Internal Vacancies

The salary range for this position is £56,168 to £61,405 (Grade 4A).

If you have any queries regarding the position itself please contact Allyson Harris.

Please be aware that all new appointments will be made in-line with the PLC ‘New’ terms & conditions. Therefore, if you are not already on PLC ‘New’ terms & conditions and you are selected and accept this role, there will be changes made to your contractual terms. The terms and conditions of the role will be made clear in the offer letter. 

If you have any queries about the impact of applying for this role on your terms & conditions, pay, pension or benefits, please contact the HR Support Team.

Job Description for Senior Research Technologist:

NNL is where you’ll experiment to help solve global challenges. As part of our Waste Management & Decommissioning capability, your work will impact the lives of generations. By finding new ways to avoid, reduce, store and treat nuclear waste, and drive down the cost of decommissioning, you’ll help to deliver cleaner energy and influence our nation’s energy future. You’ll face new challenges every day, working in unique locations on ground-breaking projects. Whichever area you specialise in this is a place to do great science for a good cause.

A Senior Research Technologist with a rig scale experience is required to provide technical leadership for the delivery of programmes primarily for Sellafield Limited, leading smaller projects within larger programmes.

As part of our Waste Management & Decommissioning capability, your work will impact the lives of generations. By finding new ways to avoid, reduce, store and treat nuclear waste, and drive down the cost of decommissioning, you’ll help to deliver cleaner energy and influence our nation’s energy future. You’ll face new challenges every day, working in unique locations on ground-breaking projects. Whichever area you specialise in this is a place to do great science for a good cause.

This role is to provide support to task and project delivery within the technical capability of Characterisation and Effluent Rig Operations at NNL’s Workington Laboratory, with an emphasis on providing support to key plants across the Sellafield site. The individual will work closely with Technical Leads and other team members as well as with a range of internal and external customers and undertaking and supervising a range of non-active bench and rig scale experimental programmes. It includes operational leadership and guidance of others, solving complex problems, applying expertise in novel situations and working with Universities and PhD students.

Main Responsibilities for Senior Research Technologist:

• Operational and technical provision in the fields of effluent chemistry, materials characterisation and rig operations, working independently on difficult and complex projects with little additional support.
• Leads on the development of experimental work programmes and conducts a range of bench and rig scale experimental work, with a focus on troubleshooting during runs.
• Ensures technical quality of experimental work through best practice and regular consultation with Technical Leads, Engineering & Line / Project Managers.
• Takes responsibility for accurate records of work carried out and reporting of results as required.
• Establishes and develops strong collaborative relationships with customers, suppliers and other technical leads etc.
• Takes responsibility for training and development of self and other team members including the provision of coaching to develop the teams skills and abilities.
• Ensures all relevant safety and quality rules and procedures are applied by team members working on their projects.
• Leads by example and taking responsibility particularly with respect to safety and following up and escalating any issues.
• Actively contribute to the team’s improvement and assurance activities, identifying improvements in ways of working and implementing as agreed.

Essential Criteria for Senior Research Technologist:

• BSc in relevant scientific subject, e.g. chemical engineering or chemistry, or equivalent industrial experience.
• Relevant experience working at rig scale including the planning of experiments and interpretation of results to consistently high standards of safety and quality.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to effectively train, mentor and coach others within the team.
• Flexibility in dealing with changing workloads and experience of being flexible and adapting the approach to experimental work and reporting, according to customer requirements.
• Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).

Desirable Criteria for Senior Research Technologist:

• Experience supervising others, leading on projects and programmes.
• Track record of successfully developing work programmes with customers.
• Pre-existing technical understanding of effluent management and waste characterisation in relation to nuclear applications.
• Demonstrates evidence of involvement with improvements in safety and lab operations.