Naval Overseers – Capability Insertion Engineering Manager in Rosyth

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

DE&S has recently been integrated into the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group. The NAD Group brings together key Ministry of Defence (MOD) organisations to unite expertise across science, technology, procurement, infrastructure, and support to provide integrated capabilities faster and more efficiently for our armed forces and our allies. This is an exciting new opportunity to enable better ways of working and empower greater collaboration across Defence.

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of 28.97%, to help make work work for you.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you’ve been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained, or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

Do you have a background in maritime combat systems, marine systems, or managing change in a maritime environment? This is your opportunity to join a flagship defence programme and be at the forefront of delivering the backbone of the Royal Navy’s future frontline surface fleet.

As a Naval Overseer working alongside industry partners in a dynamic shipyard environment, you will provide on-site technical oversight and assurance across naval vessel construction and trials, ensuring contractors meet contractual, quality, and performance requirements. Providing a visible National Armaments Director Group presence, you will cultivate strong and collaborative working relationships with our industry partners working together to drive improvement in shipbuilding performance whilst maintaining independent assurance.

As the local technical authority, you will identify and address defects or quality issues at the earliest opportunity, maintain continuous oversight of shipbuilding and maintenance activities and be empowered to make decisions on a local level to support programme delivery. You will play a key role in managing delivery and indemnity risks, ensuring due diligence is applied throughout the build and support lifecycle, while also contributing technical expertise to testing, acceptance, and assurance activities to support the successful delivery of naval capability.

The role offers the opportunity to participate in sea trials, spending time at sea and seeing first‑hand how your work contributes to operational capability. Four of the five Type 31 Frigates are currently under construction at Babcock Marine's Rosyth shipyard and will be delivered over the coming years. Each ship will undergo a six‑month Capability Insertion Period (CIP), during which additional systems will be integrated to deliver a safe, fully operational warship for the Royal Navy.

As capability requirements continue to be developed, the post holder will support delivery across the full lifecycle, from requirements definition and integration through to acceptance and handover. The role includes supporting the integration and acceptance of at least 25 enhancements across weapon, sensor and mechanical systems, ensuring the successful delivery of critical resources to the Royal Navy. The Type 31 frigate is a strategically important acquisition programme, contributing to the UK’s defence prosperity agenda and strengthening international collaboration.

This role offers excellent development opportunities for professional growth and to build experience supporting long‑term career progression. The role will provide exposure to the broadening of engineering expertise, establishing productive stakeholder relationships, fostering the communication, and influencing skills required to operate effectively across Government and industry, and strengthening leadership capability.

If you enjoy tackling complex engineering challenges, finding practical solutions and thrive in a hands‑on environment this is an exceptional opportunity to make a tangible contribution to the future capability of the Royal Navy. Join a programme that will leave a lasting legacy for UK Defence.

Working environment: This role is based within operational shipbuilding facilities and requires regular attendance aboard vessels under construction and trials. Successful candidates must be able to safely access all areas of a ship, including climbing ladders, negotiating narrow access routes, entering confined spaces, and working around scaffolding and temporary structures. Whilst the role is not primarily physically demanding, it requires a suitable level of mobility, agility, and resilience to safely undertake inspection, assurance and oversight activities within an industrial maritime environment.

This is an on‑site position based at the Rosyth Royal Dockyard, Rosyth, Fife KY11 2YD, with a compressed working pattern of 8‑hour days Monday to Thursday and a shortened day on Friday (37 hours/week). The role offers a compressed working pattern of 8‑hour days Monday to Thursday and a shortened day on Friday (37 hours/week), and there will be opportunities to support occasional night and weekend working.

What you’ll be doing:

• Coordination of Design Change Management Process, including developing review pack for Change Impact Assessment Committees, and updates to engineering change management documentation.
• Lead professional engineering oversight of ship construction and trials within the assigned technical area, acting as a senior MOD / NADG representative in the shipyard and helping to ensure delivery to the required contractual, technical and quality standards.
• The CIP Engineering Manager will be responsible for ensuring continuous oversight of compartments impacted by CIP changes during the design and build phase to ensure that no issues arise in Build that would impact equipment integration in CIP.
• Lead or support key acceptance and assurance activities, including inspections, tests, trials and readiness events, ensuring the required evidence is available to demonstrate compliance with agreed requirements.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with industry partners, ship’s staff and MOD stakeholders, using influence and clear communication to align priorities, manage delivery risks and support continuous improvement.
• Set a positive example for safe, compliant and professional working in shipyard and trials environments, supporting the management of safety, environmental and indemnity risks and helping others understand their responsibilities.
• Develop, review and agree test forms with the contractor and equipment providers.
• Review of CIP design related documentation, engagement of equipment teams within NAD and management of integration and acceptance of equipment onboard ship.

Person specification: To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Have wide ranging depth and breadth experience of providing technical advice and delivery of successful Electronic Systems Sensors (ESS), Marine systems or Engineering change outcomes in a maritime environment.
• Demonstrate experience of managing change.
• As a minimum be professionally registered as either: Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Registered Marine Technologist (RMarTech) or Advanced Registered IT Technician (Adv RITTech).
• Hold Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registration, or an equivalent professional registration recognised by a licensed Professional Engineering Institution. Candidates who can demonstrate equivalent professional competence may be appointed, subject to achieving IEng (or an approved equivalent) by 31 December 2027. Overseas registrations are acceptable where they are recognised under the International Professional Engineers Agreement/Accord.
• Note: Alternatives to RQF listed above (which cover England, Wales, and Northern Ireland only), are the Scottish SCQF; or an international equivalent qualification, which must be supported by a statement of comparability from UK ENIC.
• Applicants should also consider their ability to work effectively and comfortably within an operational shipbuilding working environment.
• AND Be able to satisfy requirements of and obtain ENG1 seafarer medical fitness certificate. For recruitment purposes, external candidates do not need to hold these but must have no known reasons not to achieve this within 6 months of employment.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Delivering at Pace – CSBC 3