Job Title: Harbour Master
Location: Dunfermline, Fife
Compensation: Competitive + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF
Lead marine operations at one of the UK’s most strategically important ports
At Babcock, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Harbour Master at Rosyth, near Dunfermline, Fife..
The role
As a Harbour Master, you’ll take on a high‑impact leadership role at Port Babcock Rosyth, a critical hub for commercial marine activity, defence programmes, ship repair, and major infrastructure projects. You’ll be responsible for the safe, efficient, and compliant management of all marine operations within the port’s jurisdiction — ensuring vessels, people, and infrastructure operate smoothly and securely.
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a statutory harbour authority while working at the forefront of UK maritime operations. You’ll apply your specialist knowledge, collaborate with diverse stakeholders, and lead a skilled marine operations team. Your decisions will directly support national security, protect marine environments, and reinforce the UK’s defence and engineering capability. It’s a role that not only strengthens your technical and leadership experience but contributes to a safer world.
Day-to-day, you’ll have the following responsibilities:
1. Serve as the statutory Harbour Master, ensuring full compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code
2. Manage day‑to‑day marine operations, including safe vessel movements, berthing, and port access
3. Maintain comprehensive oversight of marine assets including locking systems, caissons, dock gates, and fendering
4. Act as the primary liaison with regulatory bodies, emergency services, and defence partners
5. Lead, mentor, and develop the marine operations team, including Deputy Harbour Master, Dock Masters, and port control personnel.
This is a full‑time permanent role, working 37 hours per week and based fully on site at Rosyth.
Essential experience of the Harbour Master:
6. Significant experience in port operations, vessel command, or marine management
7. Strong understanding of port engineering systems such as caissons, penstocks, and water control systems
8. Experience managing marine infrastructure assets and supporting maintenance programmes
9. Proven leadership within a safety‑critical environment
10. Excellent communication, decision‑making, and stakeholder management skills.
Qualifications for the Harbour Master:
11. Master Mariner (STCW II/2) or equivalent military maritime qualification
12. UK Harbour Masters’ Certificate of Competence or International Harbour Masters’ Diploma (or willingness to work toward this)
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be a sole UK National who is able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.
Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at Babcock
We’re Babcock — a global FTSE organisation with over 26, people working together to make a difference.
Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts — not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.
We call that lifetime engineering.
Join us and see how far we can go, together.
We are a disability confident committed employer.