Job Description

SNM Technical Reporting to Hayley Green.

SNM technical are seeking innovative and enthused chemists who want to be at the forefront of complex and technical problem solving at Sellafield.

It is a fascinating time to join SNM Technical, with preparatory work underway to develop and progress new two new facilities: SRP, designed to retreat and repack our inventory, and the recently announced Plutonium Immobilisation Plant, which will take the next 30 years to research, mature, and build while continuing to store our SNM inventory (PuO2 and Mixed oxide residues) safely and securely. This offers unique scientific challenges for our technical teams working within SNM.

The roles will provide technical underpinning and justification to SNM plants and projects (including the new SPRS Retreatment Plant (SRP) as we head towards active commissioning), delivering data analysis and technical assessments. They offer opportunity to solve novel and challenging technical issues within the SNM directorate by directing the scope of SNM’s Pu Science and Package Surveillance programme in the supply chain.

Successful applicants will enable the progression of these projects and enable existing SNM operations through their delivery of technical support calling on their chemical and scientific skills. This will require successful candidates to provide on-plant support in most cases.

As a highly collaborative role experience and confident communication with internal and external stakeholders including Major Projects, UKNNL, Universities and international laboratories is essential. Together we work to further mature our understanding of special nuclear materials and the environments that they are stored in.

This role not only provides technical support for existing SNM operations but will also provide the candidate with the knowledge and skills necessary to face future challenges and help support Sellafield as a world leader in the long-term storage of SNM.

These are primarily office-based roles, working off-site, that may also require plant and supply chain/university visits to support the delivery of the SNM mission.

Principal Accountabilities

• Development of scientific scope to support understanding of Pu storage and SRP underpinning and manage the delivery of that through the supply chain.
• Production and checking of technical documents including reports, technical justifications and calculations.
• Ensuring transition of that knowledge into the SNM directorate maximising the benefit to the business. This includes confirming LFE and best practises are shared with the SRP programme and embedded into future operations.
• Effective stakeholder communication and management.

Knowledge & Experience

Essential Skills

• Honours degree in chemistry.
• An interest in investigating the fundamental underpinning the safe storage and management of PuO2.
• Demonstrated delivery of technical work.
• Experience of justifying own ideas/theories and taking them forward.
• Relevant experience working collaboratively with technical teams.
• Knowledge of SNM mission and challenges.
• DV clearance, or the ability to achieve.

Desirable Skills

• Experience working within an operations environment.
• Experience working with external stakeholders and regulators.
• Ideally holds a chemistry PhD and holds or working towards chartered status with the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Additional Information

• Please note you must be in the Technical Profession to apply for this VN.
• Number of Vacancies: 2
• Contact/s: Hayley Green

The interviews for this vacancy are expected to take place on Thursday 12th February 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 GCSE in English, 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. In the interview, you will be assessed against the below competencies:

Behavioural:
1. Problem Solving (4.1.3)
2. Resilience (4.2.2)
3. Continuous Learning (4.1.4)

Technical:
1. 313.1 – Research and technology: Research and technology technical expertise
2. 313.2 – Research and technology: Technical knowledge of Sellafield Ltd

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.

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 Sunday 25th January 2026.