Principal Warhead Safety Assessment Specialist

Principal Warhead Safety Assessment Specialist.

Closing Date: 26th June 2025

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Due to the classified nature of the work involved, there are limited opportunities to work from home in this role. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will spend the majority of their time working on site at AWE Aldermaston, but there is scope to occasionally work for home.

Package: £64,340 - £85,000 per annum (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience)

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

Let us introduce the role

AWE is recruiting for a Principal Warhead Safety Assessment Specialist within the Surety Engineering Group.

Key aspects of the role will be to lead and manage an in-house warhead safety assessment capability in support of delivering the company's strategic objectives. The role will entail effective leadership and delivery of warhead safety assessments, providing advice on warhead safety, systems, electrical or mechanical design, explosives, nuclear and process engineering.

We are seeking leaders or technical experts, with diverse backgrounds and experience, to help lead and manage our dynamic team of Nuclear Safety Engineers. We are proud to have such a friendly and supportive group for you to join which offers excellent development opportunities for our staff to progress. Within the team there are a number of learning and training opportunities, including up to Master's level following the recent launch of the Defence Nuclear Safety Engineering MSc.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities

Lead, support and manage teams of warhead safety engineers to deliver warhead safety assessments on time and in full, aligned with company management procedures.

Build effective relationships across the Defence Nuclear Enterprise to optimise and enhance the Safety Management System.

Conduct safety analysis against requirements and standards across the full engineering lifecycle.

Ability to apply appropriate safety methods, tools and techniques to a product.

Ability to consider higher level system and detailed component or material issues.

Liaise with a range of stakeholders as part of a wider system design and verification team, balancing conflicting priorities and perspectives.

Support external activities as required as part of the Outreach and Engineering Programme, i.e. through presentations to external conferences/symposia.

Who are we looking for?

We do need you to have the following:

Honours Degree (or equivalent) in science, engineering or related discipline (or equivalent level of experience).

Whilst not to be considered a tick list, we'd like you to have experience in some of the following:

Leading teams of technical or safety focussed engineers to deliver high consequence safety assessments.

Managing multiple stakeholders through complex and time critical projects.

Communicating effectively through written reports and verbal presentations.

Able to demonstrate excellent engineering and scientific judgement.

Excellent interpersonal and team working skills.

Possess the ability to work calmly and constructively in a priority changing environment and be able to manage your own workload.

Achieve or working towards Chartered or Fellow of a relevant professional institution.

Some reasons we think you'll love it here:

AWE has wide range of benefits to suit you. These include:

9-day working fortnight - meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.

Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).

Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.

Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body (inc. chartered application).

Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.

Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).

Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.

Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

The 'Working at AWE' page on our website is where you can find full details in the 'AWE Benefits Guide'.

#LI-KT