Principal Nuclear Compliance Engineer

Job Title:                     Principal Nuclear Compliance Engineer

Location:                     Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation:            £61,474 + Benefits

Role Type:                   Full time / Permanent

Role ID:                       SF71423

Shape the future of nuclear safety and strengthen national security

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 Nuclear Compliance Engineer at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role

As a Principal Nuclear Compliance Engineer, you’ll be at the forefront of ensuring nuclear safety, governance and compliance across one of the UK’s most complex and tightly regulated defence environments.

Day-to-day, you’ll act as Deputy to the Nuclear Regulation and Compliance Manager, guiding Nuclear Compliance Engineers and providing expert, independent challenge across our regulatory landscape.

• Lead the implementation and continual development of the Devonport Royal Dockyard Licence and Authorisation Condition Framework.
• Manage and mentor a team of Nuclear Compliance Engineers to deliver independent assessments against regulatory requirements.
• Provide expert advice and independent challenge during event sentencing and screening processes.
• Produce key reports including monthly updates, nuclear newsletters and safety performance indicators.
• Act as a mentor and assessor for Nuclear Regulation and Compliance training.

This role is full time, 35, hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with 2-3 days onsite.

Essential experience of the Principal Nuclear Compliance Engineer

• Extensive experience interpreting and applying nuclear site licence or Ministry of Defence Authorisation Conditions.
• Ability to ensure consistent application and interpretation of regulatory conditions across a complex organisation.
• Strong background in governance, compliance and nuclear regulation within a high‑hazard environment.
• Proven experience leading or mentoring multi‑disciplinary compliance teams.
• Ability to challenge, influence and collaborate with senior stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

Qualifications for the Principal Nuclear Compliance Engineer

• Degree (Level 6) in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline, or equivalent experience.
• IOSH Managing Safely.
• Professional auditing qualifications.
• Chartered membership of a relevant professional institute, or the ability to demonstrate equivalent professional standing.

• Additional training in nuclear safety, regulation or compliance frameworks - Desirable

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be 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 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 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: 06/03/2026

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