Lead waste engineer

The salary for this role is £71,815  (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance). Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week, however, we actively support requests for flexible working. 

This role can be based at any of the following sites; Culham, Oxfordshire

This role requires employees to be eligible for SC Clearance (must have resided in the UK for the last 5 years), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open source data. 

The Role

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As Lead Waste Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in supporting the JET Decommissioning and Repurposing (JDR) programme, helping to safely and efficiently deliver the decommissioning of the JET estate. This work is central to reducing on-site hazards, lowering long-term liabilities for UKAEA, and capturing critical learning to support the design and operation of future fusion facilities.

In this role, you will lead operational waste management activities across the programme, including waste characterisation, treatment, storage, and disposal routes. You will be responsible for implementing and delivering the JDR waste strategy, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements, and supporting the successful delivery of key programme milestones.

You will provide expert advice and guidance to senior leadership on waste management and decommissioning activities, helping to inform decision-making and ensure safe, efficient delivery. The role also involves close collaboration with internal programmes across UKAEA to identify shared requirements and integrated solutions, as well as engagement with external organisations to promote UKAEA’s expertise in waste management and decommissioning.

In addition, you will contribute to innovation within the Waste Innovation Group (WIG) in the Tritium Fuel Cycle division, which focuses on advancing tritium lifecycle technologies. This includes supporting research, development, and the validation and prototyping of novel processes to accelerate their readiness for future fusion applications. Through this work, you will help bridge the gap between R&D and operational delivery, enabling the practical application of emerging technologies in a complex nuclear environment.

Accountabilities:

• Ensure behaviours actively support the safety, health, and wellbeing of yourself and colleagues, while promoting UKAEA’s values and fostering a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Lead strategic decision-making, governance, and assurance for waste management across UKAEA assets (including the JET estate), spanning characterisation, operation, repurposing, and decommissioning activities.
• Provide specialist technical expertise in waste planning and characterisation, including radiometric characterisation, data validation, waste route selection, and consignment.
• Develop, implement, and maintain the Waste Management Strategy in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders (including the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and disposal sites), ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements, industry best practice, and value for money.
• Enable delivery of the strategy by supporting a high-performing, diverse team and acting as Contract Project Manager for ASWs and/or specialist waste service procurement, while defining and implementing technical requirements and standards to ensure safe, compliant delivery within scope, schedule, cost, and risk.
• Own, review, and present waste management reports to senior stakeholders and external partners, while representing and promoting UKAEA’s technical capabilities and innovation internally and externally (including engagement with organisations such as ITER, CEA, and CFS, and at industry events), and undertaking other reasonable duties as required.

Essential Requirements:

• Degree (or equivalent) in a relevant STEM subject, with demonstrable engineering experience.
• Proven experience in waste management within the nuclear or highly regulated industry.
• Experience acting as a technical lead and contract manager on major projects.
• Strong stakeholder management experience across all organisational levels.
• Working knowledge of waste disposal sites and associated waste acceptance criteria.
• Demonstrable experience in strategy development and planning.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to engage constructively with stakeholders at all levels of the business.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), including handling large datasets and complex Excel formulas.
• Certified Radioactive Waste Advisor (RWA) or demonstrable progress toward accreditation.

Desirable Requirements:

• Chartered status with a relevant professional body (or equivalent peer-recognised expertise).
• Health & Safety and/or Project Management qualification(s).
• Strong commercial awareness with a track record of delivering innovative solutions.
• Experience working in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to mentor and develop engineers and scientists.
• Proficiency in SharePoint.

A full list of our benefits can be found here

UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit.

UK Atomic Energy Authority is committed to being accessible. Please email if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.  

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.