Nuclear and defence

The British civil nuclear industry plays a vital role in ensuring a balanced, environmentally responsible future for the UK and the world. The UK has been at the forefront of developments in nuclear power for over 50 years and has an unrivalled experience and safety record that is among the best in the world. Nuclear power provides about 20 per cent of the UK’s electricity and, as a carbon-free source of generation, it is an important contributor to the UK’s obligations towards renewable energy.

Nuclear power's role in the defence industry

Nuclear power also provides the means of propulsion for the Royal Navy’s fleet of submarines, allowing them to remain submerged for long periods, which would not be possible with other propulsion systems. These contribute to the defence of the nation, and to maintenance of peace and political stability around the world.

Public sector's involvement with nuclear power

Traditionally, public sector organisations have been key in the nuclear industry. However, in recent times, the large government organisations that used to run nuclear licensed sites have split into numerous smaller organisations, and have been privatised or work in partnership with private sector companies. Organisations include government departments and inspectorates, site licence companies (SLCs) that run nuclear licensed sites, and consulting and contracting organisations of all shapes and sizes. 

Powering the country: developments in nuclear power

Despite budgetary restrictions, the government is still in favour of the building of a new generation of nuclear power stations as part of its commitment to reducing carbon emissions. Having identified sites for suitable for construction, the consultation and planning processes should soon get underway and the eventual design and construction of these new plants will be big developments in the industry. This new generation of stations must be capable of generating energy at a lower cost and producing less waste than their forbears; and the challenges encountered in achieving these aims will create a large demand for engineers of all disciplines to design, construct and operate.

This is likely to lead to a number of European power generation companies getting involved in the British nuclear industry; the creation of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to spearhead the government’s drive to decommissioning the ageing nuclear installations has already influenced the industry.

Graduate engineering jobs in nuclear power

Almost every engineering role that you can think of is present in the nuclear sector. Graduates can work for an organisation that covers a specialist area that interests them or, if they don’t wish to specialise too early, for a large multidisciplinary organisation that operates across the entire spectrum of nuclear and defence activities.

Teams can range from one person to large multidisciplinary teams of several hundred people, depending on the task. Typically a fresh graduate will work in a small team (which may be part of a larger team) under the supervision and guidance of a senior engineer or project manager. As the graduate’s ability and confidence grows, so will the tasks and responsibilities that they take on. As the industry is based on very advanced technology, engineers tend to occupy most of the senior positions. Responsibilities grow with seniority, and engineers very often end up in charge of large organisations employing several thousand people and managing budgets of several hundred million pounds.

The distinction between the classic roles of contractor and consultant is becoming blurred with time, as more companies seek to broaden and diversify their skills base. The nuclear industry extends outside of the UK, with a number of countries operating nuclear power plants as a means of generating carbon-free electricity, so there are opportunities to travel. In addition, a number of companies operating in the nuclear industry have a large international presence. Moreover, the skills gained in the nuclear industry can readily be applied to other industries.

Going nuclear: skills needed for success in this career

• A degree in almost any branch of engineering, and some related subjects. 
• Reliability, enthusiasm and the qualities necessary for adding value to the business.
• An ability to ‘think outside the box’ and an innovative approach to problem solving are welcome to meet the technological challenges of the nuclear industry. 

Working life for graduates

The engineering challenges in the nuclear industry are phenomenal, and often require significant innovation to develop an appropriate solution. The terms ‘ordinary’ or ‘run of the mill’ just never seem to apply. The inspiration and team work involved are extremely rewarding.

Degrees accepted

• Civil engineering
• Structural engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Production engineering
• Aeronautical engineering
• Electrical engineering
• Electronic engineering
• Chemical engineering
• Process engineering
• Control engineering
• Instrumentation engineering
• Physics engineering
• Nuclear engineering
• Safety case engineering

non-engineering degrees:

• Business studies
• Human resources
• Mathematics
• Health physics

With thanks to Dr Andrew Mair CEng MICE MIStructE, is an engineering director at Jacobs Engineering UK Limited for his help with this article. He has a BEng in civil engineering from Kingston (1986) and a PhD in construction management from Dundee (1990), and has 13 years’ experience in this area. Additional reporting by Andie Warren.