Nuclear Safety Case Engineering Graduate Programme

Nuclear Safety Case Engineering Graduate Programme

Programme title: Nuclear Safety Case Engineering Graduate Programme

Salary: Minimum £35,000. Salary is dependent on location, role and qualifications.

Location: Warrington

Application closing date: 20 October 2026

Programme start date: September 2027

Role ID: 74602

What will you do on the programme?

As a Graduate Nuclear Safety Case Engineer within our Cavendish Nuclear business, you’ll play a meaningful role in keeping some of the UK’s most critical nuclear operations safe and secure. Our projects rely on strong safety cases, and you’ll be part of the team that makes them happen.

You’ll gain experience identifying potential risks and understanding how to manage them. You might support hazard studies, contribute to safety reviews, or help produce the technical assessments that allow complex nuclear work to be carried out safely.

You’ll learn how to develop and maintain safety documentation, ensuring risks are reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). Along the way, you’ll work closely with experienced engineers, safety specialists, and radiation protection experts who will support your learning and development.

At Cavendish Nuclear, you’ll have the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of impactful projects – from safely decommissioning legacy nuclear sites to supporting the development of future clean energy solutions.

It’s a role where you can build your expertise, grow your career, and make a real difference – helping to protect people, the environment, and the future of nuclear energy.

How is the programme structured?

This two-year programme is designed to give you a broad understanding of safety case development. During this time, you’ll complete placements that expose you to a wide range of work, including safety case authoring, hazard analysis, compliance reviews, and environmental safety.

By the end of the programme, you’ll have built a strong foundation in hazard identification, risk assessment, and safety case development – ready to take the next step in your career.

How do we develop and support you?

From day one, you’ll receive structured support, personalised training, and dedicated mentorship to help you excel throughout your programme and beyond.

You’ll join our Graduate Development Programme, featuring expert-led masterclasses on communication, personal branding, resilience, and wellbeing.

To support your journey toward Chartered or Incorporated Engineer status, we offer full guidance and cover all associated fees.

What’s waiting for you after the programme?

Upon completing the programme, you’ll transition into a permanent role as a Safety Case Engineer or Consultant within our Nuclear sector. This means you’ll be responsible for developing, maintaining and delivering safety justifications that support some of the UK’s most complex defence and civil nuclear projects.

From there, your development doesn’t stop. We’ll support you as you grow into more senior roles and take on greater responsibility. Through the Babcock Role Framework, you’ll have a clear view of how your career can progress, with mapped-out pathways, development opportunities and the tools you need to get wherever you want to go.

What rewards and benefits will you get?

We want you to feel supported, valued and excited about what’s ahead. That’s why we offer a comprehensive package designed to support your development, your wellbeing and your life outside of work too.

In addition to a minimum starting salary of £35,000, you’ll benefit from: 

• A minimum of 25 days of holiday plus bank holidays
• Generous pension and employee share schemes
• Flexible benefits, including cycle to work scheme, discounts
• Wellbeing support, covering mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing, with services like our Employee Assistance Programme, digital GP service, and health checks.

You’ll also have the chance to get involved in our STEM outreach activities and volunteering opportunities.  

What do you need to apply?

• You’ll need to have achieved, or be on track to achieve, a BSc or BEng (Hons) degree in an Engineering, Science or Maths subject.

• A postgraduate qualification such as an MSc or MEng in Nuclear Science would be particularly valuable.

• Many of our programmes are subject to Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions which mean that your place of birth, nationality, citizenship, or residency you hold or have held may impact which programmes you are eligible for. For this programme, you must be able to achieve and maintain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) clearance. For further details, visit GOV.UK and search ‘United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels’.

• Under applicable national security legislation, this post may only be occupied by a sole UK national. This legal requirement is independent of our recruitment policies, and all eligible applicants will be assessed fairly and without discrimination.

Where will you be ba****sed?

Places on our Nuclear Safety Case Engineering programme for September 2027 are available in our Cavendish Nuclear business in Warrington. Agile working is supported, but you’ll be expected to work on-site multiple times a week.

When you successfully complete the programme, you will continue at the same location, so it’s important you consider this when applying.

Joining Cavendish Nuclear means getting involved in some of the most important engineering projects in the UK – and beyond. You could be working on the decommissioning of legacy nuclear sites, supporting the construction and operation of cutting-edge nuclear power plants, or helping sustain our national defence through work on the UK’s nuclear deterrent. Whether you’re working from your base location in Warrington or supporting at one of our client sites, you’ll gain direct experience in developing safety cases, conducting hazard assessments, and working with regulators to make sure operations are safe, compliant and efficient.

This is a chance to see how hazard management supports both the clean-up of the nuclear legacy and the delivery of new low-carbon energy projects.

Application process and important information

Applications are reviewed in the order they are received, and if there’s a high level of interest in this programme, we may close applications earlier than advertised. To give yourself the best chance of being considered, we recommend submitting your application and completing any required online assessments as soon as possible.

Please apply to one programme only. If we receive more than one application from you, we’ll assess the first one submitted. If your chosen programme becomes oversubscribed, we may contact you to discuss other programmes you could be eligible for.

We're a Disability Confident Employer. If you require additional support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply. Our team will contact you after receiving your application to discuss your requirements and the support available.

We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.