Lead Naval Architect
Posted 2 days 13 hours ago by Marine Resources Recruitment Ltd
Lead Naval Architect - Location: Southampton / Fareham Salary: £60,000 - £80,000 Permanent - Full Time
Are you a skilled Naval Architect ready to take ownership of innovative vessel design projects, from concept through to delivery within a fast-paced, high-technology marine environment?
My client is looking for a Lead Naval Architect to provide technical leadership across all aspects of naval architecture, guiding the design and development of advanced vessels that push the boundaries of performance, capability, and innovation.
Key Responsibilities- Provide technical oversight and direction across all naval architecture activities, maintaining design quality and consistency.
- Take full ownership of vessel design projects from concept through manufacture, testing, and delivery.
- Lead hull form and foil design, supporting hydrodynamic performance and handling targets.
- Oversee hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, and stability analyses to ensure vessel safety and efficiency.
- Manage weights, centres, and mass properties documentation throughout build phases.
- Liaise with classification societies and regulatory bodies to achieve design approval and certification.
- Identify project resource requirements, risks, and conflicts, assisting with planning and prioritisation.
- Mentor junior engineers and promote best practice within the naval architecture team.
- Contribute to research and development in hull and foil technology, performance optimisation, and composite design.
Essential Skills & Experience:
- Degree qualified in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, Ship Science, or equivalent (BEng, MEng, MSc).
- Proven experience leading vessel design projects from concept to delivery, ideally within defence, commercial, racing, or autonomous craft sectors.
- Strong background in hull and foil design, including hydrodynamic analysis and performance prediction.
- Experience working with regulatory and classification bodies such as Lloyd's Register, DNV, MCA, or RINA.
- Proficiency in marine design and analysis tools such as Paramarine, Rhino, or equivalent.
- Sound understanding of weights, centres, and stability principles.
- Excellent communication and documentation skills, with the ability to lead technical discussions.
Desirable Skills & Experience:
- Experience designing prototype or small-batch vessels within marine, defence, or high-performance industries.
- Understanding of structural design and FEA, particularly for composite structures.
- Familiarity with marine systems design and multidisciplinary integration.
- Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or working towards registration with RINA or IMarEST.
- Exposure to project management methodologies such as APM or PRINCE2.
- Use initiative and sound judgement to deliver effective engineering solutions.
- Maintain proficiency in relevant IT and CAD tools.
- Uphold professionalism, collaboration, and integrity in all business dealings.
- Ensure safe working practices in line with company and health & safety procedures.
This is an exceptional opportunity to play a leading role in the creation of cutting-edge maritime technology, shaping the next generation of advanced, high-performance craft.
If you're a confident and technically driven Naval Architect looking to lead innovative design projects in a dynamic environment, this could be the ideal next step in your career. Get in touch for a confidential conversation or simply click apply and send your up to date CV over.
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