First Line Manager Welder
// Role Summary
Lead and manage welding operations as a First Line Manager at Devonport Royal Dockyard, supporting critical defence projects. This role requires a blend of technical welding expertise, leadership, and a commitment to quality and safety.
// Key Responsibilities
- Manage and develop a team of welders within a defence engineering environment.
- Oversee welding standards, quality assurance, and health & safety compliance.
- Support submarine maintenance, continuous at sea deterrent operations, and surface ship activities.
- Ensure efficient and high-quality delivery of welding projects.
- Requires HNC in Engineering or equivalent experience, plus essential welding expertise.
// Role Specification
First Line Manager Welder
At Babcock, we are creating a safe and secure world, together. Join us as a First Line Manager Welder at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site and play your part in crucial defence engineering projects.
As a First Line Manager Welder, you will be a vital member of our Factory team, providing essential support for submarine maintenance programmes, Continuous At Sea Deterrent operations, and surface ship activities. This is a unique opportunity to leverage your welding expertise, leadership capabilities, and dedication to quality to contribute to some of the UK's most significant defence engineering initiatives.
Your day-to-day responsibilities will include supporting operational delivery, upholding welding standards, and fostering a 'right-first-time' culture. You will be instrumental in developing workforce capabilities, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring all welding activities are conducted safely, efficiently, and to the highest quality standards.
Key Responsibilities:
- Managing welder qualifications, competency records, and future qualification requirements for the team.
- Leading health and safety training compliance, quality assurance activities, and 'right-first-time' welding initiatives.
- Controlling welding equipment, consumables, and documentation to ensure compliance and readiness.
- Conducting visual weld inspections and coordinating quality assurance, quality control, and non-destructive testing inspections.
- Driving continuous improvement through performance trend analysis, enhancing traceability, and supporting innovation projects.
This is a full-time, permanent role working 35 hours per week, based at Devonport Royal Dockyard.
Essential Experience:
- Experience in an engineering, manufacturing, or technical environment, preferably with at least five years of relevant experience.
- Strong knowledge of welding processes, including plate and pipe welding techniques.
- Sound understanding of factory manufacturing and production processes.
- Effective communication skills with customers, senior stakeholders, and operational teams.
- Experience using digital systems and engineering documentation within a production setting.
Qualifications:
- HNC or equivalent qualification in an Engineering or Technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
- Additional welding, quality assurance, or manufacturing qualifications are beneficial.
Security Clearance:
The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance.
What We Offer:
- Generous holiday allowance
- Matched contribution pension scheme with life assurance
- Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations
- Employee shopping savings portal
- Payment of Professional Fees
- Special paid leave for reservists in the armed forces
- Holiday Trading options
- 'Be Kind Day' for volunteering
Babcock is a global FTSE 100 organisation committed to building a future that lasts and offering meaningful careers. We are a disability confident committed employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are happy to discuss flexible working arrangements.