About this role
Job Title: Naval Architect
Location: Plymouth, Devon
Compensation: £45,692 + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF66496
Shape the Future of Naval 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 a Naval Architect at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.
As a Naval Architect, you’ll have a role that’s out of the ordinary. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to national defence and develop your career in a dynamic, purpose-driven environment.
Day-to-day, you’ll be part of a core team dedicated to ensuring the waterfront at Devonport Royal Dockyard remains ready for the berthing of Royal Navy surface ships and submarines. You’ll help shape the future infrastructure of the dockyard, making it more efficient and safer, while maintaining existing facilities.
- Managing through-life support for floating assets
- Surveying assets, specifying refit and repair packages, and overseeing post-refit acceptance
- Reviewing periodical surveys and ensuring compliance
- Preparing design estimates, schedules, tenders, and monitoring costs
- Developing future waterfront assets with the Ministry of Defence, creating specifications to meet operational demands
- Managing through-life support for floating assets
- Surveying assets, specifying refit and repair packages, and overseeing post-refit acceptance
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at Devonport Royal Dockyard.
Essential experience of the Naval Architect
- Experience with ports and harbour facilities
- Strong organisational and communication skills to deliver in complex environments
- Proficiency in AutoCAD or similar design software
- Understanding of survey/NDE techniques, repair standards, and vessel construction
- Analytical and proactive approach to problem-solving
Qualifications for the Naval Architect
- Degree in Naval Architecture or another engineering discipline
- Alternatively, significant practical experience in ship maintenance or facility management
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be a sole UK national who is able to achieve and maintain Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (NNPPI) 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
- Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
- Employee share scheme
- Employee shopping savings portal
- Payment of Professional Fees
- 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. This Window opens February through to 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
- Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.
Babcock International
For over a century Babcock has helped to defend nations, protect communities and build a better world. To continue, we must adapt, advance and be a sustainable business with a shared goal.
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 [email protected] 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: 26/02/2026
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Other facts
About Babcock
Babcock is a FTSE 100 defence company operating in our focus countries of the UK, Australasia, Canada, France and South Africa, with exports to additional markets.
Our Purpose, to create a safe and secure world, together, defines our strategy. We support and enhance our customers’ defence and security capabilities and critical assets through a range of product and service solutions. We meet our customers’ requirements of value for money, increased availability, modernisation and flexibility.
These projects take all different kinds of professionals, from chartered engineers and project managers, to naval architects, data analysts and everything in between. To bring through the next generation of engineering and business experts, we offer apprenticeships and roles for students, graduates and fully-qualified professionals.
There’s never been a better time to join us. Whether you’re looking for a new business management project or engineering role, join Babcock and grow with us.
Babcock is a Disability Confident, Committed Employer
What you'll do
- As a Naval Architect, you will contribute to national defense and ensure the waterfront at Devonport Royal Dockyard is ready for Royal Navy ships. You will manage through-life support for floating assets and oversee the development of future waterfront assets.
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