Principal - Senior Safety Engineer

Job Title: Principal Safety Engineer

Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation: £61,474 - £68,754 Depending on Experience + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF70724

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 Safety Engineer at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role

As a Principal Safety Engineer, you'll play a vital role in the safe delivery of major infrastructure projects that support the Royal Navy's ship and submarine sustainment programmes. Working within the Major Infrastructure Projects (MIP) directorate, you'll support the design and upgrade of complex dock, berth and building facilities, ensuring these critical systems can be accepted into service and meet all regulatory and operational requirements.

Day to day, your expertise in safety engineering will influence design intent, validate safety claims and ensure that engineered solutions meet stringent technical and functional safety requirements.

• Review safety engineering designs to assess compliance against relevant engineering and HSE standards.
• Provide subject matter expertise to support technical problem solving across design and construction teams.
• Guide and review safety design packages, ensuring integration with other engineering disciplines.
• Ensure safety case claims can be substantiated through compliant, complete and accurate design documentation.
• Provide onsite advice for design changes or defect rectification, ensuring quality assurance and adherence to engineering.

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

• Strong background in safety engineering within complex projects and high hazard industries (minimum Senior Safety Engineer level).
• Experience reviewing or managing safety cases and assessing design intent.
• Dockyard, defence, or nuclear industry experience (oil and gas, rail, aerospace also considered).
• Experience as a Design Authority or supporting DA processes - Desirable.
• Ability to evaluate technical issues and guide engineering teams toward compliant solutions.

Qualifications

• Degree in an Engineering or STEM discipline.
• Additional qualifications or experience in nuclear or safety critical systems - Desirable.

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.

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 allows employees to buy additional leave or sell up to one working week of annual leave.
• 'Be Kind Day' enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year 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.

Reasonable Adjustments

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 with the subject header 'Reasonable adjustments requirement'. We're committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone's free to thrive and to accommodate flexible working patterns.

Closing date

09/04/2026