Senior / Principal Nuclear Safety Engineer

By /

Website AtkinsRéalis

Job Overview: Senior / Principal Nuclear Safety Engineer

AtkinsRéalis, a global leader in nuclear and engineering services, is recruiting for Senior and Principal Nuclear Safety Engineers to join their team in Bristol. This role is central to the UK’s transition to a low-carbon energy future, providing critical safety case leadership across the entire nuclear lifecycle—from New Build (Hinkley Point C) and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to Defence, Fusion, and Decommissioning. You will act as a technical authority, ensuring that complex nuclear assets meet the stringent regulatory expectations of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).

Job Summary

  • Employer: AtkinsRéalis

  • Location: Bristol City, United Kingdom (Hybrid Working)

  • Salary: £50,000+ per annum (plus performance-related pay)

  • Role Type: Full-time, Permanent

  • Sector: Nuclear Energy, Defence, and Infrastructure

  • Clearance: May require UK Security Clearance (SC/DV); candidates typically need 5+ years of UK residency.

Key Responsibilities

  • Safety Case Leadership: Lead teams in the identification, characterization, and authoring of complex nuclear safety cases.

  • Lifecycle Support: Provide technical guidance for the design, commissioning, operation, and eventual decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

  • Regulatory Liaison: Influence client strategy and support applications for Nuclear Site Licences, delivering technical presentations to regulators.

  • Cross-Sector Engagement: Work across diverse portfolios including Nuclear New Build, Defence (Submarines/AWE), Fusion energy, and SMRs.

  • Problem Solving: Lead technical delivery to solve high-consequence, safety-critical problems and present solutions to senior stakeholders.

  • Mentorship: Actively develop the next generation of engineers, strengthening the AtkinsRéalis technical community through structured mentoring.

Requirements & Qualifications

  • Technical Expertise: Proven experience in nuclear safety engineering with a deep understanding of hazard analysis and mitigation.

  • Strategic Vision: Ability to focus on minute technical details without losing sight of the “bigger picture” regarding plant safety and compliance.

  • Communication: Exceptional ability to present complex technical data to non-technical stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

  • Professional Standing: Likely to be a Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working towards it, with a strong reputation in the nuclear industry.

  • Leadership: Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams through high-pressure technical reviews.

Reward & Benefits

  • Financial: Competitive base salary (£50k+) with a “performance philosophy” that recognizes individual contribution.

  • Flexibility: A mature hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to support work-life balance.

  • Development: Myriad opportunities for specialized nuclear training and professional development.

  • Wellbeing: A “tailor-made” benefits suite covering health, financial choices, and lifestyle rewards.

About AtkinsRéalis

AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin and Atkins) is a world-class engineering powerhouse. In Bristol, they are at the heart of the UK’s “Nuclear Southwest” cluster, connecting data and technology to transform energy systems. They are deeply committed to an inclusive culture, supported by diverse employee resource groups and family-friendly policies.

Job Description

Are you a safety engineer who thrives when the stakes are at their highest? AtkinsRéalis is looking for a Senior or Principal Nuclear Safety Engineer who understands that in the nuclear sector, “safety” is the foundation of innovation. In this role, you won’t just be reviewing documents; you will be the architect of the safety strategies that allow the UK to build its next generation of power stations and maintain its national defense.

This position offers an unparalleled breadth of work. One month you might be supporting the safety case for an SMR prototype; the next, you could be influencing the decommissioning strategy for a legacy site or advising on the safety requirements for a fusion research facility. If you have the technical rigor to handle complex safety-critical problems and the leadership skills to mentor a growing team in Bristol, AtkinsRéalis provides the global platform to engineer a better future for the planet.

Expert Guide: Concluding Your 61-Role UK Job Market Analysis

This Nuclear Safety role is the 61st entry in your dataset, serving as the “High-Stakes Engineering” anchor for your 2026 research. To conclude this massive project, consider these four final perspectives:

  1. The “Technical Authority” Salary View: Compare this Senior Nuclear role (£50k–£70k+) against the Technical Architect (£105/ph) and the Procurement Manager (£60k–£149k) to see the premium on “Safety-Critical” vs. “Commercial” leadership.

  2. The Bristol “Nuclear Southwest” Hub: A final look at the Bristol cluster featuring AtkinsRéalis (Nuclear), CBSbutler (Defense), and Aon (Risk).

  3. Security Clearance as a Gatekeeper: An analysis of how SC/DV Clearance (Atkins/Randstad/CBSbutler) remains the single most important variable for high-salary roles in the 2026 Bristol market.

  4. Strategic 2026 Synthesis: A final summary of how “Net Zero,” “Cyber Resilience,” and “Hybrid Flexibility” have become the three mandatory pillars across all 61 roles in your dataset.

    AtkinsRéalis: Engineering a Sustainable Future from Bristol

    AtkinsRéalis (formerly the SNC-Lavalin Group, including Atkins and Faithful+Gould) is a world-leading professional services and project management company. In Bristol, the firm acts as a central engine for the South West’s infrastructure, aerospace, and energy sectors. As of 2026, AtkinsRéalis has fully unified its global identity, focusing on its mission to “engineer a better future for our planet and its people” through the integration of people, data, and technology.

    The culture at AtkinsRéalis Bristol is defined by innovation, purposeful delivery, and a “digital-first” mindset. The office is a collaborative hub where multi-disciplinary teams work on landmark UK projects, from nuclear power to sustainable urban development. By 2026, the company has become a pioneer in “Nuclear-Powered AI,” recently announcing a global collaboration with NVIDIA to accelerate the deployment of AI factories powered by clean energy.

    Key Office Highlights (2026)

    Feature Details
    Bristol Location The Hub, 500 Park Avenue, Aztec West, Bristol, BS32 4RZ
    Primary Sectors Aerospace, Defence, Nuclear, Transportation, and Water
    Regional Impact Key partner for the South West’s “Silicon Gorge” tech cluster
    Global Workforce 36,000+ employees across 130 nationalities
    2026 Innovation Partnership with NVIDIA to build “AI Factories”
    Sustainability Goal Leading the industry toward Engineering Net Zero by 2030

    Strategic Bristol Sectors & Projects

    The Bristol office is home to some of the most specialized engineering talent in the UK, supporting critical national infrastructure:

    • Security, Aerospace & Defence: Bristol is a strategic base for AtkinsRéalis’ work with the Ministry of Defence (Abbey Wood) and aerospace leaders like Vertical Aerospace. In 2026, they are at the forefront of “digital safety transformation” for next-generation armored vehicles and flight systems.

    • Nuclear & Clean Power: A major contributor to the UK’s nuclear renaissance, including work on Sizewell C and the decommissioning of legacy sites. The Bristol team specializes in SMR (Small Modular Reactor) design and hydrogen fuel blending.

    • Transportation & Cities: Leading the design of “Greener Journeys” across the South West, focusing on Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) and the decarbonization of major highway and rail frameworks.

    • Water & Environment: Managing complex wastewater hydraulic modeling and social value assessments for regional water utilities and land development projects like Homes England.

    The 2026 Digital & AI Strategy

    In 2026, AtkinsRéalis has moved beyond traditional engineering into Digital Intelligence:

    1. AI Factories (NVIDIA Collaboration): Launched in March 2026, this initiative integrates AtkinsRéalis’ CANDU® nuclear portfolio with NVIDIA’s computing power to create high-efficiency, nuclear-powered data centers for the AI industrial revolution.

    2. Decarbonomics™: A proprietary data-driven platform used by the Bristol team to help clients benchmark, roadmap, and implement cost-effective carbon reduction across massive building portfolios.

    3. Digital Twins: Using high-fidelity simulation and NVIDIA Omniverse to streamline construction schedules and improve the safety performance of complex energy systems before a single brick is laid.

    4. Agentic AI: Integrating autonomous AI agents into engineering workflows to solve complex design problems and optimize resource efficiency in real-time.

    Careers & “What It’s Like”

    AtkinsRéalis is consistently ranked as a top employer for STEM professionals and graduates:

    • The “Be You” Culture: The firm emphasizes equality, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I), with active staff networks focusing on gender balance and neurodiversity.

    • Early Careers: The 2026 Graduate and Placement Schemes offer roles in Civil Engineering, Software Development, and Project Management, allowing junior talent to work on “iconic projects” from day one.

    • Professional Development: Bristol employees have access to the “Digital Innovation Playbook,” providing continuous upskilling in AI and sustainable design principles.

To apply for this job please visit careers.atkinsrealis.com.