Composite Engineer; Naval Architect

Composite Engineer (Naval Architect)

Salary : £35,853 to £42,181 (dependent on experience)
Contract type :
Permanent
Hours :
Full-Time
Location :
Poole, Dorset, England
Location description :
Hybrid working arrangement between home and Poole, with a minimum of 3 days per week in Poole
Interview date :
Week of 28th Sept
Closing Date : 20-09-2026
Reference : 21963

About us

Our purpose is simple: to save lives  hours a day, every day, RNLI lifesavers are ready to launch to the rescue.

Were seeking a Composite Engineer or Naval Architect with experience in composite design and around 23 years of relevant experience to join our Engineering Transformation team. This team leads the delivery of the RNLIs major asset engineering programmes, including the Coastal Lifeboat, Atlantic-85 Mk4 and SIMS replacement projects.

You may come from a naval architecture, marine, structural, mechanical or manufacturing background, but you will have gained practical experience in either composite design or composite manufacture, with desirable skills in stability, vessel design or hydrodynamics. Marine experience is welcome but is not essential; relevant experience from sectors such as aerospace, automotive, motor sport, defence or advanced manufacturing will also be considered.

Some of the benefits

- Salary £35,853 to £42,181 (dependent on experience)
- Flexible working
- 26 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
- Outstanding pension scheme, with contributions of up to 16% of basic salary
- Life assurance
- Health and dental cash plan

Your role

As an Engineer within the team, youll help develop, assure and improve composite structures and components across the RNLIs floating assets. Youll work closely with engineering, production, procurement, maintenance and operational colleagues, supporting projects from concept and detailed design through manufacture, trials, introduction into service and through-life support.

Your work will focus on the following areas:

- Design and develop composite structures, components, repairs and tooling for RNLI assets.
- Produce and review CAD models, drawings, specifications, construction details, reports and manufacturing instructions.
- Apply composite materials, manufacturing and structural-analysis knowledge to deliver practical, repeatable and cost-effective designs.
- Work with production teams, suppliers and contractors to resolve build issues, defects and non-conformances, and develop repair solutions.
- Support surveys, investigations, testing, trials and troubleshooting at RNLI sites, suppliers and onboard lifeboats.
- Maintain accurate, traceable design information through engineering change and configuration control.
- Deliver work within multidisciplinary teams to applicable standards, RNLI processes, quality, cost and schedule requirements.
- Provide technical support and develop towards delegated engineering-signatory responsibilities.

About you

Your ability

Youll be a practical, output-focused engineer who enjoys working at the interface between design and manufacture, with the ability to turn engineering requirements into safe, practical, manufacturable and cost-effective solutions that will help us deliver the next generation of lifesaving capability.

To be considered for this role, you will need:

- A relevant engineering qualification and around 23 years industrial experience.
- Practical experience in composite design or manufacture, with knowledge of relevant materials, construction and bonding processes.
- Practical experience in either composite design or composite manufacturing. This is the central requirement for the role.
- An understanding of composite materials and construction methods, which may include glass or carbon-fibre reinforcement, sandwich construction, cores, resins, adhesives, bonding, infusion, prepreg, wet lay-up or similar processes.
- Experience producing, reviewing or working from engineering drawings, CAD models, specifications, work instructions or manufacturing documentation.
- An understanding of how design decisions affect tooling, production, inspection, repair, quality, cost and through-life support.
- The ability to investigate technical problems, assess evidence and develop proportionate, practical solutions.
- Good written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical information clearly to different audiences.
- Strong teamwork, organisation and attention to detail.
- A positive approach to professional development and a willingness to build broader capability in marine structures, vessel design and through-life asset engineering.

Experience in one or more of the following would be advantageous, but is not essential:

- Marine craft, boat building or ship structures
- Composite structural calculations or finite element analysis
- Structural surveys, defect assessment or composite repair design
- Production support, quality assurance or non-conformance resolution
- Relevant maritime regulations, classification requirements or industry standards
- Configuration…