About us
UKNNL is the UK’s lead civil national laboratory for nuclear fission, delivering nuclear science to benefit society
Our Purpose
Today, nuclear energy is part of the solution to the deep challenges of energy independence, national security and net zero. Government owned but operationally independent, we are here to help solve some of these challenges and, in doing so, deliver on our long-held purpose of nuclear science to benefit society.
Whether it’s keeping the lights on or keeping our submarines at sea, as demand for nuclear has grown, so too has the demand for our combination of niche and highly-specialist skills and facilities. Rather than replicating what our partners, suppliers and colleagues across the sector already do, we focus on work that can only be done by a sovereign national laboratory.
What We Do
We drive innovation in nuclear science, ensuring the UK has the capabilities it needs – whether in physical infrastructure, or in the skills and knowledge of our sector workforce – to create and deploy the technologies of the future.
Working in partnership with universities, we champion the best new ideas and concepts, nurturing upcoming scientists and researchers. And alongside our partners in industry, we help keep existing nuclear reactors running successfully, support a strong and effective UK supply chain and ensure new technologies have a chance to become commercially viable.
Our Leadership Team
Made up of the Board and the Executive Team, our leadership represents the very best and brightest of the nuclear sector and beyond.
The Board establishes UKNNL’s strategic aims and objectives and ensures the sustainable future of our organisation.
The Executive Team is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation. It is made up of colleagues from a variety of professional backgrounds who contribute diverse experience, both nuclear and non-nuclear.
Discover Careers at UKNNL
At UKNNL we are working to ensure we have an inclusive workplace that attracts, retains, and develops diverse talent.
Because of our ethos, infrastructure and status as a national laboratory, we are in a special position to develop scientists and technicians that not only contribute to UKNNL but to the nuclear sector more widely.
We champion advanced nuclear skills and offer the proving ground for scientists, technicians and other specialists to nurture their expertise.
Corporate policies
The nature of our work means we have to constantly review what we’re doing and how we’re working to ensure we are prioritising safety, security and the environment. If our values are the lens through which we make decisions, our policies are the guidelines that help us apply them.