Graduate Trainee - Nuclear Services Programme Evolve Graduate Programme Salary £31,000 starting salary plus benefits Location AWE sites in the Reading area, Berkshire - onsite Duration Two years Start date September 2027 Working pattern 9-day working fortnight
About AWE
We are a team of remarkable people, united by one extraordinary mission: keeping the UK safe and secure. Our work supports the UK's independent nuclear deterrent and wider national-security capabilities through science, engineering, technology and specialist expertise.
Programme purpose
Join Nuclear Services, an essential function that delivers Health Physics, waste and specialist operational services across AWE. You will support work that manages radioactive and controlled waste, protects people and the environment from ionising-radiation and contamination hazards, and helps maintain an effective emergency response capability. The two-year programme combines operational experience, service delivery and technical development. You will work with waste, Health Physics and specialist operations teams, contribute to improvement activity and build an understanding of the regulatory controls that govern work in hazardous environments.
Key activities and responsibilities
- Support projects that improve the management of radioactive, controlled and hazardous waste.
- Help develop and deliver training programmes and awareness campaigns.
- Review and update waste-management, customer-communication, health, safety and environmental documentation.
- Support health, safety and environmental inspections and continual improvement.
- Work alongside teams providing Health Physics, waste processing, emergency response and specialist operational support.
Learning and development
- How radioactive and controlled wastes are managed operationally and technically.
- How ionising-radiation and environmental controls are applied in operational settings.
- The operational application of the Ionising Radiations Regulations and Environmental Permitting Regulations.
- How to work in a service environment against targets, timelines and budgets.
- Problem-solving, negotiation, data interpretation, stakeholder communication and influencing.
- How change management and sustainability principles support better waste outcomes.
Behaviours and qualities
Proactive: You take ownership, look for improvements and follow through on commitments.
Communicative: You can explain information clearly in writing and conversation and influence constructively.
Detail focused: You understand why accurate records and careful working matter.
Customer focused: You want to provide a reliable, practical service to operational customers.
Organised: You can manage competing enquiries, priorities and stakeholders.
Numerate: You are comfortable handling and interpreting data.
Entry requirements
You should hold, or be on track to achieve, a minimum 2:2 in a science- or environment-based degree, such as Environmental Science, Geoscience, Geography or Sustainability.
You must be a British National minimum of 10 years.
You must be willing and able to obtain and maintain DV security clearance.
You must be willing to work onsite in designated areas and meet the required Occupational Health standards for hazardous and radiological environments.
Salary and benefits
- £31,000 starting salary.
- A market-leading contributory pension scheme.
- 270 hours of annual leave, including bank holidays.
- A 9-day working fortnight, giving you every other Friday off.
- A salary-sacrifice benefit scheme, Life Assurance and employee discounts.
- A welcome payment and the option of an interest-free £1,000 loan.
- Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
- Regular Graduate pay reviews and structured career progression.
Support and community
- A dedicated line manager and Evolve pathway lead.
- A buddy, typically from an earlier Graduate cohort.
- A supportive Early Careers community and access to employee networks.
- Structured development, mentoring and relevant professional learning.
Security and operational requirements
You must be a British National, aged 18 or over, and willing and able to obtain and maintain DV security clearance. The role involves designated and potentially hazardous areas. You must be medically fit for the work, including radiological controlled areas where dosimetry may be required, and may need to attend and maintain an Occupational Health assessment.
Inclusion and reasonable adjustments
AWE aims to create workplaces where differences are recognised and celebrated, diverse contributions are encouraged and employees feel able to be themselves. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the application process, with inclusion information handled in accordance with GDPR.
If you’re looking for a role with excitement, intrigue and something that really makes a difference then now is the time to join AWE. We are at the start of a once in a generation – possibly two generations – programme to design and produce a replacement warhead for the UK’s continuous at sea deterrent. We will do this while continuing to deliver the Trident programme as well as managing ambitious state‑of‑the‑art capital and construction projects – some of which have never been done before. We are recruiting right across the business: from technical roles in engineering, science, manufacturing and industrial work to business roles in areas such as IT, project management/ controls, commercial, human resources and facilities management. We also have our Evolve graduate programme, or you may be interested in an apprenticeship with our award‑winning Skills Academy. What we do is vital to national nuclear security. Keeping our nation, everyone, our environment and everything around us safe and secure is a top priority for us. So, as you would expect, that brings with it a high level of safety and security that you will see across our sites and in how everyone who works here operates. We are always looking for high calibre people to join our team, so why not explore the opportunities we currently have on offer. Whatever stage of your career, AWE is an exciting and challenging environment to develop your skills and achieve your potential.
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