Remote Engineering, Design & Robotics Capability Manager

Job Introduction

Located at the NNL in West Cumbria, the Remote Engineering Design & Robotics Team is a multi-disciplined technical team comprising Mechanical and Electrical, Control & Instrumentation Engineers. The team specialises in the supply of innovative bespoke remote handling equipment, tooling, and inspection systems for all aspects of remote operations plant intervention work in the nuclear industry. The NNL is also at the forefront of research and development into the use of robotics and autonomous systems in the nuclear industry and the Remote Engineering Design & Robotics Team plays a significant part in the growth and implementation of this technology.

Our expertise includes the supply of remotely deployed equipment for use in active plant, underwater operations, radioactive waste size reduction & processing and decommissioning. The team’s mix of specialist Design Engineers and Technologists enables all aspects of the project life cycle to be covered including optioneering studies, concept design, detail design, manufacture, assembly, test, development, commissioning and on-site operations.

In addition the Team’s capabilities include the design, build and operation of inactive test rigs within the Laboratory’s 6000m² inactive Test Rig Hall to prove new technology, equipment and processes prior to deployment in active nuclear plant environments.

Role Responsibility

To manage the technical team, maximising their potential including people, facilities, and equipment. Ensures clear line of sight of all safety responsibility and the availability of resource to support delivery. Maintains strong work relationships with the customer and all touch points throughout the organisation.

ACCOUNTABILTIES

1.        EHSS&Q Accountabilities:

The Capability Manager (CM) will be accountable for EHSS&Q within their team:

• Duty of care for all staff identified
• Ownership and safe operations of equipment and facilities
• Delivery of projects, programs and technical work
• Delivery of the EHSS&Q Improvement Plan

2.        Capability Accountabilities:

The CM will be accountable for all resources within their team:
•    Staff: Leadership, performance, SQEP, development, technical training,       progression and  recruitment

• Facilities & Equipment: maintenance, renewal, disposal, repair, inspection, access and utilisation
•  Leads on customer delivery, exceling in delivering customer value and building a customer-centric culture.

3.        Budget Control Accountabilities:

The CM will support the Capability Leader for all budgetary control associated with their team and will be measured against budget control through KPI’s:

• Staff costs including, recruitment, training, progression, T&S. R&R
•  Facilities & Equipment costs maintenance, renewal, disposal, repair, inspection, access and utilisation

4.        Customer Delivery Accountabilities:

The CM will be accountable for all customer delivery associated with their team:

• Customer engagement to maximise all business opportunities
• Technical excellence in customer delivery
• Technical resolution

5.        Leadership Accountabilities:

The CM will be accountable for cultural and business strategies associated with their team:

• Development of the team in line with business requirements and recognising technical advancements
• Quality of science and customer delivery
• People performance, development and cultural change

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

1.        All KPI’s, metrics, communications, data, for operating the team including:

EHSS&Q, cost, delivery, facilities, equipment and resources are delivered in accordance with targets.
 

2.        Safety Management:

• Ensure that all duty of care requirements to allow all work to be undertaken are established.
• That reviews, assessments and audits are undertaken to monitor all aspects of EHSS&Q
• Delivery of the improvement plan

3.        Management of a resourcing and asset system including:

• Oversight of resources, equipment and facilities allocation across their team, to ensure that all resources are fully engaged, managed and developed such that the capability and effectiveness is maximised
• Identify SQEP and ready to use resources, equipment and facilities always providing highly skilled resources and experience. 
• Ensure all equipment and facilities are fit for purpose and operable for project and customer work

4.        Management of team budgetary controls for: 

• Staff – training, development, SQEP, recruitment/retirement, progression T&S, conference, lease/hire cars, industrial membership, Sickness/maternity/paternity, reward & recognition
• Equipment and Facilities – Maintenance, consumables, repair, disposal, replacement, software licenses, 
• Risk, compliance and governance in a project and delivery orientated environment.
• Driving continuous improvement of their team

5.        Management of People:

• Lead and driving the team performance of its people
• People development, training, SQEP, secondment
• Performance Management including disciplinary, grievance, reward and recognition
• Duty of care for all health and safety, maternity, sickness, paternity…etc.

6.        Customer Experience:

• Engagement with customers related to team to ensure good customer experience and respond to opportunities, risks, issues etc.
• Maximise value, develop opportunities and increase growth 
• Provide customer experience and knowledge back to CE division and projects
• Forecasting growth and sales funnel
• Keeping pace with key industry technological developments and feedback to customer and internal teams

The Ideal Candidate

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE 

1.        Technical understanding and expertise in the design, build, test, development, commissioning and on-site deployment of bespoke remote handling equipment, tooling, and inspection systems for all aspects of remote operations plant intervention work in the nuclear industry.

2.        Technical understanding and expertise in the design, build and operation of inactive test rigs to prove new technology, equipment and processes prior to deployment in active nuclear plant environments.

3.        Experience in managing a technical team, people, facilities and equipment on a nuclear and non-nuclear site. 

4.        Experience in developing relationships with customer’s related to technical team offerings and support delivery of their projects.

5.        Experience in managing a budget, cost control, financial forecasting and planning across a team.

6.        Operational experience in highly regulated environment, managing technical and facility programmes to a high EHSS&Q standard. Whilst managing changing and competing priorities and absorbing new information rapidly to address complex issues.

7.        Experience in leadership and driving cultural change through the support in and implementation of strategic business developments.

8.        A degree and/or a relevant demonstrable level of experience.

9.        Technical knowledge of the team area and nuclear related experience would be advantageous.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS – e.g. technical skills 

1.        Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to engage stakeholders and build strong collaborative relationships 

2.        Demonstrable ability in negotiation and meeting client requirements

3.        Acts as a role model to NNL’s values and behaviours

4.        Proven ability to lead and inspire others to achieve goals

5.        Strong business and commercial acumen

6.        Ability to be security cleared to SC level or higher as required.

About the Company

Grounded in robust science and decades of experience, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is the authoritative voice in the UK and beyond for technological development within the nuclear power sector.

Our unparalleled understanding of the science, challenges and opportunities makes us an unrivalled authority and partner in the field, providing experts, technologies, and access to cutting-edge facilities to organisations around the world.

Harnessing potential technologies and translating them into to industry-ready solutions means our pioneering approach spearheads international improvement and technological progress.

We work on projects as small as drilling a hole to analyse underground wastes with our integrated micro drilling technology, or as large as developing state-of-the-art power systems for spacecraft, based on radioactive materials

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory