Principal Naval Architect

Babcock International; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in Plymouth is seeking a Principal Naval Architect to lead the development of technical solutions in a prestigious shipbuilding program. This hybrid role requires proven naval/marine industry experience, proficiency in design packages, and a degree qualification. The successful candidate will lead design teams, support team development, and produce technical reports. Excellent benefits include a generous holiday allowance and a matched pension scheme.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension scheme

Access to Digital GP

Employee share scheme

Payment of Professional Fees

Excellent development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience in the naval/marine industry.
• Proficiency in naval architecture design packages.
• Experience with naval platforms is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead design teams throughout the design lifecycle.
• Support and develop team members.
• Develop innovative design solutions.
• Produce technical reports and maintain standards.
• Collaborate across projects for career development.

Skills

Experience in naval/marine industry

Proficiency in naval architecture design packages

Experience with naval platforms

Education

Degree qualification in relevant field

Membership of relevant institution

Chartered Engineer status

Tools

Paramarine

Maxsurf

Aveva

Job description

Job Title: Principal Naval Architect

Location: Devonport, Plymouth

Compensation: £59,110 - £72,337

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF69804

Lead the Future of Naval Design

The role

As a Principal Naval Architect, you’ll have a role that’s out of the ordinary. This is a highly prestigious position within our complex shipbuilding programme, where you’ll lead the development of technical solutions across outfitting — from concept design studies and new build bid submissions to final vessel acceptance. Your work will shape the future of naval engineering, support national security, and open doors for your own career growth.

Day-to-day, you’ll have the following responsibilities:

• Lead design teams throughout the design lifecycle to ensure coordination and functionality.
• Support and develop team members to enhance performance and career progression.
• Develop innovative design solutions and produce substantiation reports for tasks such as stability assessments and concept designs.
• Produce technical reports and maintain high standards of engineering outputs.
• Collaborate across projects within the wider engineering capability group for long-term career development.

This role is full time and is a hybrid role with 2 days onsite and 3 days working from home.

Essential experience of the Principal Naval Architect:

• Proven experience in the naval/marine industry.
• Proficiency in naval architecture design packages (e.g., Paramarine, Maxsurf, Aveva).
• Experience with naval platforms (surface ships and submarines advantageous).

Qualifications for the Principal Naval Architect:

• Degree-qualified (HND/HNC with extensive relevant experience considered).
• Membership of a relevant institution (e.g., RINA, IET, IMechE, IMarEst).
• Chartered Engineer status.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be 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. This Window opens February through to March annually.
• ‘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 International

For over a century Babcock has helped to defend nations, protect communities and build a better world. To continue, we must adapt, advance and be a sustainable business with a shared goal.

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: 09/12/2025

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