Operations Graduate Programme 2026 – Your Future. Our Legacy.

Are you ready to start your career somewhere that you can make an impact from the very start of your career? At Sellafield Ltd, we’re not just offering you a job – we’re offering you the chance to be a part of one of the UK’s most significant missions.

Sellafield is the only site in the country that can safely manage all forms of nuclear waste, with our teams finding new ways to ensure it is kept safe until a permanent disposal facility is ready. We are also guardians of the UK’s largest stockpile of nuclear materials.

In the past, we have been responsible for breakthroughs such as the world’s first full-scale commercial nuclear power station, and today we are helping to keep lights on across the UK by safely receiving and storing spent nuclear fuel from the UK’s fleet of power stations.

Our Graduate Programme

Our Graduate programme is comprised of 2 years of structured development. You’ll rotate through real projects that are a first in the nuclear industry where you can really make a difference, working with industry leading nuclear operations professionals. There’s no blueprint for the work we do – that’s why we need you.

You’ll receive support from a dedicated mentor during your graduate programme and onto your chartership journey. By the end of the 2 years you’ll have built the skills, confidence, and networks to take your career to the next level.

At Sellafield Ltd there’s decades of opportunity over next 100 years and beyond. The scale of this once-in-a-lifetime undertaking gives our people unprecedented freedom. We need a workforce who are ready to be world-leading experts in shaping the UK’s sustainable nuclear future.

We can offer you training, further qualifications, and clear career progression to support you in accelerating your career. You can really make an impact, helping to protect our site and communities today and being a part of creating the future of our tomorrow. We’re an organisation with a clear purpose. Join 12,000 people united by one purpose – to create a clean and safe environment for future generations.

To read more about our Operations profession, head to their section on our programme areas page: https://careers.sellafieldsite.co.uk/graduates-placements/graduates/programme-areas/

We’re looking for recent or soon-to-be graduates with:

• A minimum of a 2:1 Bachelors degree, preferably in a STEM or Logistics, Operations based subject but these are not mandatory
• A willingness to relocate to West Cumbria
• Curiosity, ambition, and readiness to tackle big challenges in a unique and sometimes challenging environment

Life in Cumbria

Our Operations programmes are based in West Cumbria, right on the edge of the breathtaking Lake District National Park. It’s a place where your weekends can be filled with hiking, cycling, or kayaking and your evenings end with sunsets over the fells. Away from the bustle of big cities you’ll enjoy fresh air, open space and a lower cost of living – without missing out on communities, activities or connections. And when you do fancy a city break, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow are just a few hours away. It’s the perfect balance of career opportunity and quality of life.

Enjoy affordable housing and living costs that go much further than big cities. Rural doesn’t mean isolated, you’ll still find shops, restaurants and gyms – just without the city chaos.

What’s in it for you

• Our graduates start off with a 24-month fixed term contract, with an excellent starting salary of £42,248. Following successful completion of your graduate programme and subject to there being a suitable vacancy you will be offered a permanent position with us.

• If you’re relocating here from more than 30 miles away, we’ll support you with a relocation allowance of £1,400 and give you plenty of information on the best areas to live and how to find a place too. £1,400 can provide you with rent cover for up to 3-months in some areas of West Cumbria.

• We know that moving on from university isn’t always easy. That’s why all our graduates can also apply for an interest free loan of £2,000 which you pay back through your monthly salary over your 24-month contract.

• We aim to strike a good work/life balance by offering 30 days annual leave with statutory public holidays on top. There is also the ability to purchase an additional 2.5 days leave on top.

• We also offer an attractive defined contribution pension scheme – the company will match up to 13.5% for a 7% employee contribution, helping you to save for the future from the start of your career.

• All of our employees can benefit from our 18 support networks, including the Nuclear Autism Support Network, oneLGBTQ+ Network and Gender Balance Networks, to name a few.

• Other benefits include paid sick leave scheme, cycle to work scheme, family friendly policies, welfare & employee assistance programme, employee savings & discounts, plus many others.

Our Application Process

• Applications for our graduate programmes will close on 2nd November 2025.

• You will be issued an assessment to complete, the date you receive this will depend on when you apply. You will be given a deadline to complete this by and will find out the result of your assessment mid-November.

• Video interviews will take place from 17th November to 5th December 2025.

• For Cumbria based schemes, face to face assessment centres will take place in Workington, Cumbria on 9th & 10th February 2026.

• We don’t want you to worry about getting to our assessment centre locations, financial support is available to those who may struggle to front the cost of travel upfront.

• Please note, if you are unable to attend an assessment during these months you may be unable to complete our application process.

• Expected start date: 28th September 2026

• Sellafield has a proud vision of Diversity & Inclusion that aims to attract candidates into an inclusive and supportive workplace. We are recognised as a Level 3 Disability Confident Employer. Reasonable adjustments can easily be applied to each of our application stages, we want all candidates to feel empowered throughout their application journey – please reach out to us if there’s any support you need.

Before you apply:

Before you start your application, please complete our immersive, realistic preview into the life of a Graduate at Sellafield before you start your application. Completing this preview will take less than 10 minutes and will help you understand both the type of challenges you may encounter, and if you’re likely to enjoy working here.

Click below to begin our realistic scheme preview:

https://rjp.neurosight.ai/enc/GstpeCB9sNwskEQJLRjkleH9htp8BRlQ-SZZpMoxgd8

*Please note – requires an iPhone updated to at least iOS 14, or an updated Android device. Also accessible on tablets or laptops – Chrome is the recommended browser, although Safari also works on iO4 14 or better

Applications for our graduate programmes will close on Sunday 2nd November 2025.

Please be aware that this role is subject to achieving security clearance. This role requires higher level of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 years of continuous residency in the UK. Factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the level of clearance you’re able to achieve.

From graduate to leader – your journey begins here. Join us and help shape the UK’s sustainable nuclear future with a company built on history.