Principal Engineer- Platform & Auxiliary Systems

Job Title: Principal Engineer - Platform & Auxiliary Systems

Location: Portsmouth Naval Base. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements - please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role.

Salary: Up to £52,000, depending on skills and experience

What you’ll be doing:

• You will be part of the Material State Management Service within the Asset Management organisation, delivering platform availability, operational intelligence and de-risking support periods for our supported platforms. The service comprises of a Platform & Auxiliaries discipline, where you will be expected to deliver/ demonstrate

• Technical Management: Delivering Platform Systems expertise to support Material State management by directing the engineering team, reviewing reports, analysing data and trends, and developing engineering solutions to issues. You will be expected to conduct on-board assessments in Portsmouth, across the UK, abroad, and during sea/ basin trials

• Leadership: Providing day-to-day management of the Platform & Auxiliaries team with the Service Lead, ensuring delivery of service objectives through active office presence and close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. You may be expected to line manage 6-10 engineers as directed by the Platform & Auxiliaries Systems Lead. The Asset Management organisation within BAE Systems Maritime & Land Defence Solutions operates a Service Hub model therefore these engineers may be working within other projects

• Data, Toolset & Technology Management: Overseeing document, data, and information management (SharePoint, Maximo, Tableau), ensuring accuracy and appropriate communication. Concurrently, identifying and implementing new technologies to enhance service delivery in collaboration with the Service Lead

• Stakeholder Engagement: Partnering with the Service Lead to manage communications with internal and external stakeholders and supporting other service hubs where Material State plays a critical role (e.g., Maintenance Optimisation, wider Warship Technical Authority)

• Service, Behaviours & Business Growth: With the Service Lead, driving development of the Platform & Auxiliary service through resource and cost management, and continuous improvement. You will be expected to support the wider Warship Technical Authority Service Hub and demonstrate the BAE Systems behaviours that contribute to service and business growth

  Your skills and experiences:

  • Systems Expertise: Broad knowledge of shipboard platform and auxiliary systems, including HVAC, fuel, seawater and fresh water systems, black/ grey water, bilge/ sullage, gas air-based systems, intake/ exhaust, chilled water, lub-oil, hydraulics; familiarity with shaftline, steering gear, and stabilisers is advantageous

  • Safety & Risk Management: Proven experience of making safety-critical decisions using robust safety management processes and tools

  • Platform Integration & Lifecycle Experience: Strong understanding of system-of-systems integration, lifecycle management from concept design to test & trials, and assessing impacts on overall vessel performance and availability

  • Requirements & Compliance: Skilled in defining system requirements and executing verification/ validation activities to manage risk and demonstrate compliance

  • Supplier & OEM Management: Experience managing specialist suppliers and OEMs for technology exploration and implementation

  • Qualifications & Professional Recognition: Degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline, ideally with marine/ naval experience; membership in a relevant professional body and demonstratable progress towards professional registration

    Benefits:

    As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts - you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

    Material State Management Service:

    Material State Management Service provides an end-to-end understanding of the ship’s systems and equipment, delivering platform availability, operational intelligence and de-risking support periods for our customers. It operates as part of the Warship Technical Authority Service Hub within Asset Management and covers the four key disciplines: Platform & Auxiliaries, Hull & Structures, Power & Propulsion, and Combat Systems. The Platform & Auxiliaries team within Material State Management, deliver a data-driven understanding of systems and equipment, extracting insights through data analysis from multiple sources, stakeholder engagements, technology implementation and on- board dynamic and static assessments of our supported platforms.

    The Warship Technical Authority Service Hub is the engineering discipline within Asset Management, delivering naval ship, systems and equipment engineering support and change management. We support the Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyers, Type 23 Frigates, Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers, Minehunters and Off-Shore Patrol Vessels in the UK. Additionally, we provide engineering expertise to International Naval Support contracts in the Middle East and deliver Internal and external engineering consultancy projects with our multi discipline engineering hubs.

    Why BAE Systems?

    This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

    Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

    Closing Date: 9^{th September 2025}

    We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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