Technical Lead

Job Introduction

An opportunity has arisen within our Materials and Corrosion department. The Defence Materials Technical team supports a number of large, long-term projects on behalf of several of NNL’s major customers. The team provides information on the performance of reactor materials supporting the ongoing operation of the UK reactor fleets. This role is primarily based at NNLs Windscale Laboratory, but may also include periods at Workington Laboratory or Central Laboratory.

The role offers the opportunity to take on a technical lead role in a long-term project, leading the remote inspection and analysis of irradiated materials.

Role Responsibility

• Accountable for the technical delivery (design, build & commissioning) of specific PIE techniques, making best use of technologies and responding to evolving Customer demands;
• Ensure technical quality and rigor of work carried out;
• Accountable for performing technical lead reviews and approvals of selected reports generated within the Defence area, ensuring that appropriate challenge is provided and that the relevant procedures are followed;  
• Responsible for ensuring that the quality assurance arrangements in place are sufficient to assure the quality of results;
• Ensure adequate technical supervision of work is provided within the area;
• Ensure the technical content and quality of deliverables meet the “Customer’s” expectations; where “Customers” may be internal or external to NNL;
• Ensure that processes applied are consistent with the requirements of IMS and NNL wide requirements (the Technical Manual);
• Support the PM in reviews of the project in order to identify lessons learnt, be proactive and make suggestions for improvement;
• Support the PM in planning/scoping of work;
• Interface with customer technical representatives;
• Support the wider technical standards within NNL by participating in wider learning initiatives.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Skills/Qualifications

• Degree or higher qualification in a science or engineering related discipline
• Significant experience within a technical environment involving the design, manufacture and development of articulated electro-mechanical devices or materials characterisation.
• Experience in the provision of technical supervision.
• Awareness of experimental design methods.
• Proven ability to conform to appropriate safe systems of work.
• Ability to work to a high security standard.
• SC Cleared (or ability to become so).
• Able to deliver compelling justification to underpin a technical strategy, scope and delivery against customer’s expectation.

Due to the nature of this role, it is only open to UK nationals.

Desirable Skills/Qualifications

• Chartered membership status of relevant professional institution.
• Radiation worker with active area working experience.
• Previous experience of remote handling techniques would be an advantage.

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

National Nuclear Laboratory