Project Acceptance Engineer

Royal Navy; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days' annual leave +1 day to 30

8 bank holidays

Day off for King's birthday

Pension 28.97%

Annual bonus & recognition

Training & funded qualifications

Career progression

Discounts

Volunteering days

Enhanced parental leave

Job summary

Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) is delivering and sustaining capabilities for the UK’s Armed Forces through the Type 26 programme and broader naval shipbuilding activity. This role focuses on on-site technical oversight of ship construction, survivability, and signature features, working with MOD and industry partners to ensure quality and contractual compliance.

You will participate in sea trials and contribute to testing, with opportunities to develop leadership experience within a flagship

Qualifications

• Essential engineering knowledge in maritime contexts.
• Experience providing technical advice and delivery of engineering outcomes.
• Professional registration or academic qualifications in STEM.
• Ability to operate in a shipyard environment and manage complex technical requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide on-site professional engineering oversight of ship construction and trials to ensure contractual, technical and quality standards are met.
• Conduct on-site build assurance and inspections, identifying defects and supporting timely resolution with shipbuilder and MOD team.
• Use engineering judgement to support decisions, escalate issues, and help manage delivery risk while contributing to testing and acceptance activities.
• Collaborate with industry partners and MOD stakeholders to maintain effective communication and drive continuous improvement.
• Promote safe, compliant working practices in shipyard and trials environments, addressing safety and indemnity risks.

Job description

Job Description

Organisation: Defence Equipment & Support

Salary: £37,600 (plus generous benefits)

Grade: Senior Technical Specialist I

Working Pattern: Full time, Job Share, Flexible Working

Contract Type: Permanent

Job Summary

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe - for today, and tomorrow.

DE&S has recently been integrated into the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group. The NAD Group brings together key Ministry of Defence (MOD) organisations to unite expertise across science, technology, procurement, infrastructure, and support to provide integrated capabilities faster and more efficiently for our armed forces and our allies. This is an exciting new opportunity to enable better ways of working and empower greater collaboration across Defence. For further information about the NAD Group, please visit: National Armaments Director Group - GOV.UK.

We offer 25+ days' holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of 28.97%, to help make work work for you.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you've been recruited for. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you've been recruited for. If it isn't obtained, or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn't obtained within 12 months.

Job description

If you have a background in mechanical engineering or naval architecture, this is your opportunity to join a flagship defence programme and be at the forefront of delivering the backbone of the Royal Navy's future frontline surface fleet.

As a Naval Overseer working alongside industry partners in a dynamic shipyard environment, you will provide on-site technical oversight of ship construction focusing on survivability and signature features, including acoustic, radar, and infrared. Drawing on your engineering expertise, you will ensure that critical survivability and signature design specifications are fully incorporated into construction, providing assurance that quality standards, technical specifications, and contractual obligations are met throughout delivery. Using your technical expertise and professional judgement, you will identify and resolve issues at the earliest opportunity, support timely decision‑making, and help mitigate programme, performance and delivery risks while contributing to testing and acceptance activities. The role offers the opportunity to participate in sea trials, spending time at sea and seeing first‑hand how your work contributes to operational capability.

The Type 26 frigate is a strategically important acquisition programme, contributing to the UK's defence prosperity agenda and strengthening international collaboration. This role offers exceptional development opportunities and hands‑on experience, and will expand your engineering knowledge and skills, build relationships to engage effectively with colleagues and stakeholders across Government and industry, and foster leadership experience.

If you're curious, hands‑on and enjoy finding solutions to technical engineering challenges, this is an outstanding opportunity to make a tangible contribution to the future effectiveness of the Royal Navy and be part of a programme that will leave a lasting legacy for UK Defence.

Working environment

This role is based within operational shipbuilding facilities and requires regular attendance aboard vessels under construction and trials. Successful candidates must be able to safely access all areas of a ship, including climbing ladders, negotiating narrow access routes, entering confined spaces, and working around scaffolding and temporary structures. Whilst the role is not primarily physically demanding, it requires a suitable level of mobility, agility, and resilience to safely undertake inspection, assurance, and oversight activities within an industrial maritime environment.

This is an on-site position based at the BAE Systems facility on South Street, Scotstoun, Glasgow, G14. The role offers a compressed working pattern of 8-hour days Monday to Thursday and a shortened day on Friday (37 hours/week), and there will be opportunities to support occasional night and weekend working.

What you'll be doing

• Provide professional engineering oversight of ship construction and trials, acting as a MOD/ National Armaments Director Group representative in the shipyard and helping to ensure ships are delivered to the required contractual, technical, and quality standards.
• Undertake on-site ship build assurance and inspection activity, identifying and recording defects, quality shortfalls, and emerging issues early, and supporting timely resolution with the shipbuilder and MOD project team.
• Use engineering judgement to support local decision‑making, provide clear recommendations, and escalate issues where required to help maintain delivery tempo while managing risk appropriately.
• Support acceptance and assurance activities, including attendance at key inspections, tests, trials, and readiness events, and contribute to the evidence needed to demonstrate compliance with agreed requirements.
• Work collaboratively with industry partners, ship's staff and MOD stakeholders to maintain effective communication, understand delivery risks, and support continuous improvement and lessons from experience.
• Promote safe, compliant, and professional working in shipyard and trials environments, supporting the management of safety, environmental and indemnity risks within the scope of the role.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Have technical engineering experience in in a variety of maritime contexts (Lead Criterion).
• Have experience of providing technical advice and delivery of successful engineering or science outcomes.
• As a minimum hold:
• A Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics based qualification at RQF Level 6; or
• A Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics based qualification at RQF Level 4 and current professional registration with a body/institution related to your discipline at the level listed below; or
• A Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics based qualification at RQF Level 3, plus a minimum of 3 further years of relevant professional experience, or
• With a Professional body/institution related to your discipline, hold current professional registration at the level listed below, plus a minimum of 3 further years of relevant professional experience.
• Professional Registration List minimum level held Engineering Technician (EngTech), or Marine Engineering Technician (MarEngTech), or Marine Technician (MarTech).

Professionally Technical, etc The Professional Engineering Institution Equivalences for a list of approved equivalent professional registration as per the requirements listed above.

Note: Alternatives to RQF listed above (which cover England, Wales, and Northern Ireland only), are the Scottish SCQF; or an international equivalent qualification, which must be supported by a statement of comparability from UK ENIC.

Applicants should also consider their ability to work effectively and comfortably within an operational shipbuilding working environment.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Making Effective Decisions (CSBC3)
• Core Behaviour 2: Working Together (CSBC3)
• Technical Competence 1: ECF 1.3 - Setting Technical Requirements, Evaluation and Acceptance (Supervised Practitioner)
• Technical Competence 2: ECF 3.4 - Technical Decision Making (Supervised Practitioner)

Offered benefits

• 25 days' annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King's birthday
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you're looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you'll find a supportive, family‑friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further Information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles - Civil Service Commission
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-candidate-information-pack
• Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
• Civil Service Code: The Code - Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Disability Confident:

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section 'Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.'

Conflicts of Interest:

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

Selection Process Details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check your application to ensure that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you will be assessed against the following:

• CV Review
• Core Behaviour 1
• Core Behaviour 2
• Technical Competencies

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 2
• 3rd: Technical Competencies
• 4th: CV Review

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise the Lead criteria, and/or an additional assessment. Please note for this specific assessment, the Lead Criteria will be:

• Have technical engineering experience in in a variety of maritime contexts.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email ([e-mail].) If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission.

Offering at a lower level

If you're not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, you'll be scored against criteria for the lower‑level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, you'll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.

About Us

Join an integral part of the UK's Defence and play your part in the procurement and in‑service support of all our armed forces' equipment, from fighter jets, armoured vehicles and aircraft carriers, to clothing, food, and ammunition. If you have the pride, passion and commitment to be part of an exciting organisation at the forefront of supporting our country's armed forces to deliver on operations at home and abroad, then apply online now!

About the Team

Problem solvers. Innovative thinkers. Career returners and switchers. It takes all kinds of people to drive our engineering programmes forward. From cutting‑edge engineering to battle‑winning technologies, you'll help equip the UK Armed Forces with the edge to protect our nation. Engineering is the largest department within DE&S - and it's one of the most fulfilling too. From managing technical risks, engineering resources and services, to defining and assuring best practice, our engineers are exemplars both within our organisation and our industry partners and professional bodies too. Join us and discover where your ambition could lead you.

Please see the MOD Privacy notice which informs how we will use your personal data, explains your rights and gives you information you are entitled to under Data Protection legislation.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. Please click here to find out more.

DE&S/SDA and MOD Main internal applicants will need to apply through MyHR Internal Career Portal via the DE&S/SDA jobs tile. This can be found on the MyHR home page.

Please ensure you check your junk mail for email notifications from the DE&S/SDA Talent Acquisition Team. To stop notifications being sent to your junk mail please add the following email address ([e-mail]) to the Safe Senders list in your email account.