BAE Systems to recruit 200 engineers for submarine business

The technical talent is required to work on the design of the Trident Successor programme

BAE Systems is looking to recruit up to 200 engineers and project managers to work on the Successor nuclear submarine programme at its facility in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

The Barrow site is currently busy with the build of the Astute fleet of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines. But the company needs to ensure that it has enough technical talent to move forward on the Successor project to replace the Vanguard class of Trident missile carrying submarines. 

Successor is likely to comprise up to four boats at a cost of £15-20 billion, providing work at the Barrow yard until 2030.

The requirement for the engineers and project managers was revealed in Signature, BAE Systems’ in-house magazine. Senior resourcing manager Jayne Gilfillan, who represents BAE’s Submarine Solutions, said the business was in the “fortunate position” at present of recruiting for 200 posts.

BAE Systems is the industry leader for the design of a successor to the Trident missile carrying Vanguard class of nuclear deterrent submarines, and the additional engineering resource will help it progress with concept designs for the new boats.

The Vanguard class is the Royal Navy’s current nuclear ballistic missile submarines, each armed with up to 16 Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The class was introduced in 1994 as part of the UK government’s Trident nuclear weapons programme. The class includes four boats: Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance, all built at Barrow-in-Furness by the then Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering between 1986 and 1999.