Principal Engineer - Turbine

Originally named Great British Nuclear, Great British Energy - Nuclear is an arm’s length body of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, dedicated to supporting the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies in Great Britain. We play a crucial role in advancing nuclear new build, ensuring the UK’s energy security, and achieving net‑zero carbon emissions. Great British Energy - Nuclear focuses on fostering innovation, facilitating investment, and coordinating efforts across the nuclear industry to build a resilient and sustainable energy future.

Great British Energy - Nuclear’s first step was to start the technology selection process for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in 2023. SMRs can potentially be quicker to deploy and less expensive to build than traditional nuclear power plants because they are smaller, have factory based modular manufacturing and more flexible deployment options. In June 2025, Great British Energy - Nuclear announced that Rolls‑Royce SMR had been selected as the preferred bidder to build the UK’s first SMRs, following a technology selection process that began in 2023.

Great British Energy - Nuclear is aiming to deliver fast, based on a supportive and collaborative culture which values equality and diversity and creates an inclusive workplace. We draw on deep nuclear expertise – our Executive Committee has over 100 years of nuclear experience at home and abroad. GBN‑E will unlock billions of pounds of private and public investment from design to operation, helping to get sites ready for development, and working to grow manufacturing capacity and skills capability.

If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format or would like us to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at recrui and we will talk to you about how we can assist.

This is an exciting and challenging role where you will perform the Principal CS&A Engineer in Power Pant Team, responsible for leading, assuring and integrating all Civil, Structure and Architectural (CS&A) engineering activities that support the definition, justification and delivery of the SMR programme.

Operating as part of the client‑side technical organisation, the role provides Intelligent Customer capability across all CS&A matters, ensuring that all design work undertaken by the Technology Partner (TP) meets GBE‑N requirements, regulatory expectations, safety, quality and performance standards.

The role requires strong technical leadership across concept, preliminary and detailed design phases, ensuring the structural integrity, constructability, robustness, and regulatory compliance of Reactor Island civil and structural systems.

It combines technical governance, design assurance, programme integration and risk management with the ability to shape and review work packages
, task orders
, technical specifications
, and contract documentation. The Principal CS&A Engineer will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, safety case authors, regulators, construction planning, BIM/modelling teams, and commercial and project management functions to ensure coordinated and efficient delivery.

The postholder must be comfortable providing authoritative engineering advice, challenging suppliers constructively, resolving technical issues, and representing GBE‑N at design reviews, site visits, regulator engagement and cross‑functional integration forums.

They will also support capability development within the engineering team through mentoring, coaching and embedding best practice.

This is a hybrid role with a mix of remote and site/office‑based work.

• Responsibility for C&S discipline technical input for projects including preparation, checking and/or approval of engineering documentation.
• Ensure CS&A engineering decisions align with Reactor Island technical standards, nuclear safety requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Define CS&A design requirements, acceptance criteria and verification evidence needed for design maturity and safety case substantiation.
• Lead delivery of CS&A analysis, calculations, reports, design…