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Sellafield engineer named finalist for Young Woman Engineer Award

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 11:29 · Archive

Ellie Owens, a reliability engineer at Sellafield, has been named a finalist for the Institution of Engineering and Technology's Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards 2026.

Ellie Owens, a reliability engineer at Sellafield Ltd, has been named a finalist for the Institution of Engineering and Technology's (IET) Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards 2026.

Ms Owens has more than 10 years of experience in the engineering and nuclear sectors, including plant, maintenance and reliability engineering roles. She began her career as an electrical and instrumentation apprentice, which she said gave her 'a strong foundation' and shaped her development as an engineer. She has taken on increasingly complex technical challenges whilst continuing her education alongside full-time work.

She currently supports the fuel handling process at Sellafield, using reliability engineering principles to improve plant availability and lifecycle performance. Her work contributes to system health and long-term asset strategy for critical equipment. Beyond her technical role, Ms Owens is committed to widening access to engineering and advocates for women and underrepresented groups through mentoring, outreach and communications.

Ms Owens said she hoped her nomination 'helps others see a place for themselves within engineering' and demonstrates 'that there is no single route to a successful career, whether through practical experience, academic study or professional development'.

The IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards aim to address the UK's engineering skills gap by highlighting role models to inspire more girls and young women into STEM careers. According to EngineeringUK 2026, women make up just 17 per cent of the engineering and technology workforce, compared to 56 per cent in other occupations.

Sellafield engineer named finalist for Young Woman Engineer Award
Image: Westmorland Gazette

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In this story: Ellie Owens · Sellafield Ltd · Institution of Engineering and Technology · Cumbria

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