Senior Criticality Consultant

Job Introduction

Job Description for Senior Criticality Consultant:

This is where your skills play a critical role in keeping everyone safe. Working in Safety, Security & Safeguards gives you the chance to make your mark on some hugely interesting projects. NNL does work that nobody else in the sector is doing, and this means we need experts like you to make it possible, whilst keeping everyone safe. We’re committed to using nuclear science to benefit society for years to come. This means that you can build a long and successful career here whilst playing a meaningful role in delivering cleaner energy, reducing waste and keeping colleagues and the public out of harm’s way.

As the UK nuclear industry is undergoing a resurgence there is an increasing focus on the delivery of new developments, from advanced modular reactors, clean energy, nuclear medicine, new fuel types, new reprocessing processes as well as the need for support of the existing sites and processes, including decommissioning.  NNL is at the forefront of many of these developments, particularly with its four Focus Areas, and as a result needs to maintain a position at the forefront of developments in criticality safety assessment.  The criticality team at NNL provides criticality safety advice and assessment for our own activities as well as for a number of customers across different licensed sites.

NNL are looking for a dedicated criticality specialist to take on the technical leadership of Criticality Safety Assessment within NNL and the development of NNL’s capability in this area to support our own facilities, our Focus Areas and current and future customers. This will involve national and international liaison and collaboration with customers and other organisations as well as the development and oversight of the activities under the Core Science Theme. You will also enhance technical skills within the Criticality area and support development of team member's skills and capability and lead activities in support of the development of NNL's national and international reputation in the criticality area.

We are looking for a driven individual to lead these developments and realise the opportunities for NNL and its customers. The role will involve:

• building a wide range of relationships from safety, technical and delivery teams in NNL, the NNL Focus Area leads, customers and external specialists in the field of criticality safety.
• the shaping, guiding, and reviewing of the technical delivery of projects to ensure they achieve agreed objectives.
• leading the development of any relevant technology and the capability and skills of safety assessors.
• the development and acceptance of any methodologies, processes or standards required for this evolving discipline.
• representing NNL on relevant national and international forums.
• understanding of the stakeholders within NNL, its customers, regulators and beyond.

You will have experience that gives examples of how you have successfully delivered to the required time, cost, and quality meeting the customer expectations. You will already have networks in place that put you on a national stage and will allow you to develop the international reputation.  

At NNL we support working flexibly, can accommodate homeworking, and can be flexible about location, although some travel will be necessary, to support business needs.

The Location of this role is flexible and can be based at Workington, Sellafield, Preston, Chadwick, Stonehouse or Culham.

Main Responsibilities for Senior Criticality Consultant:

• Leading technical delivery of projects in the criticality area to time, cost, quality, value and service requirements (working independently). Customers may include any UK civil or defence nuclear facility or operator (including NNL laboratories). Accountabilities include:
  • Direction and supervision of other criticality consultants.
  • Management of relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Advice, training and independent inspection.
• Leading NNL’s criticality support consultancy to external customers.
• Provide expert knowledge of criticality safety assessment including being up to date with developments in methodology and approach.  National level subject matter expert.
• Leading criticality support to multi-disciplinary teams addressing safety challenges.
• Leading the identification and development of new opportunities for the team, including technical support to bids.
• Use initiative to develop new capabilities through innovative approaches and providing insight.  Technical lead on complex IR&D projects and submissions.
• Maintain technical awareness of both NNL and external competitors’ capabilities within the broader criticality safety area.  Identify best practice to improve the team.
• Developing team SQEP skills for Criticality, e.g.,mentoring and supervision. Design and deliver specialist criticality training.
• Membership of relevant national industry groups to represent NNL.

Essential Criteria for Senior Criticality Consultant:

• Degree qualified or equivalent level of demonstrable technical capability.
• SQEP 3 with demonstrable experience in criticality safety.
• Excellent level of knowledge in the specialised field of criticality safety assessment. Detailed knowledge of advanced assessment techniques.
• Proven ability to act independently, under own initiative, while supervising other members of the team.
• Strong communication skills, including multi-site working.
• Excellent teamworking skills, with ability to inspire the work of a team.
• Experienced in mentoring and developing technical skills.
• Excellent networking skills, maintaining network across the criticality field nationally.
• 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 Senior Criticality Consultant:

• Preferably Chartered Membership of a professional institution, or working towards this qualification.

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.

National Nuclear Laboratory