Role: Senior Engineer – Test Delivery (Mechanical & Facilities)

Location: Warrington, Derby or Manchester, UK based hybrid

We are Rolls-Royce SMR and we’re at the forefront of nuclear innovation, delivering safe, sustainable, and scalable energy solutions. We’re revolutionising an industry and driving a major infrastructure project. That’s a once-in-a-career opportunity for those excited by such a challenge.

Our Development Engineering Function is structured into four key capability areas: Research & Technology, Verification & Validation, Test, and Commissioning. We play a pivotal role in proving that our Small Modular Reactor (SMR) power station design meets its ambitious objectives and rigorous requirements, with testing spanning disciplines including thermal-hydraulics, mechanical systems, Controls & Instrumentation (C&I), environmental science, and materials & chemistry.

We are now seeking a dynamic and driven Senior Engineer – Test Delivery to join our testing programmes.

Reporting to the Manager – Test Delivery for the area, the Senior Engineer – Test Delivery will play an important role in leading and coordinating integrated project teams to define and deliver the technical requirements, design and full lifecycle integration activities associated with delivery of C&I facilities and human factors demonstrators, ultimately evolving into the provision of critical test data to validate and verify the design and underpin the safety case, in addition to ensuring safe and secure operations for future operators. They will do this by working closely with various stakeholders including plant design engineers, human factors engineers and technical specialists from across the power station engineering team, property experts, suppliers and external partners. Success in this role requires a high level of initiative, influence, and the ability to drive delivery of one or more complex, high-value test outcomes.

Throughout the test design lifecycle, a key part of the Senior Engineer’s role will be to coach other Engineers, to develop the team’s overall capability; and to provide technical review of the team’s outputs. They will also act as an intelligent customer with the Supply Chain team to establish and build relationships with external suppliers and partners for the execution of projects.

For this role we welcome applications from people with varying levels of experience from good engineers who can apply their practical experience to strong experienced engineers with significant experience and knowledge in design and definition of scaled mechanical test programmes, requirements management between multiple stakeholders for future infrastructure and facilities considering equipment, space, resource and capability, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stage definitions and working with key industrial construction contractors/partners is preferable. Salary within the band advertised is commensurate to experience and skill.

Key Selection Criteria:

• Test Programmes – Experience in the definition, planning and execution of test programmes to ensure they generate the required design development, verification or validation evidence, including as applicable through scaled tests or sub-element testing where appropriate. This includes production documentation, cost management, risk management, and clear communication of solutions.
• Delivery – Experience in leading challenging and complex engineering projects in a regulated industry, managing scope, budget, schedule, risks and stakeholder relationships—while ensuring quality, safety, and effective issue resolution. Nuclear experience is preferred but not essential.
• Communication and Influence – Good interpersonal & communication skills, able to bring people together and solve problems as a multi-disciplinary team (e.g. Design & Development). Able to effectively manage uncertainty and change, communicate complex topics clearly and concisely and influence both internal and external stakeholders, following governing processes.
• Systems Engineering – Demonstrate a clear analytical approach and a methodical work process. Have a systems-thinking mindset, including experience of collaborating within multi-discipline teams to define and manage system requirements.
• Technical Coaching and Reviewing – Alongside managing the delivery and quality of their own work, Senior Engineers will have a responsibility to drive up the quality of the wider team’s outputs, through coaching and reviewing. Senior Engineers shall also be skilled in conducting technical reviewing/checking of work conducted by other team members, showing an eye for detail, a drive for quality, and the ability to provide feedback in a constructive fashion.