Technical Lead - Coatings & Corrosion at CWA, Leiston

CWA · Direct employer

Help Shape the UK’s Energy Future

Technical Lead - Coatings & Corrosion Opportunity with the Civil Works Alliance (CWA), Supporting Sizewell C

As part of the CWA (Civil Works Alliance), you will support the building of Sizewell C. Sizewell C will be a 3.2-gigawatt power station generating low-carbon electricity for around 6 million homes and will play a key role in our energy future, supplying reliable, clean electricity for at least 60 years. This role will be within the Main Civil Works Section.

What will you do?

The CWA is recruiting a Coatings & Corrosion Engineer (SME) to act as its technical authority for coatings and corrosion protection across a complex range of manufactured components. This is a highly visible specialist position with responsibility for defining the CWA’s technical approach to temporary corrosion protection, permanent coatings, surface preparation and coating surveillance. The successful candidate will provide expert advice across the IC Liner, steel structures, embedded components and the wider Coatings workstream. A key near-term priority will be leading the IC Liner temporary protection evidence programme. This includes supporting the first coating monitoring gate scheduled for March to April 2027, the corrosion final report in May 2027 and technical reconciliation activity in July 2027. The role will also provide coating surveillance across multiple manufacturing locations and technical support for coating books, technical documentation and tender assessment. The successful candidate will:
  • Provide the CWA’s authoritative technical position on coating systems, surface preparation and corrosion protection.
  • Assess compliance against the UK EPR Specification for Coating Work, BTS Section 7 Chapter 7.10 and the HPC Companion Document for Concrete Coatings.
  • Review supplier coating procedures, product data, procedure qualifications and applicator records.
  • Define coating requirements within Inspection and Test Plans, including appropriate hold and witness points.
  • Lead the IC Liner temporary protection technical case, including coating monitoring, corrosion reporting and the storage inspection regime at Port du Verdon.
  • Advise project teams on decisions concerning factory or site coating, sleeves, plates, embedded items and concrete surface preparation.
  • Undertake surveillance at supplier facilities and on site, covering surface preparation, dry film thickness, adhesion, holiday testing, curing and repairs.
  • Raise and support the effective closure of non-conformance reports, including robust root-cause analysis.
  • Coach Quality Inspectors and help ensure that coating records are accurate and complete at assembly level.
  • Support the Coatings Project Manager and Sizewell C Engineering and Technical teams with coating books, technical updates, strategy development and technical bid assessments.
  • Represent the CWA as its technical lead within the Painting & Coating Working Group.
  • Bring relevant learning from Hinkley Point C and other major infrastructure programmes into the project.
  • Promote a strong Nuclear Safety Culture and comply with all CWA safety requirements

What are we looking for?

The CWA is seeking an experienced coatings and corrosion specialist who can develop clear, evidence-based technical positions and communicate them confidently to suppliers, project teams, clients and other stakeholders. The successful candidate will bring:
  • FROSIO Level III, ICorr Level 3, AMPP/NACE CIP Level 3 coating inspector certification, or an equivalent recognised qualification.
  • A degree in materials science, corrosion, chemistry or engineering, or equivalent relevant experience.
  • Significant experience of protective coating systems for carbon steel, stainless steel and concrete.
  • Practical working knowledge of EN ISO 12944, EN ISO 8501, EN ISO 8503, EN ISO 4624 and ISO 19840.
  • Experience conducting coating surveillance within fabrication or manufacturing environments.
  • The ability to produce clear, well-structured technical reports that can withstand detailed client and regulatory scrutiny.
  • Strong technical judgement, with the confidence to challenge quality concerns constructively and recommend proportionate solutions.
  • The ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, manufacturing, quality, delivery and supply-chain teams.
  • The ability to meet the criteria for Security Vetting, which ordinarily requires UK residency for at least three of the previous five years.
The following experience would be advantageous:
  • Nuclear coating systems, including decontaminable or design-basis-accident-qualified systems.
  • Experience gained on Hinkley Point C, another EPR programme or a comparable regulated infrastructure project.
  • Knowledge of ETC-C, RCC-CW or BTS Section 7 Chapter 7.10.
  • Temporary corrosion protection for large steel assemblies during extended storage.
  • Experience managing coating quality across international manufacturing locations.
  • Working knowledge of French.

What we will offer you?

The CWA is a single delivery organisation made of up of the client (Sizewell C) and three parent companies - Balfour Beatty, Bouygues and Laing O'Rourke - which offer industry leading packages including market leading salaries, generous annual leave entitlements, pension scheme and other flexible benefits.

About Us

The CWA celebrates the creativity and innovation that comes from a diverse workforce, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds — especially those from under‑represented communities. Our project is built on five core values: Humility, Positivity, Respect, Solidarity, and Clarity.

By joining us, you’ll be encouraged to bring your whole self to work, speak up, and share your ideas. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. If you decide to apply, please avoid including sensitive personal data in your CV.

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