Be at the heart of actionFly remote-controlled drones into enemy territory to gather vital information.

Apply Now

Principal Mechanical Engineer

Babcock International
Plymouth
1 week ago
Create job alert

Job Title: Principal Mechanical Engineer

Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation: £59,110.00 + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Engineering the Future of National Defence

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 Mechanical Engineer at Devonport, near Plymouth, Devon.

The role

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you’ll be at the heart of one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure programmes, supporting the upgrade and development of facilities for the Royal Navy’s submarine maintenance operations. This is a unique opportunity to apply your expertise to projects that directly contribute to national defence and security.

Day-to-day, you’ll be part of our Major Infrastructure Projects (MIP) Business Unit, helping to deliver complex engineering solutions that shape the future of naval capability.

  • Apply systems engineering approaches to develop and validate design requirements
  • Ensure compliance with client specifications, technical regulations and standards
  • Collaborate across engineering functions and stakeholders to integrate designs and manage interfaces
  • Technically manage specialist sub-contract designers
  • Maintain the engineering configuration of the design intent through change control

Essential experience of the Principal Mechanical Engineer:

  • Proven background in mechanical engineering within Defence, Nuclear, Oil and Gas or other highly regulated industries
  • Strong understanding of mechanical process systems and building services (e.g. water services, industrial gases)
  • Knowledge of regulations and standards relevant to mechanical system design and construction, including CDM responsibilities
  • Experience in substantiating process equipment for Nuclear Safety Functions (desirable)
  • Experience supporting design for construction, operation, or refit of submarines or related facilities (desirable)

Qualifications for the Principal Mechanical Engineer:

  • A degree, degree apprenticeship, or demonstrable time served in an appropriate engineering discipline
  • Chartered Engineer status or actively working towards registration with the Engineering Council

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with typically 2 days in the office/onsite and 3 days working from home.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.

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.
  • ‘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 is a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please contact us. 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.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.


#J-18808-Ljbffr

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED

Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED

Principal Mechanical Engineer – Cranes

Principal Mechanical Engineer – Cranes

Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED

Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Why Edge Computing Careers in the UK Are Becoming More Multidisciplinary

For years, computing innovation was focused on the cloud. But as demand for real-time analytics, low-latency processing and secure local data handling grows, edge computing has become the next frontier. From autonomous vehicles to healthcare monitoring devices, retail checkout systems to industrial IoT, edge computing is transforming how data is processed and used in the UK. This shift has also changed what it means to work in the field. Edge computing careers are no longer purely technical. They now require knowledge of law, ethics, psychology, linguistics & design, as professionals must consider regulation, human behaviour, communication & usability alongside engineering. In this article, we’ll explore why UK edge computing careers are becoming more multidisciplinary, how these five fields intersect with edge roles, and what job-seekers & employers need to know to thrive in this evolving landscape.

Edge Computing Team Structures Explained: Who Does What in a Modern Edge Computing Department

Edge computing is expanding rapidly in the UK, driven by demands for low latency, on-site processing, IoT proliferation, autonomous systems, 5G, AI inference on devices, and regulatory pressures for data sovereignty. Businesses in sectors such as telecoms, industrial automation, retail, smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and healthcare are pushing computation and intelligence closer to where data is generated. But to design, build, deploy, secure, and maintain edge computing systems requires more than just hardware or software — it requires structured teams with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. If you’re hiring, or applying for roles via EdgeComputingJobs.co.uk, understanding who does what in a mature edge computing department will help you plan better, show relevance in job applications, and build resilient teams. This article covers the key roles in edge computing teams, how they collaborate through the project lifecycle, what skills and qualifications UK employers usually expect, salary benchmarks, challenges and trends, and best practices for structuring effective edge teams.

Why the UK Could Be the World’s Next Edge Computing Jobs Hub

Edge computing is one of the most important technological shifts of the decade. As connected devices, sensors, and the Internet of Things (IoT) generate massive volumes of data, centralised cloud computing alone cannot always keep up. Businesses and governments need faster processing, lower latency, and secure, real-time insights. Edge computing—where data is processed closer to where it is generated—is the answer. From autonomous vehicles and smart cities to advanced healthcare and industrial automation, edge computing underpins the next wave of digital transformation. For professionals, this means an entirely new field of opportunity. Edge computing requires engineers, architects, analysts, cyber security specialists, and operations staff with highly specialised skills. The United Kingdom is particularly well-positioned to become a global edge computing jobs hub. With its strong infrastructure, thriving tech ecosystem, leading universities, and government commitment to digital innovation, the UK has many of the ingredients necessary to lead. This article explores why the UK could claim global leadership in edge computing careers, the sectors driving demand, and what must happen to make this vision a reality.