CNC Machinist

Nuclearinst; West Devon; On-site; GBP 36,951 - 52,918; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Golden Hello Up to £5,000 and Reloc. A

Matched contribution pension with life

Digital GP & health checks

Employee shopping portal

Professional fees paid

Reservists paid leave

Job summary

Babcock is seeking a skilled CNC Machinist to join the Devonport Royal Dockyard team in Plymouth. You will program, set and operate multi‑axis turning centres to produce precision components to exacting tolerances, interpreting complex drawings to ensure first‑time quality.

This full‑time role offers a competitive salary (£36,951) with benefits and an OTE of £52,918, plus relocation support and a range of employee perks.

Qualifications

• Experience programming and operating CNC multi‑axis turning centres.
• Ability to read and interpret detailed engineering drawings.
• Proven experience working to fine tolerances using precision measurement tools.

Responsibilities

• Programming, setting and operating CNC multi‑axis turning centres to manufacture precision components.
• Interpreting engineering drawings and translating specifications into CNC programs.
• Producing components to fine imperial and metric tolerances using appropriate measuring equipment.
• Inspecting finished parts to ensure quality, accuracy and compliance with standards.
• Working safely and collaboratively within a controlled engineering and manufacturing environment.

Skills

CNC programming

CNC turning

Engineering drawings

Precision measuring

Siemens/Mazak controls

Education

Level 3 apprenticeship

Job description

Job Title: CNC Machinist

Location: Plymouth, Devon

Compensation: £36,951 + Benefits - Gross OTE £52,918 + Golden Hello

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

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 CNC Machinist at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role

As a CNC Machinist, be at the heart of manufacturing bespoke, high‑integrity components for critical defence programmes. This is hands‑on, high‑precision work, producing parts to exacting standards where accuracy and attention to detail are essential.

Day‑to‑day, you’ll take engineering drawings from concept to completion, programming, setting and operating multi‑axis CNC turning centres to manufacture components that must perform first time, every time. It’s an exciting opportunity to apply your machining expertise in a specialist environment, develop your technical capability, and build a long‑term career within a world‑class engineering organisation.

• Programming, setting and operating CNC multi‑axis turning centres to manufacture precision components
• Interpreting engineering drawings and translating specifications into CNC programs
• Producing components to fine imperial and metric tolerances using appropriate measuring equipment
• Inspecting finished parts to ensure quality, accuracy and compliance with standards
• Working safely and collaboratively within a controlled engineering and manufacturing environment

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at Devonport Royal Dockyard.

Essential experience of the CNC Machinist

• Experience programming and operating CNC multi‑axis turning centres
• Ability to read and interpret detailed engineering drawings
• Proven experience working to fine tolerances using precision measurement tools
• Background in a manufacturing or engineering environment
• Experience with Siemens and/or Mazak controls is advantageous

Qualifications for the CNC Machinist

• Level 3 apprenticeship, or equivalent qualification, in an engineering or manufacturing discipline

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

• Generous holiday allowance
• Golden Hello Up to £5,000 and Relocation Allowance
• 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‑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

Babcock

We’re Babcock — a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 26,000 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. 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: 26/05/2026