Assistant Scientist

At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as an Assistant Scientist at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

Assistant Scientist

Plymouth, Devon

£39,607 + Benefits

Full time / Permanent

As an Assistant Scientist, you’ll support the delivery of scientific and analytical services that directly contribute to the safety, reliability and operational capability of vessels and departments across His Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport. Day‑to‑day, you’ll join a small, supportive team where your work will genuinely make a difference, from ensuring the quality of breathing air systems on naval vessels to supporting environmental monitoring and specialist analysis.

• Work to and maintain ISO 17025 standards within a UKAS‑accredited laboratory.
• Carry out sampling of low‑ and high‑pressure compressed air systems.
• Analyse breathing air via FTIR to standards such as BS EN 12021.
• Perform asbestos analysis using P401 and P403 methodologies.
• Support laboratory operations, ensuring accurate records, high‑quality work and safe working practices.

• Experience working afloat within marine or dockyard environments (Desirable).
• Mechanical or scientific background (Desirable).
• Willingness to learn, self‑motivation, and excellent attention to detail.

• Level 3 qualification in a scientific or engineering field.
• P401 and/or P403 asbestos analysis certification (Desirable).
• Additional scientific training or laboratory competencies (Desirable).

The successful candidate must be 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. 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. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels -  ().

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva Digi Care+
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10‑days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading allows employees to buy additional leave or sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This window opens February through to March annually.
• ‘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.

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 car with the subject header “Reasonable adjustments requirement”. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive and we are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

09/03/2026