Defence PIE Technician (Shifts)

Job Introduction

Job Description for Defence PIE Technician (Shifts):

UKNNL is where your understanding of reactors fuels the nation. As part of our Fuel Reactor & Reprocessing capability, you’ll play a vital role in developing the UK fuel cycle in line with advances in new technology and new processes. As old reactors reach the end of their lifespan, we need experts like you, with the technical skills to virtually model scenarios that not only enable us to explore new ways of managing the inputs and outputs of reactors, but also pave the way for the implementation of smaller, cleaner revolutionary new reactors. This is a place where you can use your knowledge and expertise to do long term meaningful work for years to come. 

The UKNNL Defence teams comprise technical experts, specialists, technicians, modellers and engineers responsible for leading and developing the post irradiation examination of nuclear fuel. This area has a growing workload associated with current programmes, developing workstreams within spent fuel evaluation in support of nationally important programmes, and emerging requirements supporting development of new nuclear reactor technologies. The teams support the safe and efficient operation of reactors and provide the technical underpinning for long term management of irradiated fuel. In addition to undertaking work in the UK’s high active fuel examination facility and the Workington Laboratory, the role holders are required to work a five day double day shift working pattern, to provide minimum staffing levels and operational support at an increased level the defence PIE Campaign over the next decade.

The role holders will support this area by collecting data generated from irradiated fuel examination and testing. They will also assist in development of measurement techniques, including testing new techniques/methods for operability, and improvements in existing techniques.  

Successful applicants be required to operate and assist in development and testing of experimental equipment on irradiated fuel. The role holders will exercise high level remote handling skills in order to provide critical data in support of nationally important programmes. These skills will be used to produce samples of irradiated materials for failure diagnostics, condition monitoring for key safety case support, as well as research and development in support  of nuclear materials advancement.

The successful candidate will be an integral part of the Defence PIE team working alongside the technical leads in defence Materials and Hot Cell Characterisation teams in a joint effort to produce high quality, timely data. Often involving bespoke work, the technician needs to be a practical thinker capable of developing and executing techniques which may not have been deployed within a hot cell environment. These techniques will need to be carried out with care to meet the expectations of the customer. Establishing an understanding of the specialised remote equipment used for this will be expected. The candidate will need to achieve the confidence to maintain and troubleshoot the equipment to ensure reliable running, as well as being able to suggest modifications that will enable the continuous growth of the capability.

Areas the individuals may focus on include (but are not limited to):

• Support and identification/problem solving of issues during large scale cutting operations
• NDE examination for eddy current and gamma scanning
• Machining/cutting technologies
• Data capture
• Component inspection
• Small sample production
• Materials accountancy

Main Responsibilities for Defence PIE Technician (Shifts):

• Delivery of tasks in order to ensure that standards of safety, cost, quality, scientific merit and time are met. 
• Directly undertake experimental work as required. 
• Maintain accurate and detailed records in accordance with procedures, electronically and wet signed as needed.
• The development of techniques to enable new and improved methods of working and the development of technical skills, keeping up to date with latest innovation within the industry.
• Establish an understanding of the remote equipment to enable maintenance and troubleshooting when required.
• Ensuring good housekeeping practices are followed.
• Provide support to the maintenance, modification and commissioning of team’s equipment.
• Contribute to the improvement of working practices and environment particularly in their own area of responsibility. 

Essential Criteria for Defence PIE Technician (Shifts):

• Experience in hands on, practical work with high levels of dexterity. 
• Experience of working within an industrial environment and delivering work to time, cost and quality.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Self-motivation with the ability to use initiative, when appropriate. 
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team of operations and technical staff to deploy specially designed equipment.
• Attention to detailed working practice and procedures.
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for upholding high technical quality standards.
• 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).
• British citizen as defined in the British Nationality Act 1981 (British Nationality Act 1981 (legislation.gov.uk)). Please note if you hold a dual nationality, of which one nationality is British, you may still be considered but this is dependent on your dual nationality. 

Desirable Criteria for Defence PIE Technician (Shifts):

• Prior experience of active area work.

Why join us?

UKNNL isn’t just a place where you can do career-defining work that makes a real-world impact. It’s also a place where you’ll feel appreciated and valued. We’re creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is free to be themselves and feel like they belong. We put your wellbeing first, we push you to reach your potential, and we do everything possible to help you feel safe, supported and inspired.

We also offer a range of employee benefits:

• Sector leading Family-Focused Policies: celebrate life events, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave and a week off for your marriage.
• UKNNL offers attractive pension plans. If you contribute 5%, UKNNL contributes 15%. Alternatively, if you choose not to contribute (0%), UKNNL will still contribute 10%.
• Annual Leave: Benefit from 25.5 days of leave, plus 4 extra days to be taken during Christmas shutdown, plus Bank Holidays.
• Reduced gym membership with discounts of up to 25% from 3,700 gym and leisure providers across the UK
• Company Bonus: Be rewarded for your contributions.
• Learning Opportunities: Enhance your skills through excellent development programmes.
• Employee Assistance: Access support for personal and professional challenges.
• Cycle to Work: Stay active and eco-friendly.
• Life Assurance: Ensure peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
• Enhanced Sick Pay Benefits: Receive support during illness or injury.
• Access to ‘Mydiscounts’ which has a range of special offers and discounts from more than 200 suppliers, including medical insurance and dental insurance. 
• Health Care: Health savings plan which allows you to claim money back on visits to the dentist, optician and/or physiotherapist (limits apply).

About The Company

UKNNL is an incredible place to work. A place where people do things that have never been done before. A place where people push boundaries to further themselves, the business and society as a whole.

This is a place where personal and professional opportunities are limitless. If you want to change the world, if you want to tackle climate change, if you want to help advance medical science, if you want to help put things in space, if you want to answer the big questions, if you want to work with extraordinary materials, if you want to meet great people, learn new skills, challenge yourself, work flexibly, and build a long successful career with the power to make a real impact… you can do it all here.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

UKNNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (ED&I) where UKNNL aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures, providing reasonable adjustments as appropriate. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging and the ability to access to workplace in a way which works for you.

Recruitment Agency Notice

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for the provision of recruitment services. Only agencies on our PSL may provide CVs and only when the role is released to them by our recruitment team. We will not accept unsolicited CVs from suppliers not currently on our PSL. We explicitly reserve the right to add candidate details from unsolicited CVs from non-PSL agencies into our own candidate database and to pursue/hire such candidate(s) without any obligation, financial or otherwise, to the agency concerned.

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory