Senior / Principal Process Engineer - Nuclear (Contract)

Location: Warrington or Preston (3 days on site / 2 days remote)
Rate:

• Senior: 60 per hour (Umbrella PAYE)
• Principal: 75 per hour (Umbrella PAYE)
  Contract: 12 months (strong likelihood of extension)
  Start: ASAP

The Opportunity

We are recruiting for a Senior or Principal Process Engineer to support a key nuclear programme focused on Reprocessed Uranium (RepU).
RepU is uranium recovered from spent nuclear fuel, historically reprocessed at Sellafield and reused in fuel cycles. While the UK has shifted toward once-through fuel strategies, significant RepU inventories remain in storage-creating a critical opportunity to develop safe, effective strategies for its management, reuse, or disposal.
This role offers the chance to work at the forefront of fuel cycle strategy and nuclear process engineering, contributing to complex challenges with long-term national importance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver process engineering design and analysis for RepU-related projects
• Develop and review process flows, mass balances, and system design documentation
• Support optioneering, feasibility studies, and safety case inputs
• Interface with multidisciplinary teams across engineering, safety, and operations
• Ensure designs comply with nuclear regulatory and safety requirements
• Provide technical leadership and guidance (particularly at Principal level)
• Support stakeholder engagement across the wider nuclear enterprise

Essential Requirements (Must-Have)

• Degree-qualified in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, or similar
• Demonstrable experience in nuclear process engineering
• Strong background in:
  • Process design and engineering calculations
  • Developing process flow diagrams (PFDs) and P&IDs
  • Safety case support and hazard awareness
• Experience working on complex, highly regulated projects
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Senior Level (Additional Expectations)

• Proven ability to deliver process engineering packages independently
• Experience supporting design development and project delivery
• Strong technical problem-solving capability

Principal Level (Additional Expectations)

• Extensive experience leading process engineering workstreams or teams
• Ability to provide strategic technical direction and decision-making
• Strong track record in optioneering, concept development, and complex project delivery
• Experience influencing stakeholders at senior level

Desirable (Highly Advantageous)

• Experience with fuel reprocessing, uranium chemistry, or fuel cycle technologies
• Previous work relating to Sellafield operations or legacy materials (RepU)
• Familiarity with UK nuclear regulatory frameworks and safety case development

Working Arrangements

• 3 days per week on site in Warrington or Preston
• 2 days remote working
• Flexible, collaborative team environment

Why Apply?

• Work on a strategically important nuclear programme
• Competitive contract rates with long-term potential
• Opportunity to shape solutions for legacy nuclear materials management
• Hybrid working with strong technical challenge and impact

If you''re a Process Engineer with nuclear experience looking to step into a high-impact project, we''d like to hear from you.