Working at National Nuclear Laboratory

Be part of something extraordinary
Science that changes society. Discoveries that answer the world’s biggest questions. World-class facilities, incredible materials, a community of passionate experts and the opportunity to be a force for good. You’ll find it all at NNL.

What we do at NNL

Clean energy

We are helping the UK reach its climate goals by looking at new ways to develop and deploy advanced nuclear technologies.

Nuclear medicine

We’re advancing research in nuclear medicine to help develop the way conditions are diagnosed and treated.

Environmental restoration

We’re working to ensure our impact on the environment is minimal and we’re finding innovative ways to treat and dispose of waste.

Security and safeguarding

We provide expert guidance on the safe handling and storage of nuclear materials to organisations across the globe.

Diversity and inclusion

At NNL we are working to ensure we have an inclusive workplace that attracts, retains, and develops diverse talent. Although it’s difficult to unpick the structural inequalities still prevalent in our society, we know that as a purpose-led organisation, we are part of the society that we serve and therefore we must be part of the solution.

Our comprehensive Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) programme is steered by leaders across all areas of our business, as well as Trade Union representatives, all of whom are working to make sure ED&I is embedded throughout our processes. Anyone can volunteer to be an ED&I Ambassador and advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion within their team and feed in their specific experience to our programme. We publish our gender pay gap every year, and have targets in place to help us improve gender equality in the nuclear sector.

In March 2021, we were awarded the National Equality Standard (NES) and we’re now working to address the recommendations made by this review.

Ready to be part of something extraordinary?

Where your role will have an amazing impact
There are lots of reasons to choose a career with us.

A career with us will fulfil your potential. It’s where you’ll complete extraordinary work that will benefit future generations across the globe.

NNL is a place…

Where your contribution drives change

This is more than a job, it’s where you are given the opportunity to change society and the world for the better. Whether you’re working in a lab, an office, or from home, you’ll play your part in projects that will affect the lives of millions for generations to come. We are…

• Helping to address climate change
• Restoring the environment
• Keeping complex materials out of harm’s way
• Developing cutting-edge medical treatments

Where your ideas lead innovation

This is where you’ll do things that others can only imagine. From running experiments with radioactive materials, to uncovering data that might never have been seen before.

This is where you can get up close and personal with a huge variety of amazing projects. You could be working on the latest advancements in space exploration and reactor technology, to robotics and submarine propulsion. Whatever your speciality, you’ll face new challenges every day working at the forefront of your field.

Where your day-to-day has real-world impact

This is where you’ll get to take ownership of your work, see your ideas come to life, and take pride in the positive results of your hard work. As our business bridges the gap between industry and academia, we’re able to find answers and solve problems faster than our larger industry counterparts. This gives us the agility to develop solutions the world needs right now – which means your advice, experience, and expertise is often put straight into practice in real-life situations.

Where your wellbeing is a priority

We’ve got all kinds of people doing all kinds of roles. This is where you’ll have a level of flexibility around when, where, and how you work. We take our colleagues’ welfare and safety very seriously. We need you to be at your best when you’re working on important, safety critical, and highly specialised projects. As part of our team, you’ll have lots of people counting on you, so we promise that you can count on us too. This means that if you don’t need to be on site or in a lab, you can work wherever’s best for you. If you do need to be here in person, we’ll do everything we can to make you feel safe, supported, and inspired.

Where you are valued, whatever your story

This is where everyone is valued, respected, and welcomed. Our ongoing commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity (ED&I) means we’re creating an inclusive workplace, built upon equal policies, procedures, and transparency, where everyone’s free to be themselves and feel like they belong. From early careers to executive level, we look beyond barriers to find the right people for the job. Read more about our approach to ED&I.

Where anything is possible

There may never have been a more exciting time to be part of the nuclear sector. The growing need for carbon-neutral energy is driving a shift away from traditional fuels like oil and gas and towards nuclear energy. This means new investment, new projects, new challenges, new opportunities, and new demand for talented people like you. When you combine this with the long-term nature of nuclear energy, our relationship with the government and our exciting growth potential, you can really see why this is a great place to build a long, secure, and successful career. We’ve got the time, the facilities, and the drive to help you grow and be the best you can be.