Senior Design Engineer

weServed; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Annual health check

Employee share scheme

Be Kind Day

Job summary

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer at Babcock in Plymouth, Devonport. You will lead mechanical designs for submarine infrastructure and national defence, working across the full engineering lifecycle from concept to decommissioning on major defence programmes. Hybrid work with two days in the office.

The role requires strong expertise in fluid/pipework systems, and experience in regulated environments. Security clearance (SC) is a condition of employment.

Qualifications

• Level 6 qualification in mechanical engineering (essential).
• UK national eligible for SC clearance (essential).

Responsibilities

• Lead development and delivery of mechanical designs across the full project lifecycle.
• Provide expert advice on mechanical systems, compliance and engineering standards.
• Conduct site visits and surveys supporting through-life system performance.
• Manage and support engineers, coordinating work and driving technical progress.
• Produce and review design, safety and substantiation documentation.

Skills

Mechanical design

Lifecycle design

Regulated industries

Fluid systems

Education

Level 6 mechanical engineering

Job description

Job Title: Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation: £44,600 - £55,800 Depending on Experience + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF73716

Help design the future of submarine infrastructure and national defence

At Babcock we're working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role

As a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, you'll play a pivotal role in delivering complex mechanical system designs that directly support the United Kingdom’s submarine fleet. From fluid systems and industrial gases to large-scale pipework infrastructure, your work will contribute to critical defence programmes with a clear, visible impact.

Day-to-day, you'll have the unique opportunity to be involved in the full engineering lifecycle—from concept design through to implementation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning. You'll lead technical activities, provide expert engineering guidance, and ensure compliance with rigorous safety and regulatory standards in a highly regulated environment.

Working on major programmes across Devonport, you'll see your designs come to life on-site while developing your career across diverse, technically challenging projects.

• Leading the development and delivery of mechanical designs across the full project lifecycle
• Providing expert advice on mechanical systems, compliance, and engineering standards
• Conducting site visits, surveys and supporting through-life system performance
• Managing and supporting engineers, coordinating work and driving technical progress
• Producing and reviewing design, safety and substantiation documentation

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with a minimum of 2 days in the office/onsite.

Essential experience of the Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

• Demonstrating strong mechanical engineering experience across design, operation or maintenance of fluid or pipework systems
• Applying the full engineering design lifecycle within complex projects
• Working within regulated industries such as defence, nuclear, utilities or similar
• Understanding fluid mechanics principles including water systems, valves and pipelines
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders to deliver engineering solutions

Qualifications for the Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

• Level 6 qualification in a mechanical engineering discipline, or Level 5 with significant relevant experience (essential)
• Professionally registered with a recognised engineering institution such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers or Institution of Engineering and Technology - Desirable

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:09/10/2026

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