At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead design projects, ensuring safety and quality throughout the project lifecycle.
- Company: Join a leading defence company committed to innovation and teamwork.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, matched pension scheme, and health benefits.
- Other info: Flexible working options and excellent career development opportunities available.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on vital defence programmes while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Degree in a relevant field and experience in design-led projects required.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 £ per year.
Location: Devonport, Plymouth, GB, PL1 4SG
Your Role
Provides team management and leadership to deliver engineering activities to required technical scope and quality for low complexity engineering multi‑discipline projects or a single medium complexity engineering project. Ensures the application of engineering processes, resources, and tools in line with Babcock policy to achieve the project or program technical outcomes. May have allocation of a Technical Independent role for another project and/or product/service.
The role
As a Design Manager, you’ll be responsible for the technical delivery of design projects, acting as the Technical Authority throughout the project lifecycle. You will ensure that design solutions are developed, validated and delivered in line with safety, quality, time and cost requirements. Day-to-day, you’ll coordinate resources, maintain robust design processes, and support the delivery of complex solutions within a safety‑critical environment. Your work will directly contribute to vital defence programmes, giving you the opportunity to make a real difference while developing your leadership capability and technical expertise.
- Acting as the Technical Authority, ensuring designs are developed, verified and delivered across the project lifecycle
- Managing the technical delivery of design projects, ensuring alignment with safety, quality, time and cost requirements
- Coordinating resources to support effective and efficient design delivery
- Maintaining structured and compliant design processes, ensuring governance and regulatory standards are consistently met
- Supporting the delivery of complex, safety‑critical solutions through validation, planning, and stakeholder collaboration
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at Devonport Royal Dockyard.
Essential experience
- Demonstrable experience managing technical delivery within design‑led projects
- Strong understanding of design processes, lifecycle management, and governance
- Experience working within regulated, safety‑critical environments such as defence, marine, nuclear, or aerospace
- Proven ability to lead teams and coordinate multi‑disciplinary resources
- Experience managing design assurance, risk, and compliance requirements
Qualifications
- Degree qualified in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience
- Chartered status (or working towards) with a recognised professional institution – 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. 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.
What we offer
- 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 – ability to buy additional leave or sell up to one working week of annual leave from their entitlement
- Be Kind Day – one working day's paid leave a year for volunteering with a chosen charity
- Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing
EEO Statement
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. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.
Design Manager in Plymouth employer: Babcock Mission Critical Services España SA.
At Babcock, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that values employee growth and development. Located in the heart of Devonport, Plymouth, our Design Manager role provides the opportunity to lead impactful defence projects while enjoying a comprehensive benefits package, including a matched pension scheme, health consultations, and generous leave policies. Join us to make a meaningful contribution in a safety-critical environment, where your expertise will be nurtured and recognised.
Contact Details:
Babcock Mission Critical Services España SA. Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Manager in Plymouth
✨Join Engineering Meetups!
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We think you need these skills to ace Design Manager in Plymouth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Technical Expertise:When applying for an engineering role like Design Manager, it’s essential to highlight your technical skills. Include any relevant software or tools you're proficient in on your CV—think CAD software, simulation tools, or programming languages. Don't skimp on any engineering projects you've worked on that demonstrate your ability to solve complex problems.
Focus on Results and Impact:In the engineering world, we love numbers and real-world impact. Quantify your achievements wherever possible—like reducing costs by a certain percentage, improving efficiency, or successfully completing a project ahead of schedule. This gives your future employers at Babcock Mission Critical Services España SA. a clear picture of the value you can bring.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to express your passion for engineering and explain why you’re drawn to Babcock Mission Critical Services España SA. specifically. Share what aspects of their work excite you and how your values align with theirs. This is your chance to show a bit of personality while keeping it professional!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you have any engineering certifications, especially ones that are recognised in your field, make sure to feature them prominently on your CV. They demonstrate not just your knowledge, but also your commitment to professional development, which is something we at StudySmarter value highly.
How to prepare for a job interview at Babcock Mission Critical Services España SA.
✨Brush Up on Core Engineering Principles
Before heading into the interview with Babcock Mission Critical Services España SA., make sure you're solid on the fundamental engineering principles relevant to the role. Be ready to discuss concepts such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, or structural analysis, depending on the specifics mentioned in the job description. Don’t skip any hands-on projects or coursework; these can be excellent talking points!
✨Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills
Expect technical questions or case studies during your interview—after all, engineering is all about solving problems! Prepare a few examples of how you've tackled engineering challenges in the past, whether at university or in any practical experience. Practising with mock technical interviews can really help you articulate your thought process and solutions.
✨Relate Your Experience to the Role
In a full-time role, employers like Babcock Mission Critical Services España SA. want to see that you can adapt and grow within their team. Be ready to discuss how your previous internships, projects, or studies relate directly to the work you'll be doing. Highlight specific experiences that showcase your collaborative skills and how you've successfully worked within a team environment.
✨Know Your Tools and Software
Most engineering roles require familiarity with specific tools and software. Prepare to talk about your proficiency with programmes like AutoCAD, MATLAB, or SolidWorks if they’re relevant to the role. Even better, have examples of projects where you’ve used these tools, as it'll demonstrate your hands-on experience and readiness for the job.
