Principal Commissioning Engineer

Principal Commissioning Engineer – Constructive

Location:

Plymouth, Devon

Compensation: £57,300 + Benefits

Role type:
Full time / Permanent

Role

As a Principal Commissioning Engineer – Constructive, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring the safe testing, setting‑to‑work and commissioning of nuclear submarine systems. You’ll lead constructive and mechanical commissioning activities across multiple submarine projects, helping to return these vital national defence assets safely back into service.

Day‑to‑day, you’ll be responsible for ensuring systems are operated, controlled and commissioned in alignment with Nuclear Site Licence requirements, Ministry of Defence Authorisation Conditions and all relevant safety legislation.

• Oversee the safe operation and control of mechanical plant and processes, ensuring full compliance with nuclear safety regulations and MOD Authorisation Conditions.
• Prepare and authorise Test Documentation to meet project programme requirements, aligned with corporate standards.
• Promote and uphold a strong safety culture, ensuring safety documentation and Safe Systems of Work are understood and executed effectively.
• Provide day‑to‑day management of constructive staff and support the Manager of Trials to drive development and resource planning.
• Lead and develop your commissioning section to deliver high‑quality testing, setting‑to‑work and commissioning activities to time, cost and quality standards.

• Substantial knowledge and experience of commissioning, operating and maintaining constructive/mechanical systems on nuclear submarines.
• Strong understanding of Safe Systems of Work, safe release of systems and the Control of Work process.
• Knowledge of relevant Licence Conditions, Operating Rules and Operating Instructions relating to nuclear commissioning.
• Ability to manage multiple complex commissioning packages across several projects simultaneously.
• Strong leadership, planning, organisational and communication skills, with the ability to work to a consistently high standard.

• Level 4 qualification in an engineering discipline, or Level 3 qualification with significant commissioning operations experience.
• Nuclear Practitioner Course Module 1–4 (or equivalent).
• Dockyard Nuclear Systems Course (or equivalent).

• Additional professional development aligned to nuclear, mechanical or constructive engineering – Desirable

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 -  ().

• 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 between February and 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

Closing date: 09/07/2026