Lead Environmental Engineer
Overview of Responsibilities
Fusion energy offers the potential for significant quantities of low-carbon, inherently safe, abundantly fuelled, baseload energy, supporting sustainable climate action and energy independence. While the technical challenge remains high, confidence is increasing, and the rewards of realising fusion are almost incalculable. Anticipated to come online for commercial purposes in the middle of this century, fusion offers a viable means to sustainable net zero in the UK and globally, as well as to increased energy security. The UK is currently a world leader in fusion research and development and in the drive to realise commercially viable energy from fusion, a sector with an estimated value of trillions of pounds per year.
STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) is the UK’s flagship national programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant, targeting 2040, and a path to commercial viability of fusion. STEP is deliberately bold and ambitious and seeks people who want to be part of a world-changing endeavour and who have credible and relevant experiencing in delivery.
UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS) has been established to deliver the STEP programme, and, in so doing, spearhead the development of a fusion supply chain. UKIFS is a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and therefore builds upon decades of world leading expertise in fusion science, engineering and operations. Two Whole Plant Partners are currently being sort, to bring expertise in engineering design and construction.
What you will be doing
Reporting to the Head of Engineering Assurance, the Lead Environmental Engineer will provide specialist support to ensure the STEP prototype plant meets all environmental, regulatory, and best-practice requirements. The role covers the assessment, modelling, and management of environmental effects across noise, air quality, watercourses, and emissions. Responsibilities include supporting Best Available Technique (BAT) assessments, delivering BAT training across project teams, maintaining the plant-wide waste and emissions inventories (radiological and non-radiological), and facilitating Environmental Impact Identification (ENVID) workshops and updates. The Lead Environmental Engineer will work closely with the safety and engineering teams to integrate design for environment, support regulatory and permitting submissions, and drive continuous improvement in environmental protection and sustainability performance.
Accountability 1:
Develop the STEP Environment Case
- Lead the development of the Environment Case for the design of the STEP prototype plant, alongside the Safety Case team.
- Act as the Technical Expert for the environmental discipline on STEP – supporting regulatory and permitting submissions (including a Development Consent Order).
- Define the Environmental and Sustainability Strategy for programmes and communicate it to senior leadership, and within the relevant projects.
- Act as the UKAEA intelligent customer for the environmental discipline on these programmes, define the scoping and procurement strategy for any outsourced specialist work that will deliver environmental studies for different programme areas.
Accountability 2:
Enable Design for Environment
- Ensure that environmental requirements are integrated into the engineering design, including through Best Available Techniques (BAT) workshops, Environmental Impact Identification (ENVID) execution and deliverable planning.
- Support the development of assessments and models across noise, air quality, watercourses, and emissions.
- Maintaining the plant-wide waste and emissions inventories (radiological and non-radiological).
- Check and validate the output of environmental studies and input into the performance evaluation of external service providers.
Accountability 3:
Lead Environmental Work Packages
- Develop the environment resource strategy for programmes.
- Manage consultants and Agency Supplied Workers that work on environmental deliverables within these programmes.
- Assess environment related risks for programmes and develop mitigation strategies, escalate to senior leadership as required.
- Build stakeholder engagement across programmes, facilitate knowledge sharing.
- Provide integration across different programme areas and teams to ensure they cooperate effectively on environmental aspects, making appropriate use of resources and avoiding overlaps.
- Lead the integration of environmental work within programmes with the UKAEA corporate ISO14001 Environmental Management System.
- Train and upskill relevant teams in relation to environmental legislation and other requirements.
Accountability 4:
Embody a Leadership Mindset
- Role model positive leadership behaviours aligned to the UKIFS and STEP values and behaviours.
- Foster a positive and inclusive team environment that aligns with our cultural values.
- Contribute to maintaining a respectful and collaborative workplace, valuing diversity, and promoting teamwork.
- Act as a cultural ambassador, representing our organization’s values and professionalism in interactions with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
- Lead by example, demonstrating The Seven Principles of Public Life – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Be curious and encourage curiosity with the team. Champion being open to new ideas, seeking data and evidence to shape strategy.
- Make informed decisions and solve problems effectively, considering diverse perspectives and organisational goals.
Qualifications
Essential:
- Degree or equivalent in a relevant subject, environmental and/or engineering qualifications preferred.
- Proven extensive experience in the environmental discipline, having worked with large programmes of similar complexity.
- Expert understanding of environmental and sustainability legislation and government standards.
- Experience embedding Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Environmental Impact Identification (ENVID) into complex engineering projects.
- A strong understanding of ISO14001 standard including experience in the certification process.
- A strong understanding of project management aspects.
- A confident influencer both verbally and through the production of written reports.
- Excellent interpersonal skills to enable effective working relationships to be developed with people in a wide range of roles and levels of responsibility.
- IEMA certificate in environmental management (or equivalent).
Beneficial:
- Track record of creative problem solving in ambiguous or innovative environments.
- Experience of the full lifecycle for technically complex plant systems within major programmes.
Additional Information
We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from British black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.
UKIFS is committed to being accessible. Please email talent@ukifs.uk if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.
This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions. Whilst not required at this time, there is a possibility of an SC Clearance being required in the future. If a candidate already holds an SC clearance, that clearance can be transferred to UKIFS.
As we work towards our mission and goals, guided by our principles, STEP has six behaviours that are intended to capture the spirit of how we work:
- We champion safety
- We all matter
- We act as one
- We embrace change
- We are pioneering
- We deliver
For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.
