Internal Vacancies

The salary range for this position is £38,877 to £40,991 (Grade 5A).

If you have any queries regarding the position itself please contact Frazer Hawthorne/Tammie Gowan.

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 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.