Principal Systems Engineer

Babcock International; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading company in the nuclear industry as a Principal Systems Engineer. You will oversee systems engineering strategy for a major UK defence programme, providing technical leadership and managing engineering delivery. This role offers hybrid working and excellent development opportunities.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension scheme

Access to a Digital GP

Employee share scheme

Holiday Trading benefit

'Be Kind Day' for volunteering

Excellent development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in safety-critical or regulated environments (e.g. defence, nuclear).
• Ability to lead capability development and mentor teams.
• Strong background in complex programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering across multiple project streams.
• Own key functional strategies and plans.
• Mentor CNL systems engineers and develop team capability.

Skills

Leadership of systems engineering

Requirements management

V&V

Systems architecting

Model-based systems engineering (MBSE)

Education

Degree in a relevant engineering discipline

Job description

Job Title: Principal Systems Engineer
Location: Bristol, Warrington, Newbury or Leicester - Hybrid Working Arrangement
Compensation: Competitive + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF65258

At Cavendish Nuclear we're working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Systems Engineer at our one of our Cavendish Nuclear Hubs.

The role

As a Principal Systems Engineer, you'll have a role that's out of the ordinary. This is a senior position within the PP&E Programme supporting a major UK defence programme. You'll provide functional and technical leadership across the full systems engineering lifecycle and act as the conduit between delivery teams, strategic partners, and internal capability development.

Day-to-day, you'll lead systems engineering strategy and functional excellence, overseeing delivery across requirements management, integrated test and evaluation, model-based systems engineering, and system architecting.

• Lead systems engineering across multiple project streams and serve as Senior Engineering Manager equivalent
• Own and maintain key functional strategies, plans and procedures, including the PP&E Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP)
• Support and mentor CNL systems engineers, demonstrating best practice and developing team capability
• Provide line management to CNL staff within the SE function
• Lead the development of organisational design for SE delivery within the PP&E Programme
• Oversee technical SQEP assessments for incoming SE candidates and liaise with resourcing functions
• Represent the SE function at key forums including Technical Boards, Engineering Reviews and the Integro Technical Oversight Team

This role is full time, 37 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements at one of our Cavendish Nuclear Hubs.

Essential experience of the Principal Systems Engineer

• Leadership of systems engineering delivery across multi-package, complex programmes
• Strong background in safety-critical or regulated environments (e.g. defence, nuclear)
• Experienced in requirements management, V&V, systems architecting, and MBSE
• Ability to lead capability development, mentor teams and coordinate technical delivery

Qualifications for the Principal Systems Engineer

• A degree in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent experience

Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) security clearance for this role. 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 the majority of employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement
• '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

Cavendish Nuclear
As a leader within the UK nuclear industry, Cavendish Nuclear, part of Babcock International Group, provides a comprehensive range of critical nuclear solutions in clean energy, defence and civil new build and decommissioning projects. Together, we're innovating to make nuclear safer, faster and cost-effective across the nuclear energy life cycle. Your career with us could take you anywhere within Babcock International Group - from Canada, the USA to Japan. Work with us to create a safe and secure world, 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: 04/08/2025