Kevin Smith

Senior nuclear engineer and team leader.

Kevin is a senior nuclear engineer working at a risk and safety consultancy, where he supports various nuclear projects and leads a team of engineers. His work centres on the production of technical documents for Nuclear Safety Cases, helping to demonstrate that operations at nuclear facilities are safe for the people working on site, the wider public and the environment.

 

At a glance

  • Senior nuclear engineer and team leader.
  • BSc Open Degree and MSc Nuclear Science and Technology (NTEC), The University of Manchester.
  • Works across nuclear safety, project delivery, business development and team leadership.
An illustration of Kevin’s career path, from A Levels to a BSc Open Degree and MSc Nuclear Science and Technology, leading to his current role as a Senior Nuclear Engineer and Team Leader.

A typical day looks like ...

No two days are the same – my work changes from project to project depending on the client and the nature of the challenge.

As a senior nuclear engineer, my work can involve visiting nuclear-licensed sites to undertake walkdowns and inspections or hold meetings and may occasionally require overseas travel, but in general there’s a good mix of working on site, at my company's office or at home.

As a team leader, I also manage the time of several employees within the company and undertake a range of business development activities that are important in a competitive consultancy environment.

My favourite thing about my role is ...

I enjoy the variety of challenges that come with balancing technical, managerial and client-facing responsibilities.

There’s no single defined task for me to complete on a daily basis. Each day, I need to balance the responsibilities of being a team leader, project manager, technical author, client relationship manager and everything else that helps make a consultancy successful.

Most of my work involves producing technical documents for Nuclear Safety Cases. This work is important because it outlines how operations at a nuclear facility can be carried out safely for those working on site, the general public and the environment. Given how severe the consequences could be if anything goes wrong at a nuclear facility, risks need to be reduced as low as reasonably practicable.

My advice to students interested in a future in the nuclear sector ...

While my NTEC MSc was essential in helping me enter the nuclear industry, I would not be where I am without the support of the Nuclear Institute’s Young Generation Network (YGN). I spent a couple of years on the YGN Committee as Finance Lead and the connections I made there, alongside the experience of helping to run a nationwide organisation, helped me find my feet when entering the industry.

It also gave me the confidence and self-assurance to know that I belonged in the sector. For anyone who is on the fence about whether nuclear is the right place for them, I would recommend looking out for upcoming events in your area and getting involved.