Principal/Senior Mechanical Engineer - Nuclear

Job Title: Principal/Senior Mechanical Engineer (Nuclear)

Location: Warrington (Hybrid: 3 days onsite, 2 days WFH)
Salary: Competitive
Job Type: Permanent Full Time

About the Role

iO Associates is currently working with a leading engineering organisation involved in major UK nuclear projects. We're recruiting for a Principal/Senior Mechanical Engineer with expertise in bulk solids or powder handling systems, ideally for nuclear or other highly regulated sectors.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the safe and effective management of radioactive or hazardous powdered materials-ranging from fuel fabrication to waste processing-within complex engineering environments. Multiple positions are avaliable.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, integration, and review of powder handling systems (e.g., hoppers, feeders, pneumatic conveyors, gloveboxes).

• Apply engineering standards and nuclear safety principles across all design and project stages.

• Produce and review technical documentation, including calculations, drawings, reports, and risk assessments.

• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams including nuclear safety, process, and systems engineers.

• Provide engineering oversight to ensure compliance with safety cases and relevant codes.

• Support customer engagement, stakeholder management, and technical mentoring of junior engineers.

Essential Experience

• Background in mechanical engineering with strong exposure to bulk solids/powder handling, ideally in a regulated environment (nuclear, pharma, chemical, etc.).

• Proven ability to design or evaluate mechanical systems involving containment, flow control, or automated powder transfer.

• Experience in producing and reviewing detailed technical documents and engineering calculations.

• Collaborative approach to problem-solving across project teams.

Desirable (But Not Essential)

• Experience with glovebox or hot cell design.

• Knowledge of critically safety, ALARP, and radiological containment.

• Prior exposure to nuclear decommissioning, new build, or fuel cycle facilities.

Qualifications

• Degree preferred.

• Chartered or working towards professional registration (e.g., IMechE) is advantageous.