Role Title: Engineer – CFD & Thermo‑fluids
We are Rolls‑Royce SMR and we’re doing something that’s never been done before. We’re revolutionising an industry. This is a legacy opportunity for those excited by such a challenge.
The Performance & Analysis team is the centre of excellence for engineering analysis used to substantiate performance and safety of the SMR power station. Within this team, the CFD & Thermo‑fluids group is responsible for thermal‑hydraulic analysis supporting both detailed component assessment and the design of complex fluid systems across the power station.
This work applies the fundamentals of fluid flow and heat transfer to challenging engineering problems using a combination of 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), 1D systems modelling and analytical methods.
About The Role
As an Engineer – CFD & Thermo‑fluids, you will deliver thermal‑hydraulic analysis work packages across the SMR power station, acting as technical author for your own analysis and supporting technical checking within the team. You will work closely with design, performance and safety engineers to define analysis requirements and apply proportionate, high‑quality analysis approaches to substantiate them.
Your work will span a wide range of analysis activities including internal flow modelling, system pressure‑drop assessment, transient phenomena, conjugate heat transfer and coupled thermal problems across fluid systems. Analysis will typically be delivered using established RR‑SMR methodologies, but there will also be opportunities to develop new methods and apply Verification, Validation and Uncertainty Quantification (VVUQ) techniques.
You will collaborate with verification engineers and the in‑house test capability team, supporting benchmarking of analysis tools against experimental data and contributing to test‑rig development where appropriate. Given the safety‑critical nature of the work, strong quality‑management discipline and automated, well‑documented analysis routes are essential.
We’ll Need You To
* Deliver high‑quality CFD and thermo‑fluid analysis to support plant and system design
* Apply 3D CFD techniques to analyse internal flows, pressure losses, heat transfer and transient behaviour
* Use 1D system modelling to assess hydraulic performance, operating margins and component sizing
* Develop, run and document analysis using recognised tools and internal methodologies
* Support development of new analysis methods and application of VVUQ techniques
* Contribute to validation and benchmarking activities using experimental or test‑rig data
* Develop and maintain automated analysis workflows, including pre‑ and post‑processing scripts
* Apply robust quality assurance processes to all analysis outputs
* Communicate results clearly to design, safety and non‑technical stakeholders
* Work collaboratively across disciplines to support an evolving design programme
Key Skills Required
We know there’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ candidate. If you meet around 75% of the criteria below, we’d love to hear from you:
* Strong understanding of applied fluid mechanics and heat transfer
* Experience delivering 2D/3D CFD analysis using tools such as ANSYS Fluent, CFX or Star‑CCM+
* Experience with pre‑ and post‑processing tools (e.g. SpaceClaim, MATLAB or Python)
* Experience with 1D fluid systems analysis (e.g. Siemens Flomaster) is desirable
* Familiarity with transient phenomena, turbulence modelling and coupled heat‑transfer problems
* Understanding of quality assurance, verification and validation of analysis models
* Experience developing or applying analysis methods to support design or safety cases
* Ability to scope and plan analysis activities proportionately to requirements
* Strong communication skills and ability to explain complex analysis clearly
* Exposure to nuclear or other safety‑critical industries (beneficial but not essential)
* Degree‑qualified (or higher) in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or a related discipline
* Working towards Chartered Engineer status (or equivalent) is desirable
We welcome applicants from nuclear and non‑nuclear backgrounds including aerospace, energy, defence, oil & gas and research environments.
Location
Hybrid working with one of the following as your primary site: Derby, Manchester or Warrington
Salary And Package
The salary band for this role will be between £42,000 – £55,150 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be flexibility with the starting salary in exceptional cases, and the role may develop further as the organisation grows.
Benefits Include
* Bonus – Performance‑related target opportunity 12.5%
* Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum for a bespoke package
* Pension – 12% employer and 6% employee contributions
* Holidays – 28 days (+ public holidays) with ability to buy or sell up to 4 days
* Private Medical Insurance – BUPA single cover
* Life Assurance – 6× pensionable pay
* Home Office Support – £250 one‑off payment for new starters
You’ll be joining a forward‑thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness and innovation. We offer a flexible, inclusive and supportive working environment, opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business, and a culture that values collaboration, diversity and continuous learning.
Selection Process
The closing date for this role is 5th May 2026. The process will begin with an introductory call with the Talent Acquisition Partner, with interviews being able to take place straight away.
Why Join Us?
You’ll be joining a forward‑thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:
* A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
* Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
* A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we\'ll let you in on a secret: there\'s no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you. Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector‑jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.
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
#WeAreSMR #destinationnuclear
#J-18808-Ljbffr