Job Title:                     Principal Safety Engineer

Location:                     Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation:           £61,474 - £66,000 dependent upon experience + Benefits

Role Type:                   Full time / Permanent

Role ID:                       SF66504/3

Shape the Future of Nuclear Safety – Join Our Expert Team at Babcock

At Babcock, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Safety Engineer at Devonport Dockyard, near Plymouth, Devon.

The role

As a Principal Safety Engineer, you’ll play a vital role in shaping safety strategy, engaging with stakeholders and mentoring Engineers making a meaningful impact on national defence and your own career development.

Day-to-day, you’ll lead a team of Safety Engineers working on nuclear submarines and facilities, ensuring radiological safety across the Dockyard. You’ll engage with stakeholders to align safety activities with operational needs, provide strategic oversight of safety onsite and support your team in problem solving and delivering high quality safety case work. You’ll also play a key role in mentoring Engineers and preparing for progression into leadership roles.

• Driving nuclear safety case development and updates
• Leading and mentoring a team of Safety Engineers
• Supporting problem solving and continuous improvement initiatives
• Engaging with stakeholders to ensure compliance and safety standards
• Providing strategic oversight of safety activities across the dockyard

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with 1 day in the office/onsite and 4 days working from home.

Essential experience of the Principal Safety Engineer

• Proven experience as a Principal or Senior Safety Engineer 
• Leadership in nuclear safety case development
• Knowledge of nuclear facility licensing and regulatory engagement (ONR, DNSR)
• Team leadership and stakeholder management skills
• Radiological safety experience within nuclear facilities

Qualifications for the Principal Safety Engineer

• Degree in engineering or science
• Chartered status desirable

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be a sole UK national who is able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) and 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: 05/02/2026

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