Job Title: Principal Naval Architect
Location: Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute
Compensation: Competitive Salary + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF71045
Help Shape the Future of Submarine Engineering
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 Principal Naval Architecte at our HMNB Clyde Faslane site.
The role
As an Principal Naval Architect, you’ll have a rare opportunity to influence high‑impact engineering decisions while developing your career in one of the most complex and rewarding environments in defence, aerospace and engineering.
Day-to-day, you’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety, availability, and technical integrity of some of the world’s most advanced Royal Navy submarines.
- Provide technical oversight, acting on behalf of the Principal Naval Architect during deep maintenance periods.
- Interface with internal project teams and external Design Authorities to ensure performance, safety and quality standards are achieved
- Deliver engineering guidance and ensure design intent is maintained from work package creation through to testing and acceptance.
- Lead technical investigations, audits and structured reviews across submarine platform systems.
- Contribute to engineering change processes, working groups and continuous improvement initiatives.
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at HMNB Clyde Faslane. The successful candidate will be flexible to work onsite in line with business requirements, ranging from a minimum of three days per week up to full‑time onsite attendance.
Essential experience of the Principal Naval Architect
- Proven experience in marine structures, naval architecture engineering or marine surveying, including exposure to classification requirements.
- Strong understanding of marine structural principles and surveying practices.
- Hands-on experience conducting technical audits and navigating associated processes.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
- Demonstrated capability in identifying, managing and prioritising technical risks and developing mitigation strategies.
Qualifications for the Principal Naval Architect
- Degree-level education in Engineering or equivalent relevant experience.
- Currently holds or is willing to work towards Chartered Engineer status as part of continuous professional development.
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be a sole UK National who is 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
- Employee share scheme
- Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
- Payment of Professional Fees
- Employee shopping savings portal
- 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. There is an annual Window to request this benefit. ‘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
We’re Babcock — a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 26,000 people working together to make a difference.
Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts — not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.
We call that lifetime engineering.
Join us and see how far we can go, together.
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 careers@babcockinternational.com 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: 30/09/2026
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