Lead Engineer - C&I Architecture

Role Title: Lead Control & Instrumentation (C&I) Architect Engineer

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.

The Control & Instrumentation (C&I) team is responsible for delivering safe, secure and technically robust control, protection and monitoring systems across the power station. These systems underpin reactor safety, plant operation, and the integration of safety‑classified and non‑classified systems. The C&I Architecture function ensures design coherence, independence, separation, interface integrity and clear functional allocation across the entire station.

About The Role

As a Lead C&I Architect Engineer, you will define the overall C&I architecture for the Rolls‑Royce SMR power station. You will act as the technical authority for architectural decisions, ensuring independence, separation and segregation principles are applied correctly across all C&I systems. You will maintain oversight of the full architectural landscape, ensuring consistency across the reactor, conventional and cooling water islands.

The role includes leading the development and management of key architectural deliverables such as the overall C&I architecture model (Capella) and system‑level design descriptions. You will support functional integration with plant‑wide architecture, systems engineering, safety and project integration teams—ensuring that interfaces remain aligned, cross‑cutting requirements are robust, and design updates flow cleanly through the lifecycle.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys shaping nuclear‑grade system architectures, solving complex engineering challenges and guiding cross‑functional teams towards a unified, verified design vision.

We’ll Need You To

Key Skills Required

We know there’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ candidate. If you meet around 75% of the criteria below, we would love to hear from you:

• Significant experience across the systematic design lifecycle of C&I systems including specification, design, assessment, verification, testing, installation, commissioning and maintenance
• Deep understanding of designing functionally resilient systems, including independence, segregation and diversity principles
• Broad knowledge of C&I technologies, digital platforms, protection systems, instrumentation and software/hardware architectures
• Strong experience applying industry standards such as IEC 61508, IEC 61513, IEC 61226 or equivalents from other safety‑critical sectors
• Demonstrable experience applying systems engineering methodologies, including requirements management, interface management, decision analysis and structured verification
• Experience using MBSE tools (Capella preferred) and requirements tools (e.g. DOORS, Polarion)
• Ability to translate high‑level plant requirements into functional and logical C&I architectural designs

Strong communication and presentation skills, able to articulate complex system interactions clearly

Ability to build strong relationships with engineering, safety, security, suppliers and regulatory stakeholders

Experience providing technical leadership, coaching teams and guiding architectural decisions

Ability to evaluate technologies and understand how systems and components interact within a nuclear‑grade environment

Degree‑qualified in electrical, control, instrumentation or systems engineering, or equivalent experience

We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, including nuclear and other high‑integrity sectors.

Location:

Hybrid working with one of the following locations as your primary site: Derby, Manchester or Warrington

Salary And Package

The salary band for this will be between £63,600–£83,500 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be some flexibility with the starting salary in exceptional cases, and, in due course, there is the potential for you to develop the role further.

Benefits Include

• Bonus – Performance‑related target opportunity 12.5%
• Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum for a bespoke package
• Pension – 12% employer and 6% employee contributions
• Holidays – 28 days (+ public holidays) with ability to buy or sell up to 4 days
• Private Medical Insurance – BUPA single cover
• Life Assurance – 6x pensionable pay
• Home Office Support – £250 one‑off payment for new starters
  
  

You’ll be joining a forward‑thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness and innovation. We offer a flexible, inclusive and supportive environment, opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business, and a culture that values diversity, collaboration and continuous learning.

Selection Process

The closing date for this role is 30th March 2026. The process will begin with an introductory call with the Talent Acquisition Partner, followed by shortlisting and first‑round interviews shortly after.

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:

• A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.

Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.

A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.

Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.

Our Application Process

Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:

• Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
• Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check
  
  

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