Powering the future of nuclear engineering
Submarine build at Barrow, Sellafield's clean-up mission and the supply chain around them — multi-billion-pound programmes with 20+ years of work ahead.
- ~60,000
- supply chain jobs across the cluster
- 20 years
- of decommissioning pipeline ahead
- 16%
- of county employment is manufacturing
- 0
- live vacancies right now
Career pathways
Every vacancy sits in one of the three programmes driving hiring across the cluster.
Barrow & naval nuclear
Dreadnought, Astute and SSN-AUKUS at BAE Systems Barrow
Sellafield & decommissioning
A 20+ year decommissioning mission on Europe's most complex nuclear site
New build & supply chain
SMRs, Moorside land, energy infrastructure and the firms that feed the cluster
Major projects timeline
What's coming, roughly when, and the roles each phase needs — so you can plan a career, not just chase a vacancy.
Now – 2030
Dreadnought build peak, Barrow
The four Dreadnought-class boats are in build at BAE Systems Barrow, with a multi-billion-pound infrastructure programme reshaping the yard alongside them.
Roles needed: Welders, pipefitters, outfitters, electrical fitters, design and systems engineers
Now – 2035
Sellafield legacy pond and silo retrievals
Retrieving waste from the highest-hazard legacy facilities remains the site's priority mission, delivered with Tier 1 and Tier 2 partners.
Roles needed: Radiation protection, waste operatives, safety case, mechanical handling, project controls
2027 – 2040
SSN-AUKUS ramp-up
The next-generation attack submarine programme grows the Barrow workforce and pulls in a UK-wide supply chain of fabricators and system suppliers.
Roles needed: Trades apprentices, manufacturing engineers, supply chain, quality and NDT
2028 – 2045
Small modular reactors and new build
SMR deployment and North West energy infrastructure open a second wave of construction, commissioning and operations roles.
Roles needed: Civil and structural, commissioning engineers, C&I, operations technicians
2030s – 2120s
Long-term decommissioning and waste management
Sellafield's full clean-up spans generations, with geological disposal and waste packaging work sustaining employment well beyond the current programmes.
Roles needed: Nuclear safety, waste characterisation, engineering maintenance, environmental
Browse by discipline
Nuclear, defence and engineering specialisms across the Cumbrian cluster.
Decommissioning & Waste Management
Retrievals, characterisation, ILW/LLW packaging and legacy ponds.
No live roles right now
Radiation Protection & Health Physics
RPA, RPS, health physics monitoring, dosimetry and contamination control.
No live roles right now
Nuclear Safety & Safety Case
Safety cases, fault studies, HAZOP, ALARP and regulatory compliance.
No live roles right now
Mechanical Engineering
Rotating plant, pressure systems, pipework, HVAC and maintenance engineering.
No live roles right now
Electrical, Control & Instrumentation
EC&I design, PLC/SCADA, HV/LV distribution and instrument technicians.
No live roles right now
Civil & Structural Engineering
Structural analysis, reinforced concrete, seismic qualification and site civils.
No live roles right now
Welding, Fabrication & Machining
Coded welding, plate work, CNC machining and heavy fabrication.
No live roles right now
Quality, Inspection & NDT
QA/QC, NDT (UT, RT, MPI, DPI), metrology and supplier quality.
No live roles right now
Project Controls, Planning & Cost
Planners, cost engineers, estimators, schedulers and risk analysts.
No live roles right now
Project & Programme Management
Project engineers, package managers and programme delivery leads.
No live roles right now
Design Engineering & CAD
Design authority, draughting, 3D modelling and configuration control.
No live roles right now
Process & Chemical Engineering
Process design, chemistry, fuel cycle and effluent treatment.
No live roles right now
Commissioning & Plant Operations
Commissioning engineers, operators, shift teams and outage support.
No live roles right now
HSE, Environment & Assurance
Health & safety, environmental, CDM and independent assurance roles.
No live roles right now
Supply Chain & Procurement
Procurement, contracts, expediting, logistics and stores.
No live roles right now
Digital, Data & Cyber Security
Software, data engineering, OT/IT cyber and digital twin delivery.
No live roles right now
Site Services & Support Trades
Scaffolding, rigging, insulation, painting, HGV and site logistics.
No live roles right now
Defence & Submarine Programmes
Barrow submarine build, naval architecture and defence supply chain.
No live roles right now
Apprenticeships & Graduate Schemes
Level 2 to degree apprenticeships, graduate and trainee routes.
No live roles right now
New vacancies added daily — check back soon.
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