Senior C&I Architect Engineer

Role Title: Senior C&I Architect Engineer 

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

We anticipate paying a salary between  £73,100 - £95,944 DOE. 
 

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.

We are now recruiting for a Senior C&I Architect Engineer to be involved in delivering an industry leading, cutting-edge design project for a new type of nuclear power station.

About the role:
As a Control and Instrumentation (C&I) Design expert, you will lead and manage a team to define the overall C&I architecture for the Rolls-Royce SMR power station. The Electrical, Control and Instrumentation (EC&I) department has over 100 engineers with ambitious growth plans throughout 2026 and beyond. 

The role will cover the following aspects:  

Provide technical oversight to the C&I design at Overall C&I Architecture Level:

• Leading C&I functional architecture-level decisions  
• Leading architecture-level analyses (e.g. independence, separation, segregation concepts) 
• Maintaining a broad technical view of the overall architecture and its development 
• Leading on integration between C&I architecture groups across the power stations islands (e.g. Reactor Island, Conventional Island, Cooling Water Island)  
• Providing technical oversight to the development of cross-cutting systems requirements and understand their scope and interfaces. 
• Ensuring SMR standardisation principles are maintained as far as reasonably practicable. 
• Support the validation of the overall physical architecture ensuring no conflicts to the realisation of the functional architecture. 

Developing Overall Architecture Level Documentation:

• Owning, managing and integrating key overall architecture outputs e.g. overall architecture model (Capella), overall architecture Systems Design Description etc.  
• Aligning and integrating the overall C&I architecture and design with the safety case (CAE)  
• Helping flow/facilitate the updates through the architecture to systems, agreed through the integrated project teams, using agile requirements flow down 

Integration with the SMR Power plant 

• Acting as focal point for power station integration team supporting inclusion of C&I model (e.g. Capella model) 
• Capturing and confirming functional interface definitions 
• Supporting development of inter-system functions particularly where functions are passing between systems 
• Supporting Process Development with respect to Overall C&I Architecture 
• Supporting systems engineering process development (e.g. acting as a reviewer or supporting writing guidance/process but not leading/owning overall SE process framework because it is the responsibility of others)  
• Lead the standardisation of the architecture groups work and drive consistency across them 

As we strive to find the best fit for this position, we are seeking individuals with a minimum level of experience, training, and qualification. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as the 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.

Key selection criteria for this role are:

• Significant experience across the full C&I system design lifecycle, including specification, design, verification, testing, installation, commissioning, and maintenance. 
• Deep understanding of fault-tolerant design principles (redundancy, diversity) and compliance with safety-critical standards such as IEC 61508, IEC 61513, IEC
• Demonstrated ability to apply systems engineering approaches, including requirements management and structured verification. 
• Experience with requirements management tools (IBM DOORS, Polarion) and MBSE tools (Capella preferred). 
• Familiarity with systems engineering methodologies such as holistic requirements modelling, Pugh matrix, and interface management. 
• Strong communication skills for explaining complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders and delivering clear documentation and presentations. 
• Proven leadership experience, including technical and people management, with the ability to develop high-performing engineering teams. 
• Degree-qualified in Engineering or related discipline, with experience in C&I systems and systems engineering practices.

Salary and Package:

• We anticipate paying a salary between  £73,100 - £95,944
• Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 17%  
• Benefits Allowance – £5,000 per annum, enabling you to create a bespoke package   
• Pension - 12% employer and 6% employee contributions. 
• Holidays - 28 days holiday (+ public holidays) and the ability to buy or sell up to 4 days.   
• Private Medical Insurance - BUPA single cover health care   
• Life Assurance - 6x pensionable pay  
• £250 - One-off payment for new starters for home office purchases  

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