Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED

JR United Kingdom; Knowsley; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to support the Naval Reactor Plant's design, build, and test phases. The ideal candidate will have experience in nuclear engineering, with responsibilities including engineering support, resolving design challenges, and collaborating with key stakeholders like Rolls-Royce and the Ministry of Defence. This role offers competitive benefits, including a pension scheme and flexible working arrangements, within an inclusive culture valuing diversity.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Employee assistance programme

Cycle to work scheme

Employee discounts

Annual incentive eligibility

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical or Structural Engineering preferred.
• Strong understanding of mechanical systems.
• Experienced in nuclear plant environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support aligned with design intent.
• Lead assessment of design changes for structural elements.
• Represent engineering function in construction planning.

Skills

Interpreting mechanical drawings

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)

Welding engineering principles

Technical report writing

Stress and thermal analysis

Education

Degree-level qualification in Engineering

Job description

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Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED, Kirkby

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Client:

BAE Systems

Location:

Kirkby, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Views:

3

Posted:

07.07.2025

Expiry Date:

21.08.2025

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Job Description:

Job title: Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED

Location: Barrow-in-Furness. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements – please speak to your recruiter about the options for this role

What you’ll be doing:

Collaborate closely with the build organisation, providing engineering support to ensure the final product aligns with original design intent

Demonstrate a strong understanding of key requirements and critical dimensions related to major structural components

Lead the assessment and implementation of design changes impacting primary structural elements, whether driven by emergent issues, continuous improvement, or process updates

Support, or where appropriate, serve as the engineering representative within test and authorisation groups

Develop specialised knowledge of the unique build sequence of the Reactor Compartment Unit and deliver ongoing engineering support throughout construction

Represent the engineering function during the planning and execution of major construction milestones within the Reactor Compartment Unit’s scope

Investigate and present robust technical solutions to challenges encountered during the construction of the Naval Reactor Plant

Provide well-reasoned technical recommendations to key stakeholders, including Rolls-Royce and the Ministry of Defence, to support or constructively challenge existing requirements

Your skills and experiences:

Degree-level qualification in Engineering, preferably with a focus on Mechanical or Structural disciplines

Proficient in interpreting mechanical drawings, with a solid understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)

Familiarity with welding engineering principles and non-destructive examination (NDE) techniques

Strong technical report writing skills, with experience in producing clear justifications for design changes

Understanding of stress, fatigue, and thermal analysis principles in engineering applications

Awareness of nuclear radiation shielding requirements and best practices

Prior experience working within a nuclear plant environment

Knowledge of the nuclear industry, including familiarity with regulatory bodies and compliance standards

You’ll receive benefits including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave incentive and a Company contributed Share Incentive Plan. You’ll also have access to additional benefits such as flexible working, an employee assistance programme, Cycle2work and employee discounts – you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Platform Nuclear Engineering Department team:

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED, you will play a critical role in supporting the design, build, and test phases of the Naval Reactor Plant (NRP) across multiple programmes, ensuring alignments with the original design intent. This includes leading the resolution of complex technical issues encountered during construction and testing, with a focus on developing robust engineering solutions and maintaining the integrity of the supporting safety case.

You will provide expert guidance to internal teams including Engineering Delivery, Test & Commissioning, Operations, and Project Management. Additionally, you will represent the business in collaboration with key external stakeholders, including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Rolls-Royce Power, ensuring effective coordination across the wider enterprise. We offer relocation support across all Submarine roles, subject to meeting eligibility criteria

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you will be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically leave 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending in the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date: 31st July 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.