Rolls-Royce mini nuclear power plant firm to create 400 jobs

Rolls-Royce SMR has announced it will create 400 jobs, split between Warrington and Derby, to support the growth of its nuclear power station business.

SMR’s are small modular reactors which will use nuclear power to deliver energy needs for the future.

Rolls-Royce SMR is the UK domestic energy champion and will play a key role in achieving the Government’s British Energy Security Strategy, which pledges to accelerate the expansion of nuclear by delivering the equivalent of one nuclear reactor per year instead of one per decade.

The programme is the first of its kind in the UK focused on developing a factory-built nuclear power plant that is deliverable and scalable at a global level.

Having begun the design assessment process with UK regulators, the organisation now needs to significantly increase its workforce, and has appointed recruitment specialists RPOne, part of Salford-based global recruiter, Morson Group, to support its largest recruitment campaign to date.

Roles will be open to experienced nuclear professionals, young talent and graduates alike, creating a diverse workforce.

Adam Ellis, director of talent & HR at Rolls-Royce SMR, said: “This is a perfect opportunity for talented individuals to join our team and bring new ideas and concepts to the table that will create a legacy for generations to come.

“We want to build a diverse team of people with a background in science, a passion for nuclear, or from a sector with transferable skills, with a diverse mix of skills and experiences.”

He added: “This is the most exciting nuclear programme in the UK right now, and anyone joining the team has the chance to develop their role and carve a career for life.”

Ged Mason, CEO at Morson Group, said: “Rolls-Royce SMR has the potential to be truly pivotal in the way the UK – and the rest of the world – sources and uses power.

“The company is setting new standards in recruitment by opening its doors to anyone who has a passion to change norms in science. While there are several niche roles available, which require specific skillsets, others are open to those who want to help define our futures.

“Equality, diversity and inclusion is vital to Rolls-Royce SMR, so part of our collaborative focus will be bringing multiple perceptions to the table. It’s a disruptor to the market, and we want candidates of all backgrounds, with all interests, to join the team to offer greater insight and creativity, so that Rolls-Royce SMR can deliver a solution that is representative of society today and in the future.

“At its peak, the programme has the potential to create some 40,000 jobs and generate £52bn in economic benefit.”

Rolls-Royce SMR said the potential for this to be a leading global export for the UK is “unprecedented”.

Nine-tenths of an individual Rolls-Royce SMR power plant will be built or assembled in factory conditions and around 80% could be delivered by a UK supply chain.

A single Rolls-Royce SMR power station will occupy the footprint of two football pitches and power approximately one million homes.

It can support both on-grid electricity and a range of off-grid clean energy solutions, enabling the decarbonisation of industrial processes and the production of clean fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and green hydrogen, to support the energy transition in the wider heat and transportation sectors.