’ll help to deliver cleaner energy and influence our nation’s energy future. You’ll face new challenges every day, working in unique locations on ground-breaking projects. Whichever area you specialise in this is a place to do great science for a good cause.

The proposed role of the Operations & Technical Support Adviser is to provide technical support within the technical capability of Characterisation and Effluent Rig Operations team in the provision of nuclear decommissioning and environmental clean-up services with an emphasis on nuclear effluent abatement processes. The role is rig hall-based and involves working closely with Technical Leads and will also require interaction with a range of internal and external customers

Applicants will have a key hands-on role and will participate in the delivery of a range of projects supporting nuclear decommissioning. You will be responsible for operating non-radioactive experimental rigs and carrying out bench-scale experimental work in support of the rig programmes. You will analyse data from the rigs and experimental programmes, produce reports and present information at Customer meetings. You will maintain focus on the safe delivery of the work while delivering to customer expectations. 

It is anticipated that, while the candidates primary focus will be in the effluents area, there may be opportunity to support work in other areas including nuclear decontamination, remediation and geodisposal. 

Role Responsibility

Main Responsibilities of Operations & Technical Support Adviser:

  • Undertake duties as directed by the Capability Manager, Technical Lead and/or Lead Technologist. 
  • Technical support in the fields of effluent and environmental chemistry.
  • Interface with Customers to develop project work and maintain relationships.
  • Define and contribute to experimental and rig proposals and programmes.
  • Work alongside project/programme managers and customers to ensure that work is delivered to time, cost, quality and safety requirements.
  • Operate pilot/concept rigs (sand bed filters, chemical precipitation, ultrafiltration) including troubleshooting where necessary.
  • Organise analytical requirements for operational campaigns and experimental work within NNL and with external analysis suppliers. 
  • Support both rig and bench scale experimental work programmes including sampling, sample preparation and physical and chemical analysis. 
  • Gather, analyse and interpret experimental and rig data, produce, deliver and present on technical reports. 
  • Keep abreast of developments in their own field and apply them to projects.
  • Development of other team members

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Criteria for Operations & Technical Support Adviser:

  • Higher degree qualified in chemistry, chemical engineering or process chemistry with a period of follow-on practical experience.
  • Proven ability to work in a laboratory environment or on experimental rigs including the planning of experiments, analysing data and interpretation of results 
  • Strong computer skills including proficiency in MS Office
  • Good problem solving, analytical thinking and decision-making skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment
  • The ability to effectively mentor and coach junior colleagues.
  • The ability to communicate effectively, both written and orally including presenting technical information to others in the technical community, customers and academia where necessary
  • Evidence of ability to plan and deliver work.
  • Flexibility in dealing with multiple workstreams and changing workloads.
  • Ability to achieve BPSS Clearance 

Desirable Criteria for Operations & Technical Support Adviser:

  • Track record of successfully developing work programmes with key customers
  • Familiarity with abatement plant and /or environmental remediation technology
  • Pre-existing technical understanding of effluent management and waste characterization in relation to nuclear applications is desirable, otherwise alternative technical knowledge and experience that is complimentary and hence an indicator of the ability to quickly pick this up
  • Familiarity with analytical techniques for effluent analysis e.g. TOC, ICP-MS. 
  • Familiarity with control and instrumentation systems. 
  • Member of a professional institute. 
  • Full clean driver’s license and willing to travel occasionally for work.

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

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.

National Nuclear Laboratory

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