Research Technologist

Job Introduction

Job Description for Research Technologist:

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 Effluent, Environmental and Decontamination Chemistry team have a vacancy for a Research Technologist to support the provision of nuclear decommissioning and environmental clean-up services with an emphasis on effluent treatment and decontamination. 

We are looking for a high calibre candidate with practical laboratory experience in a research environment who is motivated, has a proactive approach and solution orientated mindset, to carry out research. You will work closely with Technical Leads to deliver projects by providing experimental data, testing, and underpinning evidence to support existing effluent treatment plants, the decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities and development of geodisposal options. You will be required to interact with a range of internal and external customers and collaborators, interpret research requirements, design and implement experimental and desk-based work and communicate results to stakeholders. This role will allow you to contribute to a wide range of nationally important decommissioning programmes as well as wider risk reduction activities both in the UK and internationally. 

You will also have the opportunity to work on internally funded research in support of geodisposal, environmental radiochemistry, decontamination, and decommissioning. This will include engaging with European research partners on the EURAD programme, authoring high impact publications, supervising PhD students, and being actively involved in knowledge exchange with the nuclear industry. We encourage team members to put forward research ideas and seek support for funding through UKRI applications or through NNLs innovation funding scheme.  

In addition to research, you will also support colleagues to implement systems and procedures to ensure the successful and safe delivery of experimental programmes in our newly refurbished laboratory. You will also provide mentorship and encourage the development of skills and knowledge of junior colleagues. 

The role is based at our Preston Facility, but the successful candidate may be required to travel to other NNL sites and collaborators facilities, both nationally and internationally.

Role Responsibility

Main Responsibilities for Research Technologist:

• Design, implementation, and delivery of desk based and practical experimental programmes to the required quality and safety standards. 
• Interpretation and communication of experimental data including the production of Technical Reports and presentations.
• Preparation of safety paperwork including COSHH assessments, risk assessments, method statements and operating instructions and engagement with facility compliance team. 
• Interfacing with external industrial and academic partners to support and develop collaborations. 
• Preparation of research proposals. 
• Work closely with a range of multi-disciplinary teams across NNL to develop new technologies and processes to support nuclear decommissioning.
• Provide support to develop the skills and abilities of junior colleagues.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Criteria for Research Technologist:

• Post-graduate qualification (PhD) in relevant field e.g. chemistry, materials science; surface science, with a number of years post PhD experience in a research laboratory environment. 
• Excellent laboratory skills and understanding of laboratory techniques and best practice. 
• Good communication skills (written and oral).
• Demonstrable positive attitude towards achieving high levels of safety and quality. 
• Demonstrable experience of mentoring and supporting junior colleagues. 
• 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 Research Technologist:

• Familiarity with nuclear decommissioning programmes, effluent treatment, and decontamination technologies.
• Experience of establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships and projects with academia and industrial stakeholders.
• Able to take technical ownership of projects ensuring they are kept to time, budget and delivered to the required quality.
• Experience of working in radioactive laboratories. 
• Experience of writing project proposals.
• Membership of a professional Institute.
• Evidence of publications in peer reviewed publications.
• Experience of working in a highly regulated industry.
• Experience in chemical / geochemical modelling. 
• Full valid UK driving license.

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.

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