Job Title: Functional Estimator
Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements
Compensation: £33,900 to £39,607 Dependent Upon Experience + Benefits
Role Type: 18 Month Fixed Term Contract
Role ID: SF74172
Shape the Future of Naval Engineering Through Precision and Insight
At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Functional Estimator at Plymouth, Devon our site.
The role
As a Functional Estimator, you’ll have a role that’s out of the ordinary. You’ll play a critical role in supporting the delivery of vital naval programmes within our Warship Support business. You’ll help bring complex engineering projects to life by producing accurate cost estimates that underpin major bids, through-life support, and future upgrades for Royal Navy vessels.
This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of defence engineering-where your expertise directly supports the operational readiness of the UK’s fleet. You’ll collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, contribute to high-profile programmes, and develop your technical and commercial skills in a dynamic and purpose-driven environment.
Day-to-day, you’ll be required to:
- Produce detailed labour and material cost estimates from engineering specifications and technical drawings
- Interpret work packages and collaborating with engineering teams to ensure accurate scope understanding
- Attend project meetings to support bid preparation and clarify requirements
- Engage with stakeholders across departments to validate assumptions and ensure estimate viability
- Support senior estimators with cost analysis and contributing to continuous improvement activities
This is a full-time, 35 hours per week role based at Devonport Royal Dockyard. You will be working onsite a minimum of one day a week onsite
Essential experience of the Functional Estimator
- Demonstrating experience in fabrication or welding, with the ability to interpret engineering specifications and drawings
- Applying strong analytical and problem-solving skills to cost estimation and planning
- Communicating effectively and working collaboratively within a team environment
- Showing a proactive attitude with a willingness to learn and develop
- Managing workload flexibly to meet project deadlines
Qualifications for the Functional Estimator
- A recognised trade-based apprenticeship or equivalent qualification/experience within an engineering or estimating discipline
Security Clearance
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. This means that your 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 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
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 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 UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to 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
Babcock
We’re Babcock — 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 [email protected] 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: 17/06/2026
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