Principal Structural Analyst

Job Title: Principal Structural Analyst

Location: Ashton Vale, Bristol + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Postal Address: Bristol, GB, BS3 2HQ

Compensation: Competitive Salary + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role : SF75080

Shape the future of defence engineering through expert analysis and technical leadership.

At Babcock, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Structural Analyst at Ashton House, Bristol.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Analysis, Modelling & Simulation team, where you'll help deliver critical engineering solutions that support some of the UK's most important defence programmes. Working at the forefront of structural integrity, advanced analysis and engineering assurance, you'll combine deep technical expertise with leadership responsibility, influencing decisions that contribute directly to national security and defence capability.

If you're looking for a role where your expertise will be valued, your judgement trusted and your career development supported, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

As a Principal Structural Analyst, you will lead the delivery of high-integrity structural analysis activities across complex defence engineering projects. You'll act as a technical authority, solving challenging engineering problems, assuring the quality of analysis outputs and providing robust evidence that supports the qualification of critical systems and equipment used across submarine and surface ship platforms.

This role offers the opportunity to work with highly skilled engineers on technically demanding projects while developing your leadership profile within a growing and innovative business.

Day-to-day, you’ll be required to:

• Lead the resolution of complex structural problems using advanced FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and first-principles hand calculations.
• Provide customer‑facing technical justification and clear, structured reports to support qualification across submarine and surface ship platforms.
• Act as a technical authority by reviewing, challenging, and assuring the quality and robustness of analysis produced by others.
• Communicate analysis results effectively to internal and external stakeholders, clearly articulating key insights, assumptions, and limitations to support decision‑making.
• Set and uphold the standard for structural analysis by defining best practices and supporting others to consistently achieve them.

This role is full time, 37 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with days onsite and days working from home, depending on business and project needs.

• Extensive experience in structural analysis within a high-integrity or safety‑critical environment (e.g. defence, nuclear, aerospace).
• Advanced experience in structural FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and hand calculations, including nonlinear, dynamic and transient methods for shock analysis and pressure vessel assessment.
• Proven experience leading complex technical work and delivering analysis under challenging or uncertain conditions, with a strong understanding of defence standards and codes including PD5500, MAP 01-470, BS 5950, BS EN 13001, or equivalent.
• Demonstrable experience as an independent technical approver/signatory for structural calculations, finite element models, and analysis reports, with the credibility and authority to undertake approval responsibilities from day one.

• A degree in mechanical, or a related engineering discipline.

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role. Must be SOLE UK Nationals.

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 -  ().

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a…