Role Title: Senior Manager - Materials and Chemistry

Location: Warrington, Derby or Manchester - UK based hybrid

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.

We are now recruiting for the exciting role of Senior Manager - Materials and Chemistry.

TheSenior Manager for Materials and Chemistryis a senior leadership role within the SMR power station programme, reporting to the Head of Nuclear Engineering and E3S Integration. The role is accountable for the delivery, quality, and governance of all materials and chemistry-related outputs across the programme. This includes strategic planning, technical programme execution, policy development, and leadership of a multidisciplinary team.

The role provides specialist oversight and technical governance of materials and chemistry aspects of plant design, ensuring robust assurance, verification, and validation processes are in place. It also involves managing a department of approximately 40 FTEs.

• Technical Leadership & Governance

  • Provide senior specialist leadership and governance across the materials and chemistry programme.
  • Oversee the development and implementation of governance plans to ensure robust technical review and assurance of design solutions.
  • Lead the development and execution of verification and validation strategies, including technical accountability for physical testing programmes.

• Programme Delivery

  • Lead the delivery of complex, integrated materials and chemistry programme plans and outputs.
  • Ensure alignment of materials and chemistry activities with broader design development, including source term modelling and safety case support.

• Team Leadership & Capability Development

  • Manage and develop a team of engineers and scientists, fostering a high-performance culture.
  • Lead the development of materials and chemistry capability across the wider business, including people, processes, tools, and infrastructure.

• Training & Continuous Improvement

  • Collaborate on the development of training plans, methods, and materials to ensure appropriate qualifications and expertise.
  • Ensure processes and guidance are maintained and continuously improved.

• Stakeholder Engagement

  • Represent the business externally as a subject matter expert in materials and chemistry.
  • Engage with regulators, industry bodies, and technical experts to ensure compliance and influence best practices.

• Health, Safety & Environment

  • Champion health, safety, and environmental standards across all activities.
  • Promote and uphold corporate values, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

• Strategic Influence

  • Collaborate across all business functions to integrate materials and chemistry into broader programme goals.
  • Influence stakeholders to align on common objectives and drive programme success.

Candidate Profile:

• Professionally registered with a relevant body.
• Holds a degree-level qualification in a relevant technical discipline.
• Proven engineering leader with extensive experience in materials and chemistry, particularly in nuclear applications.
• Demonstrated success in leading large, complex programmes and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills.
• Experience in developing and implementing capability strategies, including infrastructure and process improvements.