Principal Combat Systems and Electrical Engineer

Babcock International; West Devon; Hybrid; GBP 64,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Pension with life assurance

Digital GP and health checks

Job summary

Babcock International is seeking a Principal Combat Systems and Electrical Engineer for its Devonport Royal Dockyard site with hybrid working. You will lead a skilled team, maintain design intent, and improve in-service support for complex warship systems.

You will coordinate with MoD authorities and delivery partners to deliver robust engineering solutions, ensuring asset availability and performance while pursuing your professional development in a world‑class environment.

Qualifications

• Technical knowledge and practical experience of marine combat systems and electrical systems.
• Experience managing MoD assets and supporting their lifecycle.
• Ability to solve complex engineering problems with practical solutions.
• Strong technical writing skills for engineering documentation.
• Experience collaborating with complex stakeholder environments and driving activities to completion.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and guidance on combat systems and electrical engineering.
• Lead the Combat Systems and Electrical Engineering team to drive excellence and continuous improvement.
• Develop robust, cost‑effective engineering solutions to optimise asset availability and maintenance outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with current and future legislation governing combat systems and electrical design and operation.
• Support technical authorities in informed decision making while reducing risk and rework.

Skills

Marine combat systems

Electrical systems

Technical leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

Engineering Degree / HNC

Chartered Engineer status / in progress

Job description

Job Title: Principal Combat Systems and Electrical Engineer

Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation: Up to £71,600 Depending on Experience + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF77102

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 Combat Systems and Electrical Engineer at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role

As a Principal Combat Systems and Electrical Engineer, you’ll provide technical leadership and specialist engineering expertise across complex warship support activities. Working within Warship Support, you’ll help maintain design intent, improve in-service support solutions and ensure combat systems and electrical engineering activities continue to meet operational requirements.

Day-to-day, you’ll have the opportunity to work with a diverse network of stakeholders, influence strategic engineering decisions and lead a skilled team of engineers. Your expertise will contribute directly to the availability, reliability and performance of critical naval assets while supporting your own professional development within a world-class engineering environment.

• Providing technical advice and guidance to Ministry of Defence authorities and delivery partners.
• Leading the Combat Systems and Electrical Engineering team, supporting technical excellence and continuous improvement.
• Developing robust and cost-effective engineering solutions that optimise asset availability and maintenance outcomes.
• Ensuring compliance with current and future legislation governing combat systems and electrical design and operation.
• Supporting technical authorities to make informed engineering decisions while reducing risk and rework.

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with a minimum of 2 days in the office/onsite.

Essential experience of the Principal Combat Systems and Electrical Engineer

• Technical knowledge and practical experience of marine combat systems and electrical systems.
• Experience supporting and managing complex Ministry of Defence assets throughout their operational lifecycle.
• Proven ability to solve complex engineering problems and provide practical, effective solutions.
• Strong technical writing skills, including the production of clear and accurate engineering documentation.
• Experience working collaboratively within complex stakeholder environments and driving activities through to completion.

Qualifications for the Principal Combat Systems and Electrical Engineer

• Relevant Engineering Degree, Higher National Certificate, or equivalent qualification and experience.
• Chartered Engineer status or actively working towards Chartered Engineer registration with an appropriate UK Engineering Institution.

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. There is an annual Window to request this benefit. 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

We’re Babcock - a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 29,000 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: 19/11/2026