Principal Naval Architect

Job Title

Principal Naval Architect

Plymouth, Devon (Hybrid – minimum 3 days on site)

Competitive + Benefits

Full time / Permanent

SF74161

At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and you can play your part as a Principal Naval Architect at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

As a Principal Naval Architect, you’ll take a pivotal leadership role in shaping the performance, capability and future of marine assets that support the Royal Navy. Working within a highly skilled engineering environment, you will lead the delivery of technical solutions that keep vital defence infrastructure operating safely and effectively. In day‑to‑day activities you will influence both current operations and future design, balancing hands‑on engineering expertise with strategic leadership.

• Leading and developing a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians
• Delivering technical support to marine operational assets, ensuring performance, safety and reliability
• Providing design input and technical direction for new and existing marine systems
• Managing resources and planning engineering capability across operational and project activities
• Ensuring compliance with engineering standards, regulatory requirements and safety frameworks

• Experience maintaining and supporting complex marine or naval assets
• Proven ability to lead technical teams and deliver engineering outputs
• Strong experience in a highly regulated industry such as defence, maritime or infrastructure
• Experience managing resources and building long‑term engineering capability
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills

• Degree in Naval Architecture or Marine or Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline – Essential

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.

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva Digi Care+
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10‑days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading – allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement (open February to March each year)
• ‘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

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 car