Call for Expressions of Interest

Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB)

1. Context and Objective

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has tasked the Nuclear Innovation and Research Office (NIRO) with convening a restructured NIRAB which will incorporate a wider range of expertise and operate in a more flexible manner. NIRAB initially operated as a temporary advisory board from January 2014 to December 2016. During that time it reviewed the UK civil nuclear landscape and made recommendations to Ministers on the additional research and innovation required to underpin government policy.

The reformed NIRAB will be responsible for providing independent advice to government on:

  • the impact and delivery of government’s nuclear innovation programme
  • opportunities for greater collaboration with industry and international partners
  • the potential for innovation to reduce the cost of the nuclear life cycle

NIRO are seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from experts to become members of NIRAB with a view to draw on a wide pool of expertise to provide independent advice to government and oversight of the work of NIRO within the new advisory framework. Further information on NIRAB and NIRO can be found on the following website:

2. Fields of Expertise

NIRO are seeking expert individuals with deep knowledge across a range of fields to provide advice to government. The following provide examples of the areas in which expertise is sought, the list is not intended to be exhaustive and NIRO invite expressions of interest from experts with specialisms in areas not listed but where they feel government may benefit from provision within the remit of NIRAB outlined:

NIRAB advice to government / Areas of expertise
The impact and delivery of government’s nuclear innovation programme /
  • Nuclear fuel design and manufacture
  • Manufacturing and materials
  • Reactor design and operation
  • Construction technology
  • Waste management and decommissioning
  • Modelling and simulation
  • Nuclear regulation

Opportunities for greater collaboration with industry and international partners /
  • The UK nuclear industry landscape
  • Cross-sector expertise
  • Commercialisation of R&D
  • The international nuclear arena
  • Communication

The potential for innovation to reduce the cost of the nuclear life cycle /
  • Economics of nuclear
  • Cross-sector experience of innovation delivering cost reduction

3. Scope of the role

NIRAB will need to be able to draw on a wide range of expertise to be able to offer informed advice on the range of issues that may need to be addressed in the coming years. NIRAB will therefore comprise a pool of up to 40 members with attendance at meetings (planned to be around four per year) being determined by the expertise needed to address specific issues on the agenda; typically meetings may involve, for example, 10 to 15 members from the larger pool.

Membership will encompass a wide range of subject expertise, and Members will be individuals with the credibility and position to best represent their fields. Members will be appointed as individuals and be expected to represent the interests of their field rather than their employer.

Members will be expected to commit up to 10 days of time per year; the role will require some or all of the following:

  • Attending quarterly board meetings as appropriate
  • Contributing to NIRAB/NIRO workshops to formulate advice on specific topics
  • Providing input to and reviewing NIRAB and NIRO papers to be submitted to BEIS
  • Providing ad-hoc expert advice to BEIS, through NIRO, on topic areas as they arise

A limited amount of travel within the UK will be expected to attend board meetings and other meetings as appropriate.

4. Information and documents to be provided

Experts interested should provide their full contact details and indicate the specific fields in which their expertise lies among those listed in Section 2 and any additional fields as appropriate.

The following documents should be provided:

a) Application form completed (Appendix 1)

b) Curriculum vitae. Specifically providing evidence of professional experience in the field(s) selected

5. Duration of the role

Members will be invited to join NIRAB for an initial period of two years with membership reviewed periodically beyond this point.

6. Conditions of remuneration and reimbursement of experts

With the exception of the Chair, appointments will be unfunded, other than the reimbursement of reasonable travel and subsistence costs.

7. Application procedure

Expressions of interest should be submitted by email to the following address: .

8. Selection procedure

NIRO will collate the responses to this call for expression of interest and in consultation with BEIS will select and appoint members to NIRAB.

9. Timetable

The closing date for submission of expressions of interest is Friday 10th November 2017.

Applicants selected to be members of NIRAB will be informed by Friday 1st December.

10. Protection of personal data

Unless indicated otherwise, your reply to this notice and any personal data requested are required for the purposes indicated above and will be processed solely for those purposes by NIRO.

Appendix 1 – NIRAB Application Form

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  1. Outline your areas of expertise and professional experience in the field(s) (Max 300 words).

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  1. What are the key challenges for NIRAB and how will you contribute to the success of the restructured NIRAB? (Max 300 words)

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