Principal Naval Architect

weServed; Helensburgh; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Pension scheme with life assurance

Digital GP and health checks

Employee share scheme

Payment of Professional Fees

Volunteer leave and Be Kind Day

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Babcock is seeking a Principal Naval Architect to join the HMNB Clyde Faslane site in Helensburgh. You will influence high‑impact submarine engineering decisions and ensure safety, availability and integrity of Royal Navy submarines.

Day-to-day, you will provide technical oversight, manage design intent through testing and acceptance, and collaborate with internal teams and external authorities to uphold standards and drive continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in marine structures, naval architecture engineering or marine surveying, including exposure to classification requirements.
• Strong understanding of marine structural principles and surveying practices.
• Hands-on experience conducting technical audits and navigating associated processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical oversight, acting on behalf of the Principal Naval Architect during deep maintenance periods.
• Deliver engineering guidance and ensure design intent is maintained from work package creation through to testing and acceptance.
• Interface with internal project teams and external Design Authorities to ensure performance, safety and quality standards are achieved.
• Lead technical investigations, audits and structured reviews across submarine platform systems.
• Contribute to engineering change processes, working groups and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Marine structures

Naval architecture

Technical audits

Stakeholder engagement

Risk mitigation

Education

Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer status

Job description

Job Title: Principal Naval Architect

Location: Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute

Compensation: Competitive + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF71045

Help Shape the Future of Submarine Engineering

At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as an Principal Naval Architecteat our HMNB Clyde Faslane site.

The role

As an Principal Naval Architect, you’ll have a rare opportunity to influence high‑impact engineering decisions while developing your career in one of the most complex and rewarding environments in defence, aerospace and engineering.

Day-to-day, you’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety, availability, and technical integrity of some of the world’s most advanced Royal Navy submarines.

• Provide technical oversight, acting on behalf of the Principal Naval Architect during deep maintenance periods.
• Deliver engineering guidance and ensure design intent is maintained from work package creation through to testing and acceptance.
• Interface with internal project teams and external Design Authorities to ensure performance, safety and quality standards are achieved.
• Lead technical investigations, audits and structured reviews across submarine platform systems.
• Contribute to engineering change processes, working groups and continuous improvement initiatives.

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at HMNB Clyde Faslane. The successful candidate will be flexible to work onsite in line with business requirements, ranging from a minimum of three days per week up to full‑time onsite attendance.

Essential experience of the Principal Naval Architect

• Proven experience in marine structures, naval architecture engineering or marine surveying, including exposure to classification requirements.
• Strong understanding of marine structural principles and surveying practices.
• Hands‑on experience conducting technical audits and navigating associated processes.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capability in identifying, managing and prioritising technical risks and developing mitigation strategies.

Qualifications for the Principal Naval Architect

• Degree‑level education in Engineering or equivalent relevant experience.
• Currently holds or is willing to work towards Chartered Engineer status as part of continuous professional development.

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 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: 27/08/2026

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