Principal Systems Engineer

Location:

Bristol, GB, BS16 1EJ Devonport, Plymouth, GB, PL2 2BG Warrington, GB, WA3 6YD Leicester, GB, LE3 1UF

Onsite or Hybrid:

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Your Role

Applies Engineering concepts and theories to provide technical direction and leadership for the delivery of designs, calculations and technical solutions across a range of applications for Babcock products and services across the Engineering Product Lifecycle. Uses their experience to make decisions in complex situations. Able to work under own initiative to produce high quality outputs. Capable of managing others and/or delivery of engineering and technical activities, through the application of process, domain knowledge and experience. Can apply a broad and/or deep range of knowledge to complex situations whilst extending their business knowledge base in the subject area. Provides coaching, direction, assistance and mentoring to others.

Description

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Job Title: Principal Systems Engineer

Location: Bristol + Devonport + Leicester + Warrington + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation: £61,474 + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent or Fixed Term Contract

Role ID: SF70197

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 Principal Systems Engineer at our Bristol, Devonport, Leicester or Warrington sites.

The role

As a Principal Systems Engineer, you’ll work at the forefront of some of the UK’s most complex and high‑profile submarine engineering programmes. Your insight and leadership will help ensure that the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet remains safe, reliable and ready for deployment when needed, including future SSBN (Dreadnought) platforms.

Day-to-day, you’ll lead and develop a small team of engineers, providing technical assurance, delivering high‑quality Availability, Reliability & Maintainability (AR&M) outputs, and collaborating closely with MOD stakeholders.

Provide engineering expertise to support the design, build and transition of the Dreadnought submarine programme into service.
Assure AR&M analysis carried out by the team, interpret data, draw conclusions and communicate findings to senior stakeholders.
Lead the delivery of AR&M outputs and deliverables, ensuring robust review and approval processes are followed.
Manage and escalate technical risks, ensuring appropriate mitigation actions are defined and implemented.
Summarise outcomes, recommendations and performance insights in periodic reviews within the Integrated Logistics team.

This role is full time, 35, hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with a minimum of 2 days in the office/onsite.

Essential experience of the Principal Systems Engineer

Reliability engineering experience within a highly regulated industry.
Experience developing AR&M case reports and management plans.
Ability to evaluate technical issues and propose investigation pathways or solutions, including process improvements.
Strong understanding and ideally experience of MOD contracts and support‑related policies.
Proven capability to operate within environments such as defence, oil and gas, commercial shipping or aerospace.

Qualifications for the Principal Systems Engineer

BSc or BEng in a STEM discipline (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Data, Maths). Experience in lieu of formal education will be considered.

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
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. 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: 24/02/2026

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