Underwater Maintenance Engineer

Babcock International; Helensburgh; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor in Helensburgh is seeking an Underwater Maintenance Engineer to provide crucial engineering support for underwater maintenance tasks. This role involves collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams to ensure vessels are mission-ready and maintain compliance with industry standards. With full-time hours and opportunities for personal growth, you're invited to contribute to national defense while enjoying comprehensive benefits including a generous holiday allowance and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension scheme

Access to a Digital GP

Employee share scheme

Professional Fees payment

10-days special paid leave for reservists

‘Be Kind Day’ for volunteering

Qualifications

• Solid background in underwater maintenance and repair techniques.
• Experience in marine engineering, either mechanical or electrical.
• Capability to develop method statements for safety compliance.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support for in-water maintenance tasks.
• Act as the technical point of contact for underwater projects.
• Coordinate dive tasking and ensure compliance with safety standards.

Skills

Understanding of underwater maintenance

Working knowledge of marine engineering practices

Familiarity with submarine systems

Competence with safe systems of work

Awareness of commercial diving operations

Education

HNC in Engineering or equivalent

APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ)

Microsoft Project (intro/intermediate)

Confined Spaces for Competent Persons

Job description

Job Title: Underwater Maintenance Engineer

Location: Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute

Compensation: Up to £48,000 Depending on Experience + Benefits + 35% Shift Allowance

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF70837

Engineer beneath the surface — help keep the Royal Navy mission‑ready

At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as an Underwater Maintenance Engineer at our HMNB Clyde Faslane site.

The role

As a Underwater Maintenance Engineer, you’ll have a role that’s out of the ordinary. You’ll provide hands‑on engineering support for in‑water maintenance, inspection and repair when platforms are afloat – work that directly contributes to national security while accelerating your growth in marine and systems engineering. You’ll collaborate with multi‑disciplinary teams to plan and enable safe, right‑first‑time underwater tasks that keep vessels available and mission‑ready. This is meaningful, career‑defining work in defence, aerospace and engineering.

Day‑to‑day you’ll be required to

• Deliver technical engineering support and guidance to Joint Project Teams for in‑water and diving work packages.
• Act as the technical point of contact for underwater projects and ensure all safety documentation is in place and used.
• Develop method statements with stakeholders across Fleet Operations and SHEQ to identify hazards and mitigations.
• Coordinate dive tasking, produce Dive Project Packs where required, and ensure compliance with defence and industry standards.
• Administer the Babcock Diving Safety Management System and support the Authorised Engineer (Diving) to uphold policy compliance.

This role is full time, 36 hours per week and is based on site at HMNB Clyde Faslane. This role operates on a shift basis and includes a 35% shift allowance and 2.8% cash equivalent allowance, payable once Position SQEP is achieved and when shifts commence.

Essential experience of the Underwater Maintenance Engineer

• Understanding of underwater maintenance, inspection and repair techniques.
• Working knowledge of marine engineering practices (mechanical and/or electrical).
• Familiarity with submarine systems and equipment.
• Competence with safe systems of work, risk assessment and quality assurance.
• Awareness of commercial diving operations - desirable but not essential

Qualifications for the Underwater Maintenance Engineer

• HNC in Engineering, an Engineering Apprenticeship, or equivalent experience.
• APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) - desirable but not essential
• Microsoft Project (intro/intermediate) - desirable but not essential
• Confined Spaces for Competent Persons; Commercial Diving Project Awareness - desirable but not essential

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 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. 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
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

Babcock International

For over a century Babcock has helped to defend nations, protect communities and build a better world. To continue, we must adapt, advance and be a sustainable business with a shared goal.

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: 29/01/2026