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Design Engineer - Plant Equipment

Rolls-Royce SMR Limited
2 days ago
Full-time
On-site
Derby, United Kingdom
£42,000 - £55,150 GBP yearly
Spatial & Environmental Design

Role Title: Design Engineer – Plant Equipment

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.

The Plant Equipment team is responsible for delivering a wide range of mechanical and process equipment into the SMR, supporting safe, reliable and repeatable power‑station designs. This role sits within the Miscellaneous Plant Equipment team and offers the opportunity to take real ownership of products delivered into a complex, regulated environment.

About the Role:

As a Design Engineer – Plant Equipment, you will work within the Miscellaneous Plant Equipment team to deliver a wide range of SMR products. You will take ownership of allocated products, working with a broad stakeholder group to understand requirements, apply modularisation and standardisation principles, and support sourcing, development and delivery activities.

You will act as an intelligent customer with suppliers, oversee technical development, apply governance and quality processes, and support contract delivery. As the programme and organisation grow, the role will expand to include increased responsibility for cost and programme delivery alongside technical ownership.

You will work across multiple workstreams, interacting with internal stakeholders, customers and supply‑chain partners on a truly global scale.

We’ll Need You To:

  • Own the delivery of key SMR plant equipment components
  • Develop and manage requirements with internal stakeholders
  • Apply modularisation and standardisation to equipment designs
  • Act as the intelligent customer for supplier‑developed solutions
  • Build and maintain effective relationships with suppliers
  • Coordinate stakeholders across engineering, safety and delivery teams
  • Deliver key business milestones and programme objectives
  • Apply engineering governance and quality processes consistently
  • Review and produce technical outputs across multiple work fronts
  • Support the development of junior engineers within the team
  • Adapt to new, unfamiliar scope and changing business demands
  • Travel between SMR offices and supplier locations as required

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:

  • Experience in mechanical or plant‑equipment design
  • Ability to take ownership of technical scope and delivery
  • Experience working with suppliers and external partners
  • Strong stakeholder coordination and communication skills
  • Understanding of engineering governance and quality assurance
  • Ability to balance technical, cost and programme considerations
  • Flexible mindset suited to a fast‑evolving programme environment
  • Willingness to travel to support supplier and programme needs

Qualifications:

  • Degree‑level qualification or HND (or equivalent) in a relevant technical discipline
  • Achieved, or actively working towards, professional institute recognition

Beneficial Training and Qualifications:

  • ASME VIII
  • ASME III
  • Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)

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 in exceptional cases, and the role may develop further as the programme grows.

Benefits include:

  • Bonus – Performance‑related target opportunity up to 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 the 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

Selection Process:

The closing date for this role is 18th May. 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
 

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