Principal Systems Engineer

Job Title:                     Principal Systems Engineer - CESM

Location:                     Devonport, Plymouth + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation:           Attractive Salary + Benefits

Role Type:                   Full time / Permanent

Role ID:                       SF73913

Shape Complex Systems. Deliver Critical Capabilities And Make A Real World Impact

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 Systems Engineer at our Devonport site, near Plymouth.

The role

As a Principal Systems Engineer, you will lead the delivery of systems engineering across a portfolio of complex maritime programmes. This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of engineering outcomes, guide multi-disciplinary teams, and influence projects that operate at the forefront of defence technology.

You will work closely with project managers and technical specialists to ensure solutions are delivered to the highest standards—balancing performance, cost and schedule - while developing your leadership capability in a collaborative, forward-thinking environment.

This is a full-time role (35 hours per week) based at Devonport, Plymouth. Hybrid working patterns are available, with 2–3 days per week working onsite.

Day-to-day, you’ll be required to:

• Lead systems engineering activities across the full lifecycle, from requirements definition through to delivery


• Manage and guide multi-disciplinary engineering teams to achieve project objectives


• Ensure technical outputs meet contractual, regulatory and quality standards


• Identify, manage and resolve technical risks and issues to maintain delivery targets


• Collaborate with project managers and stakeholders to plan and execute engineering work packages

Essential experience of the Principal Systems Engineer:

• Demonstrating strong experience in systems engineering lifecycle management


• Understanding complex system interfaces across multiple domains and disciplines


• Leading engineering teams to deliver large-scale or technically complex projects


• Applying structured engineering processes, standards and best practice

Qualifications for the Principal Systems Engineer:

• Degree in Engineering or a related discipline (or equivalent experience such as HNC/HND with relevant industry expertise)

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV) 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 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

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 [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: 09/06/2026

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