The recruitment process

Recruitment

Dounreay is an equal opportunity employer and we are fully committed to the development of a diverse and inclusive workforce. We aim to operate recruitment processes which are fair and transparent. The following section explains how we will handle your application and what you can expect to happen at each stage of the recruitment process.

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.

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.