Principal Naval Architect
Location: Devonport, Plymouth, GB, PL1 4SG
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF74161
Lead the future of naval engineering and marine innovation
At Babcock we're working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Naval Architect at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.
The role
As a Principal Naval Architect, you'll take a pivotal leadership role in shaping the performance, capability and future of marine assets that support the Royal Navy. Working within a highly skilled engineering environment, you will lead the delivery of technical solutions that keep vital defence infrastructure operating safely and effectively.
Day-to-day, you'll have an exciting opportunity to influence both current operations and future design, balancing hands‑on engineering expertise with strategic leadership. You will contribute to the development of new marine assets while ensuring existing systems perform at their best, directly supporting national defence capability and critical maritime operations.
Leading and developing a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians
Delivering technical support to marine operational assets, ensuring performance, safety and reliability
Providing design input and technical direction for new and existing marine systems
Managing resources and planning engineering capability across operational and project activities
Ensuring compliance with engineering standards, regulatory requirements and safety frameworks
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with a minimum of 3 days in the office/onsite.
Essential experience of the Principal Naval Architect
Experience maintaining and supporting complex marine or naval assets
Proven ability to lead technical teams and deliver engineering outputs
Strong experience in a highly regulated industry such as defence, maritime or infrastructure
Experience managing resources and building long-term engineering capability
Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills
Qualifications for the Principal Naval Architect
Degree in Naval Architecture or Marine or Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline - Essential
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be 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 United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
What we offer
Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
Employee shopping savings portal
Payment of Professional Fees
Reservists in the armed forces receive 10‑day special paid leave
Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This window opens February through to March annually.
Be Kind Day enables employees to take one working day’s paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
EEO and Disability Statement
We're a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email careers@babcockinternational.com with the subject header 'Reasonable adjustments requirement'. We're committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone's free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.
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