Job Opportunities API

Job Description Reporting to the Head of Environment & Sustainability, you will define and deliver the environmental strategy for the STEP programme and provide programme-level assurance that environmental and sustainability risks are effectively understood, managed, and controlled throughout the full lifecycle of the power plant. As a senior leader within UKFE, you will ensure environmental performance is embedded into engineering, construction, operational, and strategic decision-making. You will lead the development of a proportionate, evidence-based Environmental Case and provide leadership across environmental consenting, permitting, regulatory engagement, and sustainability performance. This is a high-profile position operating in a unique technological environment where regulatory frameworks continue to evolve. Your expertise will help shape how fusion energy is responsibly delivered for future generations. Key Responsibilities Environmental Strategy & Programme Leadership • Define and deliver the environmental strategy across your allocated area of responsibility within the STEP programme. • Provide senior environmental leadership across engineering, construction, operations, and programme delivery functions. • Ensure environmental considerations are integrated into programme design, delivery, and operational decision-making. • Balance innovation with regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship, and societal expectations. Building Environmental Capability • Build, lead, and develop a high-performing environmental team capable of supporting a complex, multi-decade programme. • Provide strategic direction, coaching, and technical oversight to environmental professionals and specialists. • Promote a culture of environmental excellence, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. • Increase environmental awareness and capability across engineering and delivery teams. Environmental Case & Design for Environment • Lead the development and ongoing justification of the programme's Environmental Case. • Establish frameworks for identifying, assessing, and managing environmental impacts at system and programme level. • Ensure environmental requirements and Best Available Techniques (BAT) are embedded within engineering and operational decision-making. • Oversee environmental assessments, modelling, inventories, and supporting evidence required to demonstrate environmental performance. • Ensure environmental risks are identified, assessed, managed, and visible to support informed decision-making. Permitting, Consents & Regulatory Strategy • Define and deliver environmental consenting and permitting strategies. • Lead all environmental inputs to the Development Consent Order (DCO) process and subsequent permits, licences, consents, notifications, and authorisations. • Support regulatory engagement activities and act as a senior environmental subject matter expert with regulators, planning authorities, and key stakeholders. • Ensure all environmental submissions are robust, credible, and capable of withstanding external scrutiny. • Navigate evolving regulatory frameworks associated with emerging fusion technologies. • Drive continuous improvement through lessons learned from environmental performance and regulatory engagement. Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement • Act as a senior ambassador for environmental and sustainability performance across the organisation. • Influence programme teams, supply chain partners, contractors, and external stakeholders. • Represent the organisation confidently with regulators, government bodies, local communities, and industry partners. • Champion a culture where environmental responsibility and sustainability are recognised as critical to engineering excellence and programme success. • Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing team environment. About You We're looking for a strategic environmental leader with experience delivering complex, highly regulated infrastructure, energy, nuclear, environmental, or major capital programmes. Essential Experience • Significant leadership experience in environmental and sustainability management within a regulated industry. • Proven track record of developing and delivering environmental strategies for major infrastructure, energy, nuclear, industrial, or engineering programmes. • Experience leading environmental consenting, permitting, and regulatory engagement activities. • Strong understanding of environmental impact assessment methodologies, environmental management systems, and environmental risk management. • Experience integrating environmental requirements within major engineering, construction, or operational projects. • Demonstrated capability in leading multidisciplinary teams and influencing senior stakeholders. • Expertise in environmental governance, assurance, and programme-level decision making. • Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including engagement with regulators and government bodies. Desirable Experience • Experience supporting Development Consent Orders (DCOs) and nationally significant infrastructure projects. • Knowledge of radiological and non-radiological waste management principles. • Understanding of Best Available Techniques (BAT) assessments. • Experience within the nuclear, fusion, energy generation, or similarly regulated sectors. • Chartered environmental, engineering, sustainability, or related professional status. What You'll Bring • Strategic thinking and commercial awareness. • Outstanding leadership and influencing skills. • Technical credibility combined with pragmatic decision-making. • The ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity with confidence. • A passion for environmental stewardship and sustainable innovation. • Curiosity, resilience, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Why Join Us? This is an opportunity to help create a new energy industry while shaping the environmental standards that will define it. You will work alongside world-leading scientists, engineers, regulators, and policymakers to ensure fusion energy is developed responsibly and sustainably. Join us and help deliver clean energy for generations to come.