Job Title: Principal Systems Engineer
Location: Rosyth, Fife
Compensation: £60, - £69,
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF
Lead Complex Defence Programmes – Join Us as a Principal Systems Engineer
About Us
At Babcock, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Systems Engineer at Rosyth, near Dunfermline,
The role
As a Principal Systems Engineer, you’ll have a role that’s out of the ordinary. You will lead the Systems Engineering effort across complex and critical projects within our Marine Sector Engineering business. From bid through to delivery and acceptance, you’ll define strategies, manage resources, and embed best practice across the full lifecycle
This is an opportunity to influence major defence programmes, ensuring compliance and delivering solutions that matter. You’ll join a collaborative team that values innovation and offers clear pathways for career progression.
Day-to-day, you’ll have the following responsibilities:
1. Define, plan, and establish Systems Engineering activities and artefacts tailored to project needs.
2. Manage and mentor a team of Systems Engineers, providing technical direction and coaching.
3. Engage with customers to understand operational needs and capture formal stakeholder requirements.
4. Derive and manage system and sub-system requirements, ensuring compliance and traceability throughout the lifecycle.
5. Develop and implement acceptance strategies for complex systems, ensuring effective verification and validation.
This role is full time and is a hybrid role with 2 days onsite and 3 days working from home.
Essential experience of the Principal Systems Engineer:
6. Demonstrable experience leading Systems Engineering activities on complex systems or projects.
7. Ability to define and set up SE plans, artefacts, and V&V strategies appropriate to project needs.
8. Confident team leader and communicator, with experience mentoring and developing other engineers.
9. Strong understanding of systems engineering principles.
10. Able to engage directly with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders at all levels.
Qualifications for the Principal Systems Engineer:
11. Degree qualified in a STEM discipline, or equivalent practical and professional experience.
12. Significant experience across multiple phases of the systems engineering lifecycle (e.g., concept, design, integration, acceptance.
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