Role Title: Senior Manager - Materials and Chemistry
Location: Warrington, Derby or Manchester - UK based hybrid
We are Rolls-Royce SMR and we’re doing something that’s never been done before. We’re revolutionising an industry. That’s a once-in-a-career opportunity for those excited by such a challenge. This is more than just a job; this is a legacy.
We are now recruiting for the exciting role of Senior Manager - Materials and Chemistry.
The Senior Manager for Materials and Chemistry is a senior leadership role within the SMR power station programme, reporting to the Head of Nuclear Engineering and E3S Integration. The role is accountable for the delivery, quality, and governance of all materials and chemistry-related outputs across the programme. This includes strategic planning, technical programme execution, policy development, and leadership of a multidisciplinary team.
The role provides specialist oversight and technical governance of materials and chemistry aspects of plant design, ensuring robust assurance, verification, and validation processes are in place. It also involves managing a department of approximately 40 FTEs.
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Technical Leadership & Governance
- Provide senior specialist leadership and governance across the materials and chemistry programme.
- Oversee the development and implementation of governance plans to ensure robust technical review and assurance of design solutions.
- Lead the development and execution of verification and validation strategies, including technical accountability for physical testing programmes.
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Programme Delivery
- Lead the delivery of complex, integrated materials and chemistry programme plans and outputs.
- Ensure alignment of materials and chemistry activities with broader design development, including source term modelling and safety case support.
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Team Leadership & Capability Development
- Manage and develop a team of engineers and scientists, fostering a high-performance culture.
- Lead the development of materials and chemistry capability across the wider business, including people, processes, tools, and infrastructure.
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Training & Continuous Improvement
- Collaborate on the development of training plans, methods, and materials to ensure appropriate qualifications and expertise.
- Ensure processes and guidance are maintained and continuously improved.
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Stakeholder Engagement
- Represent the business externally as a subject matter expert in materials and chemistry.
- Engage with regulators, industry bodies, and technical experts to ensure compliance and influence best practices.
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Health, Safety & Environment
- Champion health, safety, and environmental standards across all activities.
- Promote and uphold corporate values, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
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Strategic Influence
- Collaborate across all business functions to integrate materials and chemistry into broader programme goals.
- Influence stakeholders to align on common objectives and drive programme success.
Candidate Profile:
- Professionally registered with a relevant body.
- Holds a degree-level qualification in a relevant technical discipline.
- Proven engineering leader with extensive experience in materials and chemistry, preferably in nuclear applications.
- Demonstrated success in leading large, complex programmes and multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong coaching and mentoring skills.
- Experience in developing and implementing capability strategies, including infrastructure and process improvements.
We are Rolls-Royce SMR
Rolls-Royce SMR is a rare employer because it blends the world-class brand of Rolls Royce with an exciting start-up that has a hugely challenging mission. We’re doing work that contributes to the survival of the planet. Because of our mission, there’s a pace and energy that is palpable, and our leaders draw you in with their passion, energy, and determination.
We’re one of a handful of employers who can genuinely say we’re a strengths-based organisation – our people are here because of what makes them great, and our job is to help them make the best contribution of their careers doing work they love.
The start-up mentality coupled with our strengths-approach to people means there are opportunities to grow in ways and jobs you probably would be barred from doing in more traditional companies.
Each Rolls-Royce SMR power station will have the capacity to generate 470MW of low carbon energy, equivalent to more than 150 onshore wind turbines and enough to power a million homes. It will provide consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years, helping to support the roll out of renewable generation and overcome intermittency issues
Our Culture
At Rolls-Royce SMR, we are committed to ensuring that our teams reflect the communities we serve and that everyone can be themselves at work. We know that diverse teams are more innovative and get better results, and that our people can thrive and be more successful in truly inclusive cultures. Join us and help shape our culture. Find out more about our inclusion pledge.
Rolls-Royce SMR is a place where everyone can grow, so whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day and help shape our culture.
Our Application Process
Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:
Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check