'We're in a nuclear renaissance in the UK': Mohsin Nurbhai, AWE head of engineering

Fresh out of university, Mohsin Nurbhai was leafing through a copy of Professional Engineering magazine when he landed on an advert that would change his life. There, spread out across a full page, was his introduction to AWE. Twenty years later, Nurbhai – or Mo, as he is known to his colleagues – still works at AWE, a secretive-by-design organisation that, among other things, develops, builds and maintains the UK’s nuclear warheads for its Continuous-At-Sea Deterrent.

With its roots stretching back to the end of the Second World War, AWE is currently on a major recruitment drive as the company forges ahead with the replacement warhead and significant infrastructure programmes.

Earlier this year, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK will increase its defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2027. This target fast-forwards government plans by three years and, to borrow Starmer’s words, signals a “new era for national security”. 

Last year, the previous administration, led by Rishi Sunak, released a new strategy that framed the country’s nuclear deterrent as a “National Endeavour”. “Our deterrent is more relevant now than ever before,” Sunak stated in a command paper presented to parliament. 

“Nuclear risks are rising,” added Grant Shapps, then secretary of state for defence. 

The National Endeavour strategy involves billions of pounds in investment to bolster existing nuclear defence projects. It also includes new infrastructure (such as AWE’s multibillion-pound Future Materials Campus, to be built in Aldermaston, Berkshire), a replacement warhead (known as Astraea), more nuclear power, strong supply chains and a taskforce to recruit scientists and engineers.   

Away from the headlines and press conferences, AWE is rising to meet a “nuclear renaissance”, as Nurbhai calls it. Behind its walls, thousands of scientists and engineers are using state-of-the-art technology – lasers, supercomputers, modelling and simulation, complex integrated experiments, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI) – to “deliver a secure future for all”. Marking an important milestone this year – 75 years of existence – AWE collaborates with dozens of leading universities and has grown into a “city of opportunities” for engineers. Nurbhai can’t take us into the heart of this city, but he can take us on a visitor’s tour and offer a glimpse of what it’s like to be at the “forefront of nuclear technology and innovation”. 

Your organisation’s mission is, quite literally, to protect the UK from nuclear threats. What does it feel like to work for AWE? 

In 1950, when the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (later shortened to Atomic Weapons Establishment, or AWE) was formed, it had one key role: to keep our nation safe. That was our mission. 

Seventy-five years later, we have one mission. Any guesses what it is? It’s to play our part in keeping the nation safe. And it’s never been more important for us to do that.  

So, there’s definitely a deep sense of responsibility and commitment. And you’ll see that naturally in a lot of people who work here. We’re proud and honoured that we’re a small cog in a much larger endeavour. People are genuinely motivated by the mission to preserve peace, which enables everyone’s way of life and prosperity. 

I’m motivated and inspired to leave a generational legacy of excellence in delivery and innovation. That’s very important to me. 

What is an average work day for you? 

My job is to lead people on various engineering projects, focused on nuclear security and defence. We develop technologies and capabilities to sustain our long-term future in this field, and to propel us towards doing lots of new great things. 

I have the privilege to work with hundreds of talented engineers and scientists to make sure milestones are met. I review progress on projects, plot strategies for the overall business and do a huge amount of mentoring.  

I collaborate with other departments. A key part of my job is to develop new collaborations and maintain existing relationships, including international ones (some of which date back as far as the 1950s).  

I tend to do a lot of cultural transformation. We’re in a growth environment and technology is modernising really quickly around us. As we cross generational gaps, we have to think carefully about how people perceive information, and how they want to work. There’s a genuine difference in how people show up, and it’s really important to get it right.

What kind of projects do you manage? 

We’re doing cutting-edge research in the development, design and manufacture of nuclear security technologies. We’re modernising product design and advanced manufacturing techniques. We’re taking testing and diagnostic methodologies to next levels. This includes various predictive techniques. We’re also looking to leverage technologies like machine learning, AI and data sciences. 

Essentially, we have to think of possibilities, and then design and build products that can never really be tested, but always have to work. 

What’s your favourite part of the job? 

I have an absolutely unique opportunity to work on projects of national importance, so there’s a real call to duty. Working at AWE means having access to state-of-the-art facilities. Things like advanced supercomputing and advanced engineering multi-physics testing. 

We conduct hydrodynamics and high-powered laser testing to simulate – in very controlled environments – the types of temperatures and pressures you might see in materials. The research and testing we carry out helps us understand nuclear and quantum environments better, as well as hypersonic flight environments. 

This is seriously like rocket science. That’s the cool thing about it.

Nurbhai works with hundreds of talented engineers

Working here, you also have the ability to collaborate with some of the brightest minds in this field in the UK and abroad. From the furthest corners of the nation. Where else can you actually get that? 

We’ve grown to a team of 9,000 people. It’s an extraordinary environment with so much diversity of thought and disciplines. 

What are some of the big mechanical engineering challenges you solve? 

Think about how challenging it might be to develop technologies for extreme environments. Say you’re re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, trying to protect delicate and critical structures. 

It’s imperative for us to enhance the reliability and accuracy of our methods, whether they’re predictive, experimental, response models or diagnostics. Let’s just say this is engineering for a taxing environment. 

Can you tell us a bit about your engineering journey? 

Like any kid born in the 80s, I was fascinated by flight. But my personal passion was to understand how things worked. One day, my dad bought a new VHS unit [video player]. And I just needed to know how that thing worked! So, I literally just unscrewed it all, down to the cleaning heads. These were the days before YouTube and Haynes manuals, so there was no way this thing was getting put back together. I have this vivid memory of myself, aged about seven or eight, sitting there with all the parts laid out in the living room, knowing my dad would walk in and see it. I was so scared what my dad would say I think I hid in the toilet for about four hours! 

Do you have other memories from this period? 

The other vivid memory I have is that every evening, when the weather was good, I would sit outside and just stare up at the sky, wondering about stuff. I’ve always had this curiosity.   

I was born in Tanzania and grew up near the seaside in Dar es Salaam. My parents were not engineers, but they had friends who were. I’ve got two sisters and we’re a close-knit family. I must have been around 14 when my parents decided to move back to the UK. 

It’s like you knew you would become an engineer.

After school, I went to the University of Hertfordshire to study aerospace engineering. I think I was always destined to either become a pilot or to work as an engineer in aerospace. I had the option to do a PhD, but I was desperate to get out into the real world. I wanted to get into industry and do stuff. 

We’d all become student or affiliate members of IMechE and I always read Professional Engineering magazine. There were job ads there, which meant you didn’t have to go around looking. Not long after I finished my degree, I saw a full-page AWE advert in my monthly copy of the magazine. It immediately caught my eye.   

At that stage, I didn’t know what AWE was. There was no website. It didn’t even feature on ordinance maps. I thought, “Huh, that’s something interesting.” Like 99% of people, I’d never really thought about the atomic establishment or nuclear deterrence. But everything the job required – knowledge in things like materials, structures, simulation, testing, mechanical and electrical design – matched my [university] modules. It all just called out to me. I was looking for jobs in aerospace and my head was in that space. This ad had elements of flight, but it was really about deterrence. So, I figured I’d just give it a go. 

You came for the ad, but you stayed for the…? 

I got through the clearance process and entered through a graduate scheme. AWE was on a big recruitment drive back then, much like we’re on today. During my first year, I met a lot of people and I saw their passion. I was quickly inspired by the idea and opportunity to work on projects of national significance. In many ways, I fell in love with the place. 

I moved through many different technical roles. I worked in simulation and testing, diversified into structural dynamics and developed skills in vibration testing. Eventually, I moved into project management and then leadership. It’s been a 20-year rollercoaster ride. 

AWE engineers can access state-of-the-art facilities

What would you say to engineers looking at a career at AWE? 

The nuclear sector is absolutely ripe for STEM opportunities. The work is extremely challenging, but very rewarding. There are excellent training opportunities too. I often say that AWE is a city of opportunities. It’s so large, and there are so many different disciplines. You can pretty much have any job you can think of in the STEM world, or even beyond the STEM world. Think of: systems, physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials, mechanical, electrical, construction, manufacturing, law, history, AI or quantum. It’s all being done here.  

We’ve also diversified how we recruit. We’ve pivoted towards non-traditional routes and support major career changes. We have police officers and postpeople becoming engineers. And we encourage people who are coming back into the working world [after a career break or parental leave] to apply. We’re reaching out to local communities, searching for talent and offering placements. We’re trying to be out there in our approach. 

Is this a good time to join AWE? 

We’re in a period of nuclear renaissance in the UK. We’ve got some of the most challenging science and technology and systems projects ahead of us. There’s a large infrastructure programme on the go, and investment in the work we’re doing. This is the perfect recipe for innovation and growth. 

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The scale of ambition that we have, the growth that we’re doing, the innovation and the national capability that we want to develop… it’s a really good time. 

You do a lot of mentoring and outreach work. What do you tell young engineers? 

Stay very curious. Never stop learning. Embrace every single opportunity for growth. I believe that personal growth is a key to personal satisfaction. Always stay core to your values, things like integrity and humility. And with those, you’ll be able to hone your communication skills and earn trust.  

Seek out people that you trust and who can mentor you. Stay open to their guidance. I’ve had lots of mentors along the way.  

And from an engineering perspective, go out and make a positive impact on the world. Scientists hypothesise the possibilities; engineers transform those visions into realities. 

And, finally, what do you like to do outside of work? 

I enjoy doing stuff for the community. I’m a trustee of a charitable organisation that specialises in education and poverty relief. One of my responsibilities is overseeing the operations of our community food kitchen. We’re running a manufacturing-level catering capability, churning out 1,400 meals a day, in a highly regulated environment. That keeps me on my toes and excited.  

I love the outdoors and spending time with my family [Nurbhai is married and has three children]. I also love just having a good laugh with my mates. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length. 

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