Band 3 Chemical Engineering Nuclear Safety Inspector

Job summary

ONR is not a Civil Service department, however, we are an arms length body of Department of Work and Pensions.

Job Purpose

As the UK’s independent nuclear regulator, our mission is vital to the nation’s safety and security. We protect society by securing safe operations at nuclear facilities across our nation.

This is an exciting role critical to the decarbonisation of the UK’s economy; our national defence; and the decommissioning of our nuclear legacy. A career with ONR will provide you with opportunity to lead and shape our society’s future use of nuclear technology.

Job description

About The Role

Principle Responsibilities

As an inspector your job will be varied, and you are likely to undertake a range of roles across the sector; from regulating the construction of new nuclear build to the decommissioning of legacy facilities. Some inspectors concentrate on undertaking planned and reactive inspections on site, while others will assess safety submissions or manage discrete intervention projects. Additionally, there may be opportunities to conduct investigations, manage research projects and mentor and develop the next generation of inspectors.

As part of a team of chemical engineering specialist inspectors, you will be considering the process and chemical engineering issues and hazard associated with the design, construction, operations and decommissioning of a wide range of nuclear facilities. This will include civilian and defence facilities involved in:

• Fuel enrichment and fuel production
• Reactor design and operation
• Decommissioning
• Waste treatment
• Long-term storage and disposal of waste and spent fuel

You will be required to make expert judgements on optioneering, unit operations, operational parameters and set points, as well as radioactive, radiolytic and chemical hazards and interactions. Detailed knowledge of spent fuel and nuclear material treatment processes, including reprocessing and the conditioning of spent fuels and wastes for disposal, would be desirable.

Line Management Responsibilities

None currently, however, there could be an expectation to manage staff in the future.

Location / Travel

This post may be undertaken from the closest ONR office (Bootle, Cheltenham, or London).

You may be eligible for relocation package up to £15,000. This post requires some travel including overnight stays predominantly across the United Kingdom and occasionally abroad. The successful applicant requires a full driving licence which permits the holder to drive in the UK unless reasonable adjustments can be made under the Equality Act 2010.

ONR operates hybrid working (working in the office and or at home) as part of our flexible working policy. There is an expectation that everyone will spend time in the office on a regular basis, recognising that some work is better done face to face. Managers will work with their teams on what works best to meet individual, team, business and organisational needs to enable collaboration, as well as balancing personal choice and wellbeing.

Work with Us

Our colleagues are from all walks of life with varied personal experiences and career journeys into ONR. We want the best people for our roles. As an inclusive employer we value individuals’ contributions, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, social background, religion, or belief. Our values ‘supportive, open-mindedness, fairness and accountability’ are central to this. We invest in our people to build capability, resilience, and promote wellbeing in our great teams, underpinned by our inherent focus on inclusion and excellence.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must hold or can achieve and retain National Security Vetting clearance at SC level.

Person Specification

Inclusion

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We will consider reasonable adjustments to ensure the recruitment process is inclusive and barrier-free. If you require reasonable adjustments as part of your application, please contact ONR HR as soon as possible, preferably before the vacancy closes, by emailing [email removed] or [email removed]to discuss further. We will also offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for applicants who opt into the guaranteed interview scheme.

We recognise we have a role to play in helping those leaving the Armed Forces and have a Veterans guaranteed interview scheme. We offer an interview to Veterans who meet the minimum criteria for applicants who opt into the scheme. Please see eligibility criteria below.

• served for at least one year in His Majesty's Armed Forces (as a Regular or Reserve).
• be in transition from, or ceased to be a member of, His Majesty’s Armed Forces.
• not already be employed by ONR.

Person specification

Qualifications

We expect all Nuclear Safety Inspectors to have:

• Degree level qualification or equivalent in chemical engineering or related discipline.
• Chartered membership of a relevant professional institution, or the ability to demonstrate performance and/or experience at an equivalent professional level

Essential Skills / Experience

• Knowledge and experience of applying chemical engineering principles to the design, operation and/or decommissioning of nuclear or other high-hazard facilities.
• Knowledge and experience of chemical engineering hazards and safety submissions for nuclear or relevant high-hazard facilities, including the use of hazard management strategies such as HAZOP, LOPA and SIL.
• Knowledge and experience related to the storage, treatment and/or disposal of spent nuclear fuel, radioactive waste or equivalent high-hazard toxic materials.
• Knowledge of one or more nuclear / high hazard facilities, examples include: pressurised water reactors, advanced gas cooled reactors, high hazard processing plants etc.
• The ability to assimilate, analyse and provide judgements on new and comp