Temporary works engineer (nuclear)Salary, qualifications, career path and hiring demand, 2026 edition
A temporary works engineer designs temporary structures that exist only during construction: the falsework holding a slab until concrete gains strength, the shoring supporting deep excavations, the propping stabilizing buildings mid-demolition. None of these structures appear in the permanent plant, yet all carry people and loads while in place. This exciting opportunity demands technical knowledge and a commitment to high standards, as temporary works failures are among the most serious challenges in construction safety and efficiency.
Nuclear temporary works engineers earn a median of around $122,000 in the United States and roughly £48,000–£63,000 at mid to senior level in the UK, rising past £98,000 for a principal. Heavy lifting support and demolition propping specialists sit at the top of the range among major projects.
No single licence is required. What gates the work is temporary works competence: a PE licence or CEng, the temporary works coordinator or supervisor roles under BS 5975, security clearance, and design check authority. A strong background in tw designs and a deep understanding of regulations ensure safe and compliant project delivery.
The role at a glance
Everything an employer will ask about in the first fifteen minutes of a screening call.
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- Also called
- TW engineer · falsework engineer · temporary works designer · temporary works coordinator (TWC) · shoring engineer
- Entry qualification
- BEng/BSc in civil or structural engineering, or an HNC/HND with strong site and temporary works experience.
- Typical entry pay
- $72,000–$99,000 (US) · £29,000–£36,000 (UK graduate)
- Senior / principal pay
- $139,000–$190,000 (US) · £70,000–£98,000 (UK principal)
- Contract day rates
- £500–£690 for nuclear temporary works; £620–£840 for heavy lifting support, deep excavation and demolition propping outside IR35; $90–$150/hr on US temporary works support
- Professional gate
- No licence. In the UK the temporary works coordinator and temporary works supervisor roles under BS 5975 are the recognised structure; CEng or PE for design responsibility.
- Security
- UK BPSS minimum, SC common. US: unescorted access authorisation under 10 CFR 73 for site-based work.
- Where the work sits
- EPC contractors, tier one construction firms, temporary works design consultancies and formwork suppliers. Split between design office and site.
- Travel
- Moderate to high. Design can be office-based, but coordination roles are site-based and inspection is always on site.
- TRX segments
- Large new build · Decommissioning & dismantling · Radioactive waste management · New technology development · Fuel handling & fuel cycle · Fusion
Six versions of the same job title
"Temporary works engineer" changes with what needs holding up: formwork for a nuclear island pour, shoring for a deep excavation, or propping a contaminated building being taken apart. Note the second segment: demolition depends on temporary works even more than construction does. Bar shows relative hiring volume across TRX's 2026 desk activity.
Large new build
Temporary works for a gigawatt nuclear power station: falsework and formwork for very large concrete pours, deep excavation support, crane and heavy lifting foundations, access structures and the sequencing of their installation and removal. Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C, AP1000 fleet.
Decommissioning & dismantling
Propping and support for demolition: holding structures stable as they are progressively taken apart, often where original drawings are incomplete and the structure is contaminated. Sellafield, Magnox fleet.
Radioactive waste management
Temporary works for waste facility construction, including underground support for disposal vaults and tunnels.
New technology development
Temporary works for SMR construction, where modular assembly needs support and positioning structures designed for repeat use across many units. Rolls-Royce SMR, Holtec.
Fuel handling & fuel cycle
Temporary works for construction and modification on operating fuel-cycle sites, where works must proceed alongside continuing operations.
Fusion
Support and access structures for fusion assembly, where very heavy components are positioned to tight tolerances and support stiffness matters. ITER, STEP.
What the week actually looks like
A composite day for a mid-level temporary works engineer on a major site, split between design and coordination. Site-based or hybrid depending on the role. Installation, loading and striking operations dominate the rhythm — noted below.
What nuclear temporary works engineers are paid in 2026
Bars show the 25th to 90th percentile of base salary. The marker is the median. Switch currency to move between the US and UK markets, which behave differently.
How temporary works compares to adjacent roles
US figures. Nuclear and civil engineer medians are BLS OEWS May 2025; the specialism ranges are TRX market analysis, because these are not separately coded by BLS.
| Occupation | Median | P10 | P90 | What moves the number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary works engineer (nuclear) | $122,000 | $80,000 | $190,000 | Heavy lifting supports, deep excavation, demolition propping, clearance |
| Civil engineer (all industries) | $99,590 | $63,000 | $155,000+ | The nuclear and safety-critical premium lifts temporary works above the general median |
| Site engineer (nuclear new build) | $114,000 | $76,000 | $178,000 | Broader site delivery, coordinates temporary works but does not design it |
| Nuclear civil engineer | $123,000 | $80,000 | $192,000 | Permanent civil design and site delivery |
Sources: US BLS OEWS May 2025 for the coded occupations; TRX market analysis Q3 2026 for the specialism ranges. Temporary works engineers are coded under civil engineers by BLS, so no separate federal median exists.
Heavy lifting supports
Foundations and support structures for very large cranes and lifts carry enormous loads and serious consequences, and the design experience is specialised.
Deep excavation support
Shoring for deep, groundwater-affected excavations is high-risk work where ground behaviour and structural design meet.
Demolition propping
Supporting a structure while its load paths are progressively removed, often with incomplete drawings, is the most demanding temporary works discipline and central to decommissioning.
Three ways in, and only one of them starts with a nuclear degree
Temporary works is usually reached after site experience rather than straight from graduation, because the designs must reflect how work is actually done. It is a strong crossover from general construction, and the UK's formal coordinator structure gives it a clear career ladder.
Graduate, United Kingdom
Four to eight years to lead temporary works.
Graduate, United States
Four to eight years.
Career changer
Six to eighteen months, from construction or structural design.
Are you actually ready to compete for a temporary works role?
Everything above tells you what the market pays and what it asks for. It does not tell you how your CV reads against the other engineers applying for the same temporary works post, and in a field where schemes designed and coordinator experience decide offers, that is the part that costs candidates the job.
Free resume scoring on avua, TRX's job search and application platform. Your score is yours; it is not shared with employers.A strong civils temporary works CV can still miss the shortlist if it does not show heavy lifting supports or demolition propping. The gap is the part you can fix.
Illustrative figures based on TRX shortlisting patterns across temporary works vacancies. Your own score is generated by avua from your CV and the role you are targeting.
The credentials that actually gate the work
Temporary works has its own formal role structure in the UK, which is unusual in construction and gives the discipline clearly defined responsibilities.
| Credential | Jurisdiction | Required for | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary works coordinator (TWC) | UK | Coordinating temporary works on a site | Course + experience | The defined BS 5975 role; central to UK practice. |
| Temporary works supervisor (TWS) | UK | Supervising temporary works installation | Course | The site-level role beneath the coordinator. |
| Design check authority | US / UK | Checking temporary works designs | Role-specific | Independent checking is mandatory in temporary works. |
| Professional Engineer (PE) | United States | Stamping temporary structure designs | ~4 yrs | Required in most states for design responsibility. |
| CEng registration | UK / Commonwealth | Senior design responsibility | 4–7 yrs | Via the ICE or IStructE. |
| Permit to load authority | All | Releasing temporary works for loading | Role-specific | The practical authority that defines the role. |
| CSCS / SSSTS | UK | Site access and supervision | Days | Standard site requirements. |
| Unescorted access authorisation | United States | Site work on licensed sites | 4–10 wk | 10 CFR 73 background check. |
Requirements change with programme and site. Confirm the specific scope with the employer before assuming a credential transfers.
What appears on a 2026 nuclear temporary works engineering shortlist
Drawn from the temporary works requirement specifications TRX has worked in the last twelve months, ordered by how often each is a hard filter.
Named on the specification
- Temporary works design — Falsework, formwork, shoring and propping
- Structural analysis — Stability, loads and load paths through temporary structures
- Construction sequencing — How schemes are installed, loaded and removed
- BS 5975 or equivalent procedures — The framework governing temporary works
- Excavation support — Shoring and its interaction with ground and groundwater
- Inspection — Verifying what was installed matches what was designed
What decides between two shortlisted candidates
- Heavy lifting supports — Crane bases and support structures for very large lifts
- Demolition propping — Supporting structures as load paths are removed
- Deep excavation — High-risk shoring with groundwater and adjacent structures
- Coordinator experience — Running the whole temporary works process, not just designs
- Writing — The design, check and permit trail is the safety system
- Site credibility — Being listened to when you refuse to permit loading
The 2026 demand map
Temporary works demand tracks active construction and demolition, both of which are intense in the UK right now. Coordination roles are site-based; design can be office-based.
| Programme | Location | Phase in 2026 | Engineering demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hinkley Point C | Somerset, UK | Construction and completion | Very high; continuous falsework and support schemes |
| Sizewell C | Suffolk, UK | Early construction | Very high; deep excavation and heavy lifting supports |
| Sellafield & NDA estate | Cumbria, UK | Decommissioning | Very high; demolition propping and support |
| Tier one contractors | Global | Cross-programme | The main employer group for this role |
| Temporary works consultancies | UK & global | Cross-programme | Design and checking services across programmes |
| Formwork and falsework suppliers | Global | Cross-programme | Scheme design supporting equipment supply |
| SMR fleet (Holtec, GVH, TerraPower) | US & Canada | Early construction | Repeatable support schemes for modular build |
| GDF programme | UK | Development | Underground support long-term |
| DOE site programmes | US | Cleanup and demolition | Demolition support and propping |
| ITER / STEP | France & UK | Assembly | Heavy component support and access structures |
Programme phases move. Confirm current status before making a relocation decision; TRX tracks these weekly.
Construction and demolition both rely heavily on temporary works engineering.
Temporary works is unique in its essential role for both building and dismantling processes, driving two independent demand engines: the UK megaprojects on one side and the extensive decommissioning estate on the other. Sellafield, in particular, requires continuous demolition propping and structural support expertise, as safely dismantling contaminated nuclear facilities depends almost entirely on robust temporary support systems.
Why experienced nuclear temporary works engineers have significant leverage.
Temporary works engineering expertise is predominantly gained through hands-on experience, as the designs must anticipate real-world installation challenges and potential on-site alterations. This judgment takes years to develop. With two major nuclear megaprojects and a large-scale decommissioning programme running simultaneously, engineers who combine temporary works coordinator experience with advanced design capabilities are consistently in higher demand than the general civil engineering talent pool suggests.
Adjacent and onward roles
Temporary works sits between design and construction, drawing on both. These are the moves TRX sees most often.
Questions we get asked every week
How much does a nuclear temporary works engineer earn in 2026?
In the United States the nuclear temporary works engineer salary market ranges from about $72,000 for a graduate to $122,000 at the median, with principals earning past $190,000. In the UK, salaries run from £29,000–£36,000 for a graduate to £75,000–£98,000 for a principal temporary works engineer. Specialists in heavy lifting support and demolition propping command top pay, with contract engineers billing £620–£840 a day outside IR35 for these high-demand nuclear temporary works roles.
Do you need a licence to work as a temporary works engineer?
No formal licence exists, but the UK nuclear industry operates a defined role structure under BS 5975:2019: the temporary works coordinator and temporary works supervisor are recognised positions with significant responsibility. In the US, a Professional Engineer (PE) licence is generally required to stamp temporary structure designs within regulated nuclear projects. Independent design checking and safety compliance are mandatory in both jurisdictions.
Can you become a temporary works engineer without a nuclear background?
Yes. Temporary works engineers from infrastructure, heavy civils, and building sectors transfer directly, as falsework, shoring, and propping principles apply universally. The nuclear-specific requirements focus on rigorous documentation, high tolerance and quality standards around permanent nuclear plant works, and, on decommissioning sites, managing contamination and incomplete structural records.
Is nuclear temporary works a good career in 2026?
It remains in strong demand due to its essential role in nuclear construction and demolition. The UK hosts two major nuclear megaprojects and a large decommissioning estate simultaneously. The role carries serious safety responsibility with authority to stop work, which is demanding, and coordination roles are predominantly site-based rather than office-based.
What is the difference between a temporary works engineer and a site engineer?
A site engineer manages temporary works coordination as part of broader site delivery duties: ensuring schemes are installed as designed, inspected, and permitted before use, alongside setting out, quality control, and record keeping. A temporary works engineer designs these schemes and owns their technical adequacy, often holding the formal coordinator role under BS5975 that permits loading. Put simply, the temporary works engineer designs and authorises temporary structures, while the site engineer implements and monitors them on site. Many temporary works engineers start as site engineers, fostering strong mutual understanding.
Which temporary works skills are most in demand in 2026?
Demolition propping leads demand, given its critical role in nuclear decommissioning. Close behind are heavy lifting supports and deep excavation support. Core skills include temporary works design, structural analysis, and compliance with BS 5975:2019 procedures, all near-universal hard filters for nuclear temporary works engineer positions.
We only recruit in nuclear. That is the whole point.
TRX works across large new build, fusion, new technology development, decommissioning, radioactive waste management and nuclear medicine, in 14+ countries. Send us your CV and we will tell you honestly which construction path your experience actually fits, and what it is worth.