Senior Structural Engineer – Naval Ship Design

About the role

Navantia UK is expanding its engineering capability in Bristol and seeks a Senior Structural Engineer to lead the design, analysis and modelling of complex naval and government vessels. You will work on cutting‑edge maritime programmes, applying advanced finite element analysis and 3D structural modelling to deliver robust, high‑performance ship structures.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and deliver structural design and analysis for naval and complex commercial vessels.
• Produce high‑quality outputs including 3D models, drawings, calculations, BOMs, weight estimates and technical reports.
• Develop and own the team’s finite element analysis capability, defining standards, workflows and verification procedures.
• Build and maintain a 3D ship‑structure modelling capability using Siemens NX.
• Perform global and local analyses such as strength, vibration, fatigue, buckling and stiffness.
• Optimise designs for safety, performance and manufacturability.
• Apply MOD, Naval Ship Rules and Classification Society standards.
• Provide technical leadership, mentor junior engineers and support design reviews.

Required profile

• Strong experience in steel ship structures, preferably on naval or complex commercial vessels.
• Proven expertise in finite element analysis and structural analysis.
• Confidence using 3D CAD/CAE tools; Siemens NX experience is desirable.
• Deep understanding of fabrication, fatigue, failure modes and ship structural behaviour.
• Excellent problem‑solving and communication skills.
• Degree (or HNC/HND with experience) in Structural Engineering, Naval Architecture or a related field.
• Eligibility for BPSS; SC clearance required for some roles.

Required skills

• Steel ship structures
• Finite element analysis (FEA)
• Siemens NX
• 3D CAD/CAE
• Strength, vibration, fatigue, buckling and stiffness analysis
• MOD standards
• Naval Ship Rules
• Classification Society standards

What we offer

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Hybrid working model (minimum three days in the office, project‑dependent).
• A pivotal technical role with the opportunity to shape structural engineering in naval ship design.