Trainee Reactor Engineer

Babcock International; West Devon; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension scheme

Digital GP and Aviva DigiCare+ health

Employee shopping savings portal

Payment of Professional Fees

Reservists leave (10 days)

Holiday Trading

Be Kind Day

Job summary

At Babcock, a Trainee Reactor Engineer is needed at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site in Plymouth. You’ll support safe maintenance, refit, and operation of reactor systems for the UK submarine fleet, gaining hands-on nuclear experience and progressing through a highly regulated environment.

You’ll work with experienced engineers, developing skills in nuclear procedures, safety, and project delivery, with strong development and career progression opportunities in a hybrid working setup.

Qualifications

• Experience in engineering, manufacturing, defence, or similarly regulated environments.
• Understanding of health, safety, and nuclear safety principles.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for diverse teams.
• Understanding of mechanical engineering processes and complex systems.
• Willingness to work onboard submarines, in confined spaces, and in radiological areas.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate reactor mechanical work packages for maintenance/refit programmes.
• Support creation, planning, and execution of nuclear procedures and production activities.
• Act as a Responsible Officer for radiologically implicated equipment when required.
• Ensure personnel are qualified, experienced, and equipped to perform tasks safely.
• Maintain compliance with health, safety, and nuclear safety requirements across activities.

Skills

Engineering experience

Nuclear safety

Communication skills

Mechanical engineering

Submarine environments

Regulated environment

Education

ONC qualification

NVQ Level 3 in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Job Title: Trainee Reactor Engineer

Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation: £33,900+ Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF76826

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 Trainee Reactor Engineer at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role

As a Trainee Reactor Engineer, you'll join our Naval Nuclear team and play a vital role in supporting the safe maintenance, refit, and operation of reactor systems that are critical to the UK's submarine fleet. This is an exciting opportunity to develop specialist skills in nuclear engineering, mechanical systems, safety, and project delivery within one of the most highly regulated and technically advanced environments in the country.

Day-to-day, you'll work alongside experienced engineers and nuclear professionals, gaining hands-on experience while building a rewarding career that contributes directly to national security. Whether you're looking to develop your existing engineering knowledge or take the next step into the nuclear sector, this role offers outstanding opportunities for personal growth, professional development, and long-term career progression.

• Coordinating reactor mechanical work packages to support major maintenance and refit programmes.
• Supporting the creation, planning, and execution of nuclear procedures and production activities.
• Acting as a Responsible Officer for radiologically implicated equipment when required.
• Ensuring personnel are suitably qualified, experienced, and equipped to undertake allocated tasks safely.
• Maintaining compliance with health, safety, and nuclear safety requirements across all activities.

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements.

Essential experience of the Trainee Reactor Engineer

• Experience working within an engineering, manufacturing, defence, military, or similarly regulated environment.
• Understanding of health, safety, and nuclear safety principles.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively within a diverse team.
• Understanding of mechanical engineering processes and complex engineering systems.
• Ability and willingness to work onboard submarines, within confined spaces, and in radiological controlled areas.

Qualifications for the Trainee Reactor Engineer

• ONC (Ordinary National Certificate) or equivalent qualification in an engineering discipline.
• NVQ Level 3 in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent

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 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

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: 19/11/2026

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