Nuclear Safety Lead

Overview

In this role you act as the client’s principal adviser on nuclear safety and assurance, guiding programme teams through safety requirements and proportionate controls. You work with engineering, safety, environmental and quality leads to embed risk-informed assurance and strengthen submissions for key approvals. You shape safety governance, capability and engagement across programmes, translating regulatory needs into practical delivery. You will contribute to governance, assurance and continuous improvement within a leading nuclear engineering firm.

Pay / Benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
• 8% company pension contribution
• Healthcare cash plan covering dental, medical and physical care
• Employee assistance programme with 24/7 mental health support
• Paid professional and industry membership fees

Responsibilities

• Act as the principal nuclear safety adviser, challenging programmes against management arrangements and design approval expectations
• Apply proportionate, risk-informed assurance following Fingleton Review principles
• Review safety strategies and supporting evidence, escalating risks and gaps
• Support gateways, design reviews and readiness assessments with evidence-based recommendations
• Shape nuclear safety capability, assurance plans and engagement priorities
• Define proportionate controls, responsibilities, review points and escalation routes
• Assess capability and supply-chain risks, mentor colleagues across programmes
• Advise teams, customers and regulators translating safety requirements into practical outputs
• Develop and interpret Safety and Operational Functional Requirements and support option assessments
• Provide input to tenders and supplier clarifications to strengthen assurance

Key requirements

• Significant nuclear engineering, safety, infrastructure or defence experience including safety-implicated plant or systems
• Strong knowledge of safety functions, hazard controls and lifecycle risks
• Experience reviewing safety cases, technical and commissioning evidence, quality records and management systems
• Credible communicator able to balance safety, performance, cost and deliverability with senior stakeholders
• Desirable: experience in an authorised or licensed nuclear environment supporting key authorities or regulators
• Desirable: nuclear build, commissioning, handover or safety-case interface experience
• Desirable: governance improvement or intelligent-client capability experience with familiarity with the Fingleton Review
• Regulatory or assurance experience with Lead Auditor training desirable

• credible communicator
• ability to balance safety, performance, cost and deliverability
• multidisciplinary stakeholder engagement
• nuclear safety knowledge
• risk-informed assurance
• safety cases and commissioning evidence

…