- Darren Hockaday has over 30 years of experience in technical fields including welding, chemistry, and plant inspection and assessment at nuclear facilities. - He has worked at Sellafield Ltd for over 13 years in roles such as chemical analyst, research technologist, and currently as a technical advisor providing support to plant operations. - As a technical advisor, he manages inspection teams, carries out investigations, authors safety documents, and acts as a liaison between engineering and operations.

1. Technical Knowledge & Career History
• Time served coded welder to Rolls Royce/Lloyds/Ministry of Defence standards.
V.S.E.L, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria
• Graduate of Chemistry (University of Leeds 1998)
• Analytical Chemist B.N.F.L /Sellafield Ltd. (8 years)
• Research Technologist Sellafield, Cumbria (Plant inspection and Assessments) 2008-
Present
• Technical Advisor (Plant Support)- Sellafield Ltd
Delivery for Customers
• Carried out and supervised a large portfolio of work scopes within THORP operations
support team (Effluents/Reagents and Utilities).
1
Mr Darren Roy Hockaday
Technical Advisor
(THORP Operations-Sellafield)
Profile
I am a graduate chemist with an engineering background, having served an apprenticeship
within the shipbuilding industry, prior to returning to full-time education. I am currently
working for Sellafield Ltd. within the Operations Support team as a Technical Advisor to the
THORP re-processing plant. This requires my involvement with a large portfolio of work
scopes, which include carrying out/organising plant inspections and investigations on a range
of both active and non-active nuclear plant within THORP. I have also lead and co-ordinated
key plant inspection outage tasks which have involved external contractors carrying out both
visual and NDT inspections across THORP plant. My time spent within TOS so far, has provided
me with the opportunity to gain a good appreciation of asset care/management principles, and
it has also given me many opportunities to be involved with issues around both active and
non-active plant operations.
Prior to my current role, I worked for the National Nuclear Laboratory as a plant inspector for
5 years, which also enhanced my knowledge of site operations, whilst providing me with
technical report writing/presenting experience. I gained my PCN Ultrasonic weld inspection
qualification, and was involved with carrying out a broad range of site wide plant inspections
CCTV/NDT (ultrasonic). I also undertook lab based projects as required, as part of my role
within NNL.
My current role has given me experience of plant safety case requirements, through
authoring and presentation of Plant Modification Proposals to appropriate technical
committees, carrying out investigations (BCI’s) related to plant issues e.g effluent
streams/plant ops. I have also produced inspection scope documents, enabling structured
assessment of THORP effluent processing plants by external and internal organisations.
The role has required me to design and develop engineered systems via the production of
approved drawings, which have enabled inspection of plant and those associated safety
features/mechanisms and safety related devices, via intrusive CCTV inspection. I have also set
up an in-house editing facility which provides the capability to do much of this inspection work,
with results being available on a fast turnaround basis, without the need for external
contractor involvement. As a result, efficiency savings have been made. My current role also
requires close liaison with plant system engineers, manufacturing managers and technical
departments and effluent teams within liquid effluent receiver plants. My role as nominated
Liquid Effluent Controller, requires me to carry out effluent related investigations/monitoring
and Trending of discharges, in order to maintain operations within the safe operational
envelope, and in line with the current plant safety case.

2. • Managed a number of lab/site based projects for a range of on-site customers, and
delivered to time, quality and cost as required.
• Involved in the development and utilisation of novel CCTV camera deployment
systems and inspection techniques, for carrying out in-cell inspections of active
Nuclear/Chemical plant.
Safety & Quality vocational courses studied during past four years
• Successfully completed the externally accredited Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health (IOSH) training in Working Safely (1 day) and also Managing Safely (4 day)
courses.
• Advanced Glovebox operations courses
• Competent supervisor
• Perception of risk courses
• Behavioural Safety awareness courses
• Human Performance tools
Career History
• Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, Barrow-in-Furness 1987-1992
Apprentice Welder/Pipewelder-Involved in the coded welding of installed pipe
systems, during construction of Vanguard class Trident submarines.
Short term contract work during College/University Vacations 1992-1998
Glaxo Pharmaceuticals-Ulverston, Cumbria
Harland and Wolff Shipbuilding, Belfast, N.Ireland
Process Pipework Services, Ulverston, Cumbria
DHD, Wrexham
NNC, Warrington
Employed on a number of engineering contracts which involved the coded
T.I.G/M.M.A welding of pipework and other fabrication projects
• Robert McBride, Barrow-in-Furness 1999-2000
Method Development Chemist-Involved in the development of analytical methods for
the determination of a range of chemical compounds in detergent products.
• British Nuclear Fuels/Sellafield Ltd. 2000-2008
Chemical Analyst (Deputy Team Leader) -Involved in the day to day running of a
number of busy labs, carrying out a range of analytical chemistry techniques, in
support of Nuclear Reprocessing operations.
• National Nuclear Laboratory (Sellafield) 2008-2013
Research Technologist (Plant Inspector/Assessor) – Involved in the inspection and
assessment, of a range of operational Chemical/Nuclear plant.
 Carrying out Sellafield site plant inspections, in order to determine remnant
life and suitability for continued service, as required by relevant regulatory
bodies.
 Assembly and control of remote CCTV equipment in order to carry out in-cell
inspections of active plant.
2

3.  Application of ultrasonic NDT techniques, in order to determine remnant
thicknesses of pipework and vessels associated with chemical plants.
 Writing and presentation of written reports, which detail the findings of
assessments carried out.
 Involved in the development and utilisation, of a range of novel camera
deployment systems.
3

4. • Sellafield Ltd 2013-Present
Technical Advisor- Plant operations support (POW)
Involved with operating a small inspection team, providing support to plant outage tasks
and also active plant inspection tasks, whilst also holding the nominated roles detailed
below, which can involve carrying out plant investigations (BCI’s), plant modification
proposals, liquid effluent transfer discharge applications, etc.
 Nominated Competent Supervisor.
 Hot working/Air fed suits and enclosed Suit trained.
 Trained in glovebox and fumehood operations.
 Nominated COSHH advisor
 Nominated Person Organising Work (POW)
 Nominated Plant Modification Proposal (PMP) project manager
 Nominated Liquid effluent co-ordinator- THORP Effluents
Qualifications
Qualifications gained during apprenticeship at V.S.E.L
• Engineering competences (City and Guilds) - 1988 - 89
• Fabrication and Welding Engineering (City and Guilds) - June 1990
• Welding Engineering Craft Studies (City and Guilds) - June 1991
• NVQ Level III Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering - April 1991
• Certificate in Fabrication and Welding Quality Control and Inspection (Welding
institute Licentiateship) - June 1992
Qualifications gained on return to full-time education
• G.C.S.E’s - Chemistry(B), Physics(A), Maths(B), English(B),
• Tech Drawing(B) - June 1993
• A’ Levels – Chemistry(C), Physics(B) and Maths(B) - 1993 - 95
University Education
• BSc (Hons) – Chemistry - 1995 - 98
Qualifications gained post University
• Computer Aided Design (Autocad R14)- Level 2 - June 2000
• PCN Level 1 - Ultrasonic Weld Inspection – Welds 3.1 (Angled Beam) - Oct 2009
• PCN Level 2 - Ultrasonic Inspection – Plate tester (Normal beam) - Sept 2010
4

5. Hobbies and interests
Outdoor pursuits-including skiing, Boarding, walking and mountain biking. Scouting
occasional helper volunteer (Ulverston division)
Contact Information
Tel - 019467 74601
Email – Darren.r.hockaday@sellafieldsites.com
5

6. Hobbies and interests
Outdoor pursuits-including skiing, Boarding, walking and mountain biking. Scouting
occasional helper volunteer (Ulverston division)
Contact Information
Tel - 019467 74601
Email – Darren.r.hockaday@sellafieldsites.com
5