Submarine Disposal & Defuel Engineer ( 2 Year SDA Secondment) - Submarines

Job Description

Submarine Disposal & Defuel Engineer ( 2 Year SDA Secondment)

 Full Time,

Devonport

The Rolls-Royce Submarines Services team located at HM Naval Base Devonport has an exciting 2-year secondment opportunity for a Mechanical Engineer to work directly with the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA).

The successful candidate will be embedded within the Submarines Disposal & Devonport Infrastructure Team working directly for the Chief Engineer and will be responsible for the management and resolution of technical issues and provide project management support between the SDA and Babcock Marine to deliver the decommissioning and defuel activities associated with the Royal Navy PWR1 submarines

Why Rolls-Royce?

Rolls-Royce is one of the most enduring and iconic brands in the world and has been at the forefront of innovation for over a century. We design, build and service systems that provide critical power to customers where safety and reliability are paramount.

We are proud to be a force for progress, powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere.

We want to ensure that the excellence and ingenuity that has shaped our history continues into our future and we need people like you to come and join us on this journey.

We’ll provide an environment of caring and belonging where you can be yourself. An inclusive, innovative culture that invests in you, gives you access to an incredible breadth and depth of opportunities where you can grow your career and make a difference.

Become a part of the Services department within the Rolls-Royce Submarines business and make a difference to the UK submarine enterprise working collaboratively with our enterprise partners to ensure that the Royal Navy PWR1 submarines are decommissioned, defueled and prepared for final disposal in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

What we offer

We offer excellent development opportunities, a competitive salary, and exceptional benefits. These include bonus, employee support assistance and employee discounts.

Your needs are as unique as you are. Hybrid working is a way in which our people can balance their time between the office, home, or another remote location.  It’s a locally managed and flexed informal discretionary arrangement.  As a minimum we’re all expected to attend the workplace for collaboration and other specific reasons, on average three days per week.

What you will be doing

With this attractive opportunity you will get a chance to:

• Identify, assess, and implement opportunities to optimise the Submarine decommissioning and Defuel programme prior to the submarines entering the final disposal phase.
• Leverage engineering expertise to analyse tasks, processes, and system designs, to identify opportunities for improvement. 
• Lead and manage optimisation projects, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and alignment with technical and operational quality standards. Oversee resources and execution of approved initiatives.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, design, and operations teams across the Submarine Enterprise to ensure the effective execution of optimisation projects and seamless integration into broader operations.
• Review production schedules and contract bid submissions ensuring customer requirements are achieved within agreed affordability limits.

Who we’re looking for:

At Rolls-Royce we put safety first, do the right thing, keep it simple and make a difference. These principles form the behaviours that guide us and are an essential component of our assessment process. They are the fundamental qualities that we seek for all roles.

The qualifications, skills and competencies required are:

• Qualified to a degree level in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or related disciplines) or equivalent experience.

• Have knowledge of Submarine systems, including Nuclear Reactor Plants or Submarine Decommissioning or Nuclear Defuel operations is advantageous.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills along with the ability to proactively identify and implement opportunities.
• Experience of working with cross-functional teams and engaging with external and internal stakeholders at all levels.
• Proficient in analysing data and making data-driven decisions.
• Experience in regulated environments, such as the Submarine Enterprise, Nuclear Industry, or other Defence-Related sectors is beneficial but not required.

Please be aware that the priority will be given to employees identified as being at high risk. The professional level and the salary of the position will be dependent on the skills and experience of the successful candidate. 

It is advised that you inform your current manager of your application for this role.

We are an equal opportunities employer. We’re committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive working environment. We believe that people from different backgrounds and cultures give us different perspectives which are crucial to innovation and problem solving. We believe the more diverse perspectives we have, the more successful we’ll be. By building a culture of caring and belonging, we give everyone who works here the opportunity to realise their full potential.

You can learn more about our global Inclusion strategy at

Our people | Rolls-Royce

To work for the Rolls-Royce Submarines business an individual has to hold a Security Check clearance.  Rolls-Royce will support the application for Security Clearance if you do not currently already have this in place.  Due to the nature of work the business conducts and the protection of certain assets we can only progress applications from individuals who are a UK national or, in MoD approved cases, a dual national.

Grade : NGS 7-9

Contact Paul Gargett - [email protected]

Job Category

Engineering for Services

Posting Date

01 Apr 2025; 00:04Posting End Date15 Apr 2025