Operations

Operations is an exciting and challenging profession to work in where you will be responsible for working in multi-discipline teams to deliver projects and programmes safely, on schedule and to budget.

Operations: 

Operations is an exciting and challenging profession which covers all 4 “Values Streams”; Remediation, Retrievals, Special Nuclear Materials and Spent Fuel Management and the broader enabling organisation of Site Management – Infrastructure.

With an increasing focus on waste processing and environmental remediation, as well as reliable repeatable operations; each area is unique in its challenges and brings its own specialist training.

Description:

The challenges and day to day operations at Sellafield are diverse, meaning no two days are the same. Within Operations, we deploy nearly a third of the site’s 11,000+ workforce and the remainder provide the support and services to Operations.

For an Operations Graduate, the diversity of operational activities on offer is unrivalled both in the UK and internationally. You will be involved with both Nuclear and non-nuclear activities spread across new or aged facilities, including our Legacy Ponds, Waste Plants, New Builds, Utilities, and our Transport & Rail areas. You may also be supporting the application of cutting-edge technology and remotely operated equipment at the forefront of industry and innovation.

These activities are delivered across every aspect of our nuclear facilities lifecycle, from initial build through active operation, to decommissioning and ultimately, demolition.

Typical Roles & Responsibilities 

When embarking on a career in Operations, it is vital to understand all operational areas. You will have 6 monthly placements across our value streams, supporting the management of Nuclear Operations to ensure legal compliance and maintenance of safety standards and production. The wide range of placements will allow you to experience the key operational areas of the business and tailor the scheme to your own personal development.

As a graduate within Operations, you will continue to develop your core skills and help deliver safe and effective support activities as part of our Operations Support teams, to maximise safety and quality of the operational processes within our facilities. You will be involved in the development and production of relevant safety & assurance documentation, to support a variety of both simple and complex on-plant tasks. You will have hands on responsibility and accountability for delivering work on challenging operational projects and programmes. You will also interface with both internal and external regulators and stakeholders.

Your graduate development will be bespoke to you and placements will be discussed in advance. We will endeavour to tailor these, in line with your academic background, development needs, work objectives and balanced against business priorities.

Progression Possibilities 

Beyond the graduate programme, the Operations Profession career pathway offers a range of progression opportunities and will depend very much on individual desires. On successful completion of the scheme, you will join one of our front-line teams, here in West Cumbria. The role will be in one of our operational areas and be similar to the work you have delivered during your scheme, but with added responsibility / accountability. 

Our aim is to support you in your development, with a view to becoming a future leader within the Operations umbrella. You will be encouraged to produce and manage a Development Plan that maps out any further training, skills, knowledge & experience required to assist you in progressing through your chartership journey and beyond.

Some of the possible leadership roles within Operations are: Operations Team Leader; Work Week Manager; Operations / Support Manager; Integration Manager.

Location:

West Cumbria, including Seascale and its surrounding areas such as Whitehaven.

Suitable degree disciplines:

We’re looking for graduates with a minimum of a 2:2 (Hons) a STEM Bachelors / Masters degree, and will also consider other candidates with a strong interest in Operations and Leadership, where they can show the balance of behavioural and technical capabilities required. Some degrees of interest are:

• Process / Chemical Engineering
• Business and Leadership
• Lean Manufacturing
• Leadership and Management
• Nuclear biased subjects.

If you’re interested in joining our Operations Graduate programme, apply through the Management job opening, live from 1st September 2024.