Assistant Chief Engineer

Babcock International; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence engineering firm in Plymouth seeks an Assistant Chief Engineer to oversee advanced engineering projects. You will provide technical support for submarine maintenance, ensuring design intent and functional requirements are met. Ideal candidates have a degree in engineering, experience in submarine operations, and strong communication skills. This full-time role offers a competitive salary of up to £70,000 along with a bonus and various employee benefits, including hybrid working arrangements.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Matched pension scheme

Access to a Digital GP

Employee share scheme

10 days special paid leave for reservists

Holiday Trading benefits

‘Be Kind Day’ for volunteering

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in Submarine Operations, Support or Maintenance.
• Strong awareness of Mechanical and/or Electrical Systems.
• Proven understanding of technical audits and processes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage and mitigate technical risks effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical oversight and support over the lifecycle of submarine projects.
• Interface with Design Authorities and ensure design intent is met.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and teams.
• Drive engineering improvements through participation in strategic groups.

Skills

Submarine Operations

Mechanical Systems Awareness

Electrical Systems Awareness

Stakeholder Management

Risk Management

Technical Audit Understanding

Education

Degree in Engineering or equivalent

Chartered Engineer status or nearing completion

Job description

Job Title: Assistant Chief Engineer

Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation: Up to £70,000 dependent upon experience + Bonus + Family Medical

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF70010

Shape the Future of Defence Engineering

At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as an Assistant Chief Engineer at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role

As an Assistant Chief Engineer, you’ll be at the heart of some of the most advanced engineering projects in the world. This is your chance to join a newly established team supporting Astute and Vanguard Class Royal Navy Submarines - platforms critical to national security.

Day-to-day, you’ll be responsible for providing technical oversight and support to the teams who are undertaking maintenance activities associated with the platform systems on submarines whilst undergoing maintenance in Devonport.

• Acting on behalf of the Chief Engineer to provide technical oversight and support over the lifecycle of submarine projects.
• Holding a level of technical delegation as part of a Platform Technical Authority, and interfacing with Design Authorities.
• Ensuring design intent and functional requirements are met from work package creation through execution and acceptance.
• Collaborating closely with internal stakeholders and the SDA Waterfront, Design and Project teams.
• Driving engineering improvements through participation in strategic working groups.

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides agile working arrangements.

Essential experience of the Assistant Chief Engineer

• Demonstrable experience in Submarine Operations, Support or Maintenance.
• Strong awareness of Mechanical and/or Electrical Systems
• Proven understanding of technical audits and processes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage and mitigate technical risks effectively.

Qualifications for the Assistant Chief Engineer

• Degree level education in Engineering or equivalent relevant experience.
• Chartered Engineer status or close to achieving 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 United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

What we offer

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10‑days 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
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

Babcock International

For over a century Babcock has helped to defend nations, protect communities and build a better world. To continue, we must adapt, advance and be a sustainable business with a shared goal.

We are a disability confident committed employer

If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email [e-mail] 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.

Closing date: 09/01/2026