Fuel Pie Technical Support Assistant

Job Description for Fuel PIE Technical Support Assistant:

NNL is where your understanding of reactors fuels the nation. As part of our Fuel Reactor & Reprocessing capability, you’ll play a vital role in developing the UK fuel cycle in line with advances in new technology and new processes. As old reactors reach the end of their lifespan, we need experts like you, with the technical skills to virtually model scenarios that not only enable us to explore new ways of managing the inputs and outputs of reactors, but also pave the way for the implementation of smaller, cleaner revolutionary new reactors. This is a place where you can use your knowledge and expertise to do long term meaningful work for years to come.

National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) plays a crucial role in supporting the Nuclear Energy sector across the UK. This position is required to assist in the delivery of a major programme of Post Irradiation Examination work for the Fuel PIE and Delivery team; specifically, within the Active Handling Facility (AHF) in the heavily shielded hot cells. The successful candidate will be expected to work with nuclear fuel arising from various reactors / power stations.

The programme requires NNL to utilise a number of scientific techniques to conduct Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) of nuclear material as well as providing detailed, verified data to the customer. The PIE Technical Support Assistant will be predominantly responsible for the provision and verification of all PIE inspection data, working closely alongside PIE Technicians and the Fuel PIE Technology Manager.

The PIE Technical Support Assistant will also be required to operate equipment that is contained within the cells of the AHF using master-slave manipulators.  Working as part of a team of technicians, supervised by a Technical Lead or a Task Supervisor.

The position requires the maintenance of strong working relationships with the immediate team, projects and facility teams. The programme requires team members to work to high quality standards and demonstrate an enabling, pro-active attitude to resolving issues.  In accordance with any nuclear industry positions, individuals will need to demonstrate a high degree of nuclear professionalism, adhering and contributing to a positive health and safety culture.

Main Responsibilities for Fuel PIE Technical Support Assistant:

• To principally support the Fuel PIE Technology Manager in the production, review, analysis and verification of data packs to be supplied to key customers.
• To work as part of the Fuel PIE team in the breakdown, inspection, and measurement of highly active materials in support of the Fuel PIE and Delivery programme. 
• To be an equipment operator, responsible for maintaining their equipment where required (via the engineering team or suppliers where necessary), responsible for training of others as applicable. 
• Maintain logbooks and record sheets for sample testing and traceability and to ensure all relevant regulations and procedures are understood and adhered to.
• To ensure all work is completed safely and accurately maintaining traceability and quality at all times.
• To communicate and work with the Technical Leads and Capability Manager to provide design and operational support in the manufacture of equipment to support PIE related activities.
• To carry out remote handling operations in AHF to deliver work packages as directed by the Capability Manager.

Essential Criteria for Fuel PIE Technical Support Assistant:

• Demonstrable experience of handling, analysing and reviewing data.
• Fully literate use of Microsoft Office, with experience of document management systems.
• Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).

Desirable Criteria for Fuel PIE Technical Support Assistant:

• Knowledge of PIE within the Nuclear Industry.
• Demonstrable high standard of written report production.
• Hands-on use of manipulators within a hot-cell environment.
• Good knowledge of document management systems and requirements for Safe Systems of Work.
• IOSH Managing Safely.

NNL is an incredible place to work A place where people do things that have never been done before A place where people push boundaries to further themselves, the business, and society as a whole.

This is a place where personal and professional opportunities are limitless. If you want to change the world, if you want to tackle climate change, if you want to help advance medical science, if you want to help put things in space, if you want to answer the big questions, if you want to work with extraordinary materials, if you want to meet great people, learn new skills, challenge yourself, work flexibly, and build a long successful career with the power to make a real impact… you can do it all here.

NNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity (ED&I) where NNL aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service, and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging.

Recruitment Agency Notice

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for the provision of recruitment services. Only agencies on our PSL may provide CVs and only when the role is released to them by our recruitment team. We will not accept unsolicited CVs from suppliers not currently on our PSL. We explicitly reserve the right to add candidate details from unsolicited CVs from non-PSL agencies into our own candidate database and to pursue/hire such candidate(s) without any obligation, financial or otherwise, to the agency concerned.

National Nuclear Laboratory