Senior Materials Engineer

weServed; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Matched pension with life assurance

Digital GP & annual health check

Employee share scheme

Voluntary benefits portal

Job summary

Babcock is seeking a Senior Materials Engineer at the Devonport Royal Dockyard to lead metallurgical activities across the Royal Navy submarine programme and defence engineering projects. You will direct advanced testing, analysis and inspection methods to ensure safety, integrity and operational readiness of critical platforms.

Based on site in Plymouth, you will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, perform failure investigations, and drive improvements while developing technical expertise

Qualifications

• Experience applying materials science within a nuclear engineering environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication to explain complex technical findings.
• Experience using digital tools for data analysis, reporting or technical workflows.

Responsibilities

• Conduct materials testing, evaluation and analysis using microscopy, mechanical testing and laboratory techniques.
• Investigate material failures, degradation mechanisms and engineering issues, providing technical recommendations and remedial solutions.
• Support the inspection and assessment of critical systems and components aboard naval and defence platforms.
• Develop and validate testing methods, procedures and analytical techniques in line with industry and regulatory standards.
• Collaborate with engineering, quality, welding, design and customer teams to deliver safe and effective engineering outcomes.

Skills

Materials science principles

Verbal & written communication

Data analysis tools

Collaborative mindset

Analytical problem solving

Education

Degree in Materials Science/Engineering or Metallurgy

Tools

Microscopy

Mechanical testing

Image processing

Job description

Job Title: Senior Materials Engineer

Location: Plymouth, Devon

Compensation: Competitive + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF75265

Shape the future of naval engineering through advanced materials expertise

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 Materials Engineer at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role

As a Senior Materials Engineer, you’ll be part of a highly specialised Metallurgy and Materials team supporting the Royal Navy's submarine programme and wider defence engineering activities. This is a unique opportunity to apply your technical expertise to complex engineering challenges, working with advanced testing, analysis and inspection techniques that directly contribute to national security.

Day-to-day, you'll collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams, customers and stakeholders to assess materials performance, investigate failures and provide expert recommendations. In doing so, you'll play a key role in maintaining the safety, integrity and operational readiness of critical defence platforms while developing your own technical and professional capabilities in a world-class engineering environment.

• Conducting materials testing, evaluation and analysis using a range of microscopy, mechanical testing and laboratory techniques.
• Investigating material failures, degradation mechanisms and engineering issues, providing technical recommendations and remedial solutions.
• Supporting the inspection and assessment of critical systems and components aboard naval and defence platforms.
• Developing and validating testing methods, procedures and analytical techniques in line with industry and regulatory standards.
• Collaborating with engineering, quality, welding, design and customer teams to deliver safe and effective engineering outcomes.

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at Devonport Royal Dockyard.

Essential experience of the Senior Materials Engineer

• Experience applying materials science or metallurgy principles within a nuclear engineering environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical findings clearly.
• Experience using digital tools for data analysis, reporting, image processing or technical workflows.
• A collaborative approach with the ability to build effective relationships with customers and stakeholders.
• A curious, analytical mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement and problem solving.

Qualifications for the Senior Materials Engineer

Essential:

• Degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgy or a related engineering discipline.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be a sole UK National who is able to achieve and maintain Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (NNPPI) 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 29,000 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: 18/11/2026

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