The recruitment process
Recruitment – equal opportunities
At Dounreay we are committed to creating a workplace that is diverse and inclusive. We value the unique differences that each of our colleagues bring to work every day and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, included and able to perform at their best. We therefore actively welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds, with different experiences and perspectives and we are committed to ensuring that we work in an inclusive way that means everyone can perform at their best.
Dounreay is a member of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all candidates who have a disability who meet all of the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all of the essential criteria, Dounreay will interview the best candidates from within that group.
We are open to discuss flexible working.
We recognise not only the basic obligation of all employers to provide equitable treatment in employment matters, but also the business advantages in valuing individual differences and encouraging all employees to develop their skills and abilities.
If you require assistance at any point during the recruitment process then please let us know at the appropriate time so that we can make any necessary reasonable adjustment.
For general enquiries about career opportunities and jobs at Dounreay, please contact us at careers@dounreay.com.
Application
Please follow the link on our virtual application portal.
We regret that we cannot accept CVs without a completed application form.
Shortlisting
As part of our commitment to encourage a diverse pool of candidates we will remove your personal details before we review applications for shortlisting. Shortlisting will be carried out by the hiring manager and Human Resources based on the information provided in your application which will be assessed against specified criteria.
If you have not been shortlisted we will inform you of our decision. If you have been shortlisted for the next stage in the recruitment process we will explain what this will involve.
Interviews
Interviews will normally involve a panel of 2 or 3 people including the hiring manager and a Human Resource representative. We will give you at least one week’s notice of interview.
Interviews may be held at Dounreay, in our offices in Thurso or online using Microsoft Teams. We will pay you reasonable expenses, within specified limits, incurred in attending for interview
Aptitude and ability assessments
For certain jobs we use a range of other methods to supplement the selection process which we have found to be helpful in providing additional ways of objectively assessing your aptitude and ability for the job. These may include standard ability and psychometric tests, ‘in box’ tests reflecting the kind of tasks you would carry out in the role or a presentation.
Feedback
We recognise that if you have not been successful you will want to know why you were not selected and how you can improve for future applications. We will be happy to give you feedback on the reasons why you have not been selected at any stage in the process. We will provide details of who to contact to receive feedback.
Pre-employment checks
We will inform you if have been successful and then we will carry out a number of pre-employment checks before issuing a formal contract of employment.
Everyone who works at Dounreay has to undergo security clearance checks. We will also require you to attend for a pre-employment medical examination, which includes testing for alcohol and drugs. In addition, we will request references from any previous employers but we will not contact your existing employer until you give permission for us to do so.
Data protection
The personal information that you provide to us and that we gather about you during the recruitment process will be treated in confidence and in accordance with the requirements of data protection legislation.