Job Description

About the role​:

Sellafield are currently looking to expand their Human Factors capability, you will join an established but developing team and will have responsibility for leading and shaping the provision of Human Factors assessment and advice across Safety Case, Design Engineering, Commissioning and Operations contexts.

Senior Assessors will be working directly for the Head of Human Factors will deliver and oversee Human Factors deliverables; predominantly across the lifecycle of the Nuclear Safety Case as well as providing advice in other sectors such as design, COMAH, DSEAR, Security and investigations.

The assessment and advice should be delivered in a fit for purpose, proportionate manner which achieves company safety standards and quality arrangements, and you will proactively seek and implement improvements and share learning within teams and within the wider capability. The work will require the successful candidates to work alongside and support less experienced Assessors, providing coaching and mentoring.

Due to the nature of the role and working environment, we are ideally seeking candidates who have experience working in high hazard environments and familiar with the kind of challenges this creates.

Principal Accountabilities

• Provide technical leadership and direction (to Safety Assessors both staff and supply chain) on the development of Human Factors Assessments to ensure Nuclear Safety, legal compliance and efficient and effective operations and project delivery throughout all lifecycle phases.
• To be consulted on their specialist technical knowledge as part of Sellafield Ltd’s assurance arrangements and wider business activities/ contingencies to support enterprise-wide decision making in respect to Nuclear Safety (e.g. acting as independent member in a variety of committees and/ or supporting the sites emergency/ crisis management arrangements).
• Lead on internal and external stakeholder engagement (at varying levels of seniority) including leading on regulatory engagement. Secure stakeholder support and build confidence in any proposed approach, demonstrating legal compliance and achieving permission for the mission.
• Seek and share learning internally to the profession, within the wider business and external to the business, to ensure continuous learning and improvement associated with Safety Case development and their particular discipline.
• Undertake independent assurance checks on development of Safety Cases to ensure validity of technical approach, process and methodologies have been appropriately applied and arguments made are suitably underpinned and evidenced to ensure Nuclear Safety.
• Maintain a broad awareness of business and profession drivers in order to ensure Human Factors Assessment aligns with current business needs context and strategic drivers. Challenging approaches when necessary to achieve a Safety Case that best enables the mission.
• Assist in the development, maintenance, assurance and optimisation of SL’s Nuclear Safety Case arrangements to ensure that arrangements reflect industry relevant good practice and are flexible enough to enable the mission going forward (for example- by providing learning, experience and technical opinion on the arrangements and at times, leading on the development of methods/ processes/guidance).
• Support the development and maintenance of the technical capability for Human Factors to ensure a healthy pipeline of technical resources for the future (for example by acting as a mentor/ inputting in to training and briefing and advising on resourcing needs/ issues/ risks).

Knowledge & Experience

Essential Skills

• BSc in Psychology/Ergonomics/Human Factors OR Masters degree in either subject.
• Experience of leading and shaping the delivery of a proportionate scope of HF activities for all types of design and/or safety case projects or modifications across site. This may include leading HF work scopes involving multiple HF specialists.
• Experience of the application of psychological and ergonomic theory to determine and apply appropriate HF activities, methods and compile arguments and evidence in support of Investigations, Safety Case, Design of user interfaces, equipment, workspaces and environments, Commissioning and Operations.
• Suitable technical knowledge and experience to support in the development of HF process and methods.
• Suitable technical knowledge and experience to act as a Human Factors Intelligent Customer for a defined work scope.
• Suitable technical knowledge and experience to act as a Subject Matter Expert and support in novel/unique situations.
• Experience of representing duty holders in their interactions with regulators and other external stakeholders.
• Comprehensive experience and understanding of Safety Case, Projects, Design Engineering and Commissioning processes and methods.
• Experience of dealing with internal and external stakeholders and regulators.
• Ability to plan and manage workload effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to produce structured, high quality technical output.

Desirable Skills

• Experienced in mentoring and developing the technical skills of others.
• Comprehensive Understanding of UK nuclear regulatory environment and legislation – HASWA, Management of H&S at Work Regs, Nuclear Installations Act, IRR and experience in regulatory interactions.
• Knowledge of the Sellafield Ltd site, hazards posed, organisational structure, and processes.
• Registered Member of Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors.

Additional Information

• Open VN
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Contact/s: Natasha Curwen

Interviews are excepted to take place the week commencing 20th April 2026.

ASW’s may have the right to apply for internal Sellafield Ltd vacancies. Please note if you are an Agency Supplied Worker you are required to attach evidence of all qualifications obtained to support your application. We require a minimum of A*-C (9-4) GCSE in English Language, Maths & Science/IT or equivalent / higher qualification.

If you choose to apply for this role and your application is shortlisted by the hiring manager, you will be invited to a competency based interview. The competencies will be issued along side confirmation of interview.

Please see link to the competency framework for further information:
https://slportal.ssa-intra.net/pub/SC001/00027/Competency%20Framework/Forms/AllItems.aspx

If your technical competency is not in the above framework, please refer to the profession’s share point page for further information.

During the interview, you will also be expected to give a 10-minute presentation and 5-minute Q&A.

Presentation title – “Explain a complex package of work that you have led and how you influenced its successful delivery.”

This presentation should be sent to recruitment@sellafieldcloud.co.uk via email at least two working days before your interview. You should also take four paper copies of your presentation to your interview in case of any IT issues on the day.

Sellafield Ltd are recognised as a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3). Disability Confident employers offer an interview to disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy. Sellafield Ltd define the minimum criteria as the ‘essential skills’ which are listed on the vacancy notice. Whilst completing your application form, you will be able to indicate if you wish to be considered under the disability confident scheme. If you would prefer to discuss this directly with us, please contact the GBS Recruitment team on recruitment@sellafieldcloud.co.uk

Please ensure that you save a copy of this advert for future reference if you make an application for this role.

The closing date for this vacancy is Tuesday 7th April 2026.