Principal Naval Architect

Harlyn; Blyth; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Harlyn is seeking a Principal Naval Architect to act as the senior technical authority across a diverse portfolio of marine, offshore, and heavy engineering projects in the UK. This hands-on leadership role delivers, checks, and approves naval architecture work while providing clear technical direction to project teams and clients.

You will lead stability, motions, transport, tow, lifting, and offshore execution engineering, ensuring solutions are safe, compliant, and operable in real

Qualifications

• Degree in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• 10–15+ years’ experience delivering marine and offshore engineering projects.
• Strong hands‑on experience with OrcaFlex and ANSYS (or equivalent).
• Proven delivery of transport, lifting, towing, and offshore execution engineering.
• Experience supporting live marine and offshore operations.
• Strong knowledge of relevant standards (DNV, ISO, API, BS, EN).
• Confident communicator, able to defend engineering decisions with clients and third parties.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Act as Principal / Senior naval architecture authority across projects.
• Lead and approve stability, motions, transport, tow, lifting, and offshore execution engineering.
• Take responsibility for technical decisions on high‑risk and complex operations.
• Ensure engineering solutions are safe, compliant, and executable in real operational conditions.
• Deliver and review motions and operability analyses.
• Structural Design and Analysis
• Seafastening Design and Grillages.
• Tow, transport, and installation engineering.
• Sea fastening and load‑out design.
• Marine execution methodologies.
• Interface with vessel operators, marine warranty surveyors, and third‑party reviewers.
• Personally develop, check, and defend engineering models using OrcaFlex and ANSYS.
• Translate analysis into practical method statements, lift plans, and execution procedures.
• Support tenders, project planning, and execution with senior technical input.
• Attend project meetings, site visits, and critical offshore/onshore operations.
• Provide rapid problem‑solving support during live works.
• Mentor and technically develop engineers across the team.
• Set and uphold high standards of engineering quality and accountability.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering methods, procedures, and templates.

Skills

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Degree in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, or a closely related discipline

Tools

OrcaFlex

ANSYS

Job description

We are seeking a Principal Naval Architect to act as the senior technical authority across a diverse portfolio of marine, offshore, and heavy engineering projects.

This is a hands‑on technical leadership role. You will be responsible for delivering, checking, and approving naval architecture and marine engineering work, while providing clear technical direction to project teams and clients. The role combines deep analytical capability with real‑world operational support.

If you prefer doing the engineering, making technical decisions, and supporting live operations, this role is built for you.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Authority & Delivery

• Act as Principal / Senior naval architecture authority across projects.
• Lead and approve stability, motions, transport, tow, lifting, and offshore execution engineering.
• Take responsibility for technical decisions on high‑risk and complex operations.
• Ensure engineering solutions are safe, compliant, and executable in real operational conditions.

Marine & Offshore Engineering

Deliver and review:

• Motions and operability analyses
• Structural Design and Analysis
• Seafastening Design and Grillages
• Tow, transport, and installation engineering
• Sea fastening and load‑out design
• Marine execution methodologies
• Interface with vessel operators, marine warranty surveyors, and third‑party reviewers.

Engineering Tools & Analysis

Personally develop, check, and defend engineering models using:

• OrcaFlex (static and dynamic analysis)
• ANSYS or equivalent FEA software
• Translate analysis into practical method statements, lift plans, and execution procedures.

Project & Operational Support

• Support tenders, project planning, and execution with senior technical input.
• Attend project meetings, site visits, and critical offshore/onshore operations.
• Provide rapid problem‑solving support during live works.

Leadership & Mentoring

• Mentor and technically develop engineers across the team.
• Set and uphold high standards of engineering quality and accountability.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering methods, procedures, and templates.

What Success Looks Like

• Naval architecture outputs are robust, defensible, and operationally sound.
• Technical risk is identified early and controlled effectively.
• Project teams trust engineering decisions and direction.
• Clients view the organisation as technically credible and dependable.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Degree in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• 10–15+ years’ experience delivering marine and offshore engineering projects.
• Strong hands‑on experience with OrcaFlex and ANSYS (or equivalent).
• Proven delivery of transport, lifting, towing, and offshore execution engineering.
• Experience supporting live marine and offshore operations.
• Strong knowledge of relevant standards (DNV, ISO, API, BS, EN).
• Confident communicator, able to defend engineering decisions with clients and third parties.
• Full UK driving licence.

Desirable

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working toward chartership.
• Experience with offshore cables, heavy lift, marine warranty, or dynamic operations.
• Previous role as technical authority or engineering signatory.