Principal Structural Analyst in Bristol

Shape the future of defence engineering through expert analysis and technical leadership. At Babcock, we're working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Structural Analyst at Ashton House, Bristol. This is an exciting opportunity to join our Analysis, Modelling & Simulation team, where you'll help deliver critical engineering solutions that support some of the UK's most important defence programmes. Working at the forefront of structural integrity, advanced analysis and engineering assurance, you'll combine deep technical expertise with leadership responsibility, influencing decisions that contribute directly to national security and defence capability. If you're looking for a role where your expertise will be valued, your judgement trusted and your career development supported, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

The role involves leading the delivery of high-integrity structural analysis activities across complex defence engineering projects. You'll act as a technical authority, solving challenging engineering problems, assuring the quality of analysis outputs and providing robust evidence that supports the qualification of critical systems and equipment used across submarine and surface ship platforms. This role offers the opportunity to work with highly skilled engineers on technically demanding projects while developing your leadership profile within a growing and innovative business.

Day-to-day, you'll be required to:

• Lead the resolution of complex structural problems using advanced FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and first-principles hand calculations.
• Provide customer-facing technical justification and clear, structured reports to support qualification across submarine and surface ship platforms.
• Act as a technical authority by reviewing, challenging, and assuring the quality and robustness of analysis produced by others.
• Communicate analysis results effectively to internal and external stakeholders, clearly articulating key insights, assumptions, and limitations to support decision-making.
• Set and uphold the standard for structural analysis by defining best practices and supporting others to consistently achieve them.

This role is full time, 37 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with days onsite and days working from home, depending on business and project needs.

Essential experience:

• Extensive experience in structural analysis within a high-integrity or safety-critical environment (e.g. defence, nuclear, aerospace).
• Advanced experience in structural FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and hand calculations, including nonlinear, dynamic and transient methods for shock analysis and pressure vessel assessment.
• Proven experience leading complex technical work and delivering analysis under challenging or uncertain conditions, with a strong understanding of defence standards and codes including PD5500, MAP 01-470, BS 5950, BS EN 13001, or equivalent.
• Demonstrable experience as an independent technical approver/signatory for structural calculations, finite element models, and analysis reports, with the credibility and authority to undertake approval responsibilities from day one.

Qualifications:

• A degree in mechanical, or a related engineering discipline.

Security Clearance:

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role. Must be SOLE UK Nationals.

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 is a benefit that allows the majority of employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement
• '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
• Flexible working - we give people more options to better integrate their work and personal life, whilst ensuring that business needs are met

Babcock is 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 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: 31/07/2026