Lead Naval Architect

Lead Naval Architect
Southampton
Salary - £60,000 - £70,000
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.

The Role

As the Lead Naval Architect you will oversee the full lifecycle of vessel design, from concept generation through to manufacture, testing, and handover. This role requires strong technical leadership and hands-on design expertise, ensuring that every vessel meets the highest standards of performance, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Working collaboratively with design, engineering, and production teams, the successful candidate will lead the optimisation of hull and foil systems, manage weights and stability, and ensure seamless integration of naval architecture principles into vessel design.

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. 
About You

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. 

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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