Role: Manager – Cooling Water Island (CWI) Site‑Specific Design Lead
Location: Hybrid working with one of the following locations as Primary
Our mission
Our mission is to deliver clean, affordable energy for all. Our Small Modular Reactor (SMR) provides a British solution to a global energy challenge. We are in pole position to become a world leader in SMRs and the UK’s premier green export technology.
The team
The Conventional Island Engineering team owns the design and integration of critical non‑nuclear systems that enable safe, licensable SMR deployment. Operating at the interface of regulation, environment and infrastructure, the team converts generic design into robust, site‑specific, regulator‑ready solutions.
Role summary
We are seeking a Manager – Cooling Water Island (CWI) Site‑Specific Design Lead, reporting to the CWI Design Manager. Leading a multidisciplinary team, this role holds design authority for site‑specific Cooling Water Island solutions, ensuring integrated, compliant designs that maintain Rolls‑Royce SMR intent while meeting environmental, regulatory and programme requirements.
Key deliverables / duties
We’ll need you to:
Integrating inputs across civil, mechanical, systems, hydrology, environmental and safety engineering, resolving interfaces and ensuring coherent system performance
Owning site‑specific CWI configuration, including water intake and discharge structures, pumping systems, screening solutions, cooling towers (where applicable) and thermal rejection systems
Leading and coordinating hydraulic modelling, thermal plume analysis, system performance assessments and environmental impact inputs to support licensing and permitting
Driving engineering governance, design maturity and configuration control, securing approval through Technical Authorities and formal design gates
Producing and assuring regulator‑ready documentation to support site licensing, environmental permits and planning submissions
Leading, coaching and developing a team of design engineers while managing supplier design contracts, schedules and associated work packages
Ensuring full compliance with E3S obligations (environment, safety, security and safeguards) across all CWI design activities
This is a pivotal, high‑profile leadership role requiring sound engineering judgement, strong influence and the confidence to act as a multidisciplinary design authority in a regulated environment.
Skills, knowledge and experience
Chartered Engineer (CEng) or equivalent, with a relevant engineering degree or demonstrable industry experience
Leadership experience in water systems, hydraulic structures, cooling systems or large industrial / nuclear utilities
Strong knowledge of engineering governance, configuration control and UK regulatory expectations, including ALARP and BAT
We’ll ask about your experience delivering integrated, site‑specific designs in safety‑critical programmes
Location
This role offers flexible working arrangements. Regular attendance at a UK office will be expected, aligned to programme delivery needs, stakeholder engagement and regulatory activities.
What’s in it for me?
We anticipate paying £68,000 – £90,000 depending on skills and experience
28 days’ leave, a 12% employer pension contribution, BUPA cover and more. You'll join an innovative organisation offering development, progression and a culture of openness and inclusion.Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 12.5%
Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum, enabling you to create a bespoke package
Pension - 12% employer and 6% employee contributions.
Holidays - 28 days holiday (+ public holidays) and the ability to buy or sell up to 4 days.
Private Medical Insurance - BUPA single cover health care
Life Assurance - 6x pensionable pay
£250 - One-off payment for new starters for home office purchases
Selection process & screening
The selection process includes an introductory conversation with Talent Acquisition, followed by two interview stages.
Due to the nuclear environment, offers are subject to BPSS clearance, a DBS check and basic financial probity screening.
Our commitments
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to inclusive recruitment practices and will make reasonable adjustments where required.
Confidence can sometimes hold people back. There’s no such thing as a “perfect” candidate — if you feel you meet around 75% of the requirements, we would love to hear from you. We also welcome applications from those bringing transferable skills or considering a sector move.
Why Join Us?
You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:
A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.- Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
- A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.
Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.
Our Application Process
Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:
Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance- Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
- Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check
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