Submarine build hall at night, lit by blue work lighting
Cumbria & North West nuclear

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
70
live vacancies right now

Nuclear & defence career pathways

Every vacancy sits in one of the programmes driving hiring across the cluster.

Browse all opportunities

Nuclear & submarine programme timeline

What's coming, roughly when, and the roles each phase needs — so you can plan a career, not just chase a vacancy.

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

How your skills transfer into nuclear

Browse by engineering discipline

Nuclear, defence and engineering specialisms across the Cumbrian cluster.

Apprenticeships & Graduate Schemes

Level 2 to degree apprenticeships, graduate and trainee routes.

17 open roles

Welding, Fabrication & Machining

Coded welding, plate work, CNC machining and heavy fabrication.

14 open roles

Electrical, Control & Instrumentation

EC&I design, PLC/SCADA, HV/LV distribution and instrument technicians.

11 open roles

Quality, Inspection & NDT

QA/QC, NDT (UT, RT, MPI, DPI), metrology and supplier quality.

10 open roles

Project Controls, Planning & Cost

Planners, cost engineers, estimators, schedulers and risk analysts.

9 open roles

Commissioning & Plant Operations

Commissioning engineers, operators, shift teams and outage support.

9 open roles

Civil & Structural Engineering

Structural analysis, reinforced concrete, seismic qualification and site civils.

8 open roles

Radiation Protection & Health Physics

RPA, RPS, health physics monitoring, dosimetry and contamination control.

7 open roles

Mechanical Engineering

Rotating plant, pressure systems, pipework, HVAC and maintenance engineering.

5 open roles

Decommissioning & Waste Management

Retrievals, characterisation, ILW/LLW packaging and legacy ponds.

4 open roles

Nuclear Safety & Safety Case

Safety cases, fault studies, HAZOP, ALARP and regulatory compliance.

4 open roles

Project & Programme Management

Project engineers, package managers and programme delivery leads.

4 open roles

Digital, Data & Cyber Security

Software, data engineering, OT/IT cyber and digital twin delivery.

4 open roles

HSE, Environment & Assurance

Health & safety, environmental, CDM and independent assurance roles.

3 open roles

Design Engineering & CAD

Design authority, draughting, 3D modelling and configuration control.

2 open roles

Supply Chain & Procurement

Procurement, contracts, expediting, logistics and stores.

2 open roles

Process & Chemical Engineering

Process design, chemistry, fuel cycle and effluent treatment.

1 open role

Defence & Submarine Programmes

Barrow submarine build, naval architecture and defence supply chain.

1 open role

Site Services & Support Trades

Scaffolding, rigging, insulation, painting, HGV and site logistics.

No live roles right now

Featured nuclear & defence vacancies

View all nuclear & defence vacancies

Heads up: every vacancy here is based in Cumbria and the North West of England, and employers require the existing right to work in the UK plus UK security clearance eligibility for most nuclear and defence roles.

Morson Edge · Barrow-In-Furness, Cumbria

£36,795 – £36,795

Technical Coordinator with Morson Edge in Barrow-In-Furness, Cumbria. Listed under Apprenticeships & Training. Advertised salary £36,795 – £36,795. Apply via the employer's own advert.

View vacancy & apply

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House · Windermere, Cumbria

£32,138 – £32,138

Building Maintenance Technician with Gilpin Hotel & Lake House in Windermere, Cumbria. Listed under Apprenticeships & Training. Advertised salary £32,138 – £32,138. Apply via the employer's own advert.

View vacancy & apply

Arup CWS · Harras Moor, Whitehaven

£36,826 – £36,826

Senior Civil Engineer with Arup CWS in Harras Moor, Whitehaven. Listed under Apprenticeships & Training. Advertised salary £36,826 – £36,826. Apply via the employer's own advert.

View vacancy & apply

Rullion Limited · Ulverston, Cumbria

£63,810 – £63,810

Quality Professional X2 with Rullion Limited in Ulverston, Cumbria. Listed under Apprenticeships & Training. Advertised salary £63,810 – £63,810. Apply via the employer's own advert.

View vacancy & apply

Pioneer Selection · Stanwix, Carlisle

£40,000 – £40,000

Field Service Engineer with Pioneer Selection in Stanwix, Carlisle. Listed under Apprenticeships & Training. Advertised salary £40,000 – £40,000. Apply via the employer's own advert.

View vacancy & apply

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