Senior Fluids Thermal Analyst (Reactor Plant)

Senior Fluids Thermal Analyst (Reactor Plant)

Role Title: Senior Fluids Thermal Analyst (Reactor Plant)

Location: Hybrid working with a primary site of Derby, Manchester or Warrington

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 role of Senior Performance Analyst, involved in a cutting-edge design project for a new type of power station.

As a senior performance engineer, you will lead a small team to model fluid and thermal systems that extract power from the nuclear core and ensure safe reactor operation. Your tasks will include producing models and analyses demonstrating reactor operation, collaborating with system designers to optimise plant and safety system designs to maximise safety, performance, and value, and providing key inputs to the safety case supporting the power station's design.

The team utilises various tools and software to analyse scenarios such as:

• Normal operations, including power production and response to grid demand,
• Operating transients like shutdowns and refuelling restart procedures,
• Reactor faults where passive safety systems protect the core and containment integrity,
• Severe accidents requiring cooling of damaged fuel and containment of fission products.

Given the safety-critical nature of this modelling, excellent quality management, code verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification are essential. Development of robust, automated analysis routes around analysis codes, primarily using Python on Linux-based HPC resources, is important. All performance engineers must ensure output quality through rigorous process adherence, support code validation, and promote continuous improvement of methods and tools.

The team collaborates closely with in-house test capabilities, building large-scale test rigs to validate analysis tools. Opportunities include benchmarking codes against test data and supporting test rig development and campaigns.

Effective communication and collaboration across engineering and non-engineering disciplines are vital, as analysis supports various design aspects. Flexibility and proactivity in developing analysis requirements and communicating results are expected.

Performance engineers are responsible for planning their work to meet objectives, follow quality processes, and ensure timely delivery. Senior engineers additionally support capability development, staff growth, or lead technical areas or interfaces.

If you meet roughly 75% of the requirements, we encourage you to apply, even if you're considering a sector change or career move. We welcome transferable skills and diverse candidates.

Salary: £48,000 - £62,500, plus benefits and performance bonuses. Closing date: 20/06/2025.