Principal Maritime Structural Engineer

QinetiQ Group plc; Forton; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence technology firm in Forton is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead engineering teams for a high-profile maritime project. You'll leverage Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to ensure project success within scope and budget. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in structural design, be proficient in FEA and CAD software, and hold a BEng/MEng in Mechanical Engineering. This position offers competitive benefits including a matched contribution pension scheme and generous holiday allowances.

Benefits

Matched contribution pension scheme

Generous holiday allowance

Private Medical Insurance options

Employee discount portal

Qualifications

• Significant previous experience of leading multidisciplinary project teams.
• Substantial experience of structural design to recognised codes.
• Must be eligible for SC clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate engineering activities to deliver projects effectively.
• Promote cross‑functional collaboration and compliance.
• Engage with partners and stakeholders to develop technical approaches.

Skills

Leading multidisciplinary project teams

Finite Element Analysis

Understanding structural design codes

Proficient in CAD software

Education

BEng / MEng in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Abaqus

Job description

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you'll be responsible for delivering work streams whilst guiding a mixed discipline engineering team. Ultimately enabling the engineering delivery of a large multi‑year high‑profile maritime project within the Maritime defence sector. Day‑to‑day, you will use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to model and assess the structural response of submarine propulsors under quasi‑static and dynamic conditions. Responsibilities include developing and reviewing FEA models, technical reports, and design documentation, as well as approving work packages and drawings.

Responsibilities

• Delivery. Lead and coordinate engineering activities to deliver projects effectively. Apply technical expertise and sound judgement to solve problems, plan tasks, and manage delivery within scope, time, and budget.
• Resilience. Share expertise and mentor others to build capability across engineering teams.
• Internal Collaboration. Promote cross‑functional collaboration and ensure compliance with relevant processes and standards.
• External Collaboration. Engage with partners and stakeholders to develop joint technical approaches and support business development. Represent the team in external forums and customer meetings.
• Safety. Ensure projects/programmes you are responsible for are conducted in a safe manner, highlighting hazards and potentially unsafe practices and providing potential options to reduce the risk so that it is as low as responsibly practicable.
• Governance. Ensure that governance is applied consistently across the technical programmes where you are involved. Act as a peer or independent reviewer for other projects or programmes of work where suitable.

Qualifications

• Significant previous experience of leading multidisciplinary project teams.
• Excellent understanding in engineering.
• Substantial experience of structural design to recognised codes of practice either Maritime or Civil.
• Experience of Finite Element Analysis of structures and systems.
• Proficient in FEA software (ideally Abaqus).
• Proficient in CAD software.
• Essential qualification: BEng / MEng in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent industry experience.
• Must be eligible for SC clearance.

Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we're not just imagining tomorrow – we are creating it. From cutting‑edge defence technology to ground‑breaking innovations our mission is to empower and protect lives. Join us as a Principal Maritime Structural Engineer at our Gosport site, where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting‑edge technology in partnership with some of the most brilliant minds. Our facilities at the Haslar Marine Technology Park are state‑of‑the‑art, including an ocean basin rotating arm and a marine towing tank, offering an unparalleled environment for testing and refining designs. Our marine technology offers our global customers a service to deliver constrained hydrodynamic model tests of surface ships, submarines, offshore structures, and renewable energy devices.

Benefits

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance.
• Generous holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days.
• Options to join Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance.
• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more.
• We proudly support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant and maintaining our Gold Award standard in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
• Volunteering opportunities – helping charities and local community.

Recruitment Process

We want to make sure that our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible and we aspire to bring out the best in our candidates by creating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard and supported. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your Recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments. Many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting; applicants who already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment. A number of roles are also subject to additional restrictions, which means factors such as nationality or previous nationalities may affect the roles that you can be employed in.

Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.