Job Description

Navantia UK is a new force in British industry, supporting the UK’s defence, energy and maritime ambitions. We’re doing this by creating state-of-the-art sovereign defence capabilities, investing in the UK to modernise industrial facilities, and bolstering the nation's energy security. Established in 2022, Navantia UK is a subsidiary of Navantia SA, a Spanish state-owned company with over 300 years of naval shipbuilding history. In January 2025, Navantia UK completed the acquisition of Harland & Wolff and its four historic facilities in Belfast, Appledore, Methil, and Arnish. By combining Harland & Wolff’s proud heritage and facilities with Navantia’s global expertise, Navantia UK is well-positioned to strengthen Britain’s defence, maritime and energy industrial capabilities, supporting jobs and economic growth across the UK.

Draughtsperson – Navantia UK (Appledore)

Based: Appledore | 🏗️ Engineering |

Navantia UK is growing, and we’re looking for a skilled Draughtsperson to join our Engineering team in Appledore. If you’re passionate about producing high‑quality ship production drawings and supporting real shipyard construction, this role offers the opportunity to make a visible impact from day one.

In this role, you’ll create accurate, production‑ready technical drawings and materials information that enable safe, efficient and compliant shipbuilding. You’ll work closely with Engineering, Production, Planning, QA and Project teams—collaborating across disciplines to deliver technical excellence while living our STEADY values: Service, Trust, Excellence, Agility, Dedication and You

What You’ll Be Doing

Technical Draughting & Engineering Support

• Produce detailed fabrication, assembly and installation drawings for steel structures, outfit, foundations and marine components.
• Translate concept, basic and detailed design packages into production‑ready outputs using AutoCAD.
• Prepare and maintain accurate materials parts lists (MPLs/BOMs) aligned to drawing revisions.

Production & Shipyard Support

• Act as a technical interface between Engineering and Production, resolving shop‑floor queries.
• Support onboard, block and workshop activities by addressing buildability and installation challenges.
• Feed production red‑line updates into controlled drawing revisions.

Configuration Control & Documentation

• Maintain revision control and document accuracy in line with Navantia UK's Quality Management System.
• Update drawings to as‑built status following construction or commissioning changes.
• Support concessions, deviations and engineering changes.

Compliance & Standards

• Ensure drawings comply with classification society rules, flag state requirements, customer specifications and shipyard standards.
• Produce outputs that consider manufacturability, safety, maintainability and inspection requirements.

Collaboration & Values

• Work collaboratively to meet delivery targets.
• Deliver high‑quality, precise documentation that stakeholders trust.
• Adapt to changing priorities while maintaining ownership and professionalism.
• Contribute positively to team culture and knowledge sharing.

How Your Success Will Be Measured

• ≥ 95% on‑time delivery of assigned drawings
• ≥ 90% first‑time‑right issue rate
• Positive stakeholder feedback
• Zero uncontrolled or superseded drawings
• Timely, accurate as‑built updates
• Consistent demonstration of STEADY values

What You’ll Bring

Essential

• Experience in shipbuilding or a marine engineering environment
• Strong 2D CAD skills (AutoCAD)
• Understanding of fabrication methods, production drawings and weld details
• Excellent attention to detail and quality focus
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Competency with Microsoft Office

Desirable

• Engineering Drawing Diploma or equivalent
• Experience supporting live shipbuild or fabrication projects
• Familiarity with class society and marine standards
• Exposure to 3D ship design tools
• Ability to propose practical, cost‑effective solutions

🎓 Education & Experience

HNC/HND in Engineering, or significant equivalent experience within shipbuilding or heavy fabrication. Practical shipyard support experience is strongly preferred.

🏢 Working Environment

Primarily office‑based, with occasional travel and overnight stays. You may sometimes work beyond standard hours depending on project needs.

🚀 Why Join Navantia UK?

You’ll be part of a highly skilled, mission‑driven team building next‑generation maritime capability. This is an opportunity to shape real‑world engineering projects while working in an environment that values collaboration, growth and respect for every individual.

Additional Information

Equal Opportunity: We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. To ensure equal opportunities for all candidates, we commit to a fair and unbiased recruitment process at every stage. This includes ensuring hiring managers are aware of legislation, providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities, and actively seeking to eliminate any form of discrimination based on race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. Our goal is to create a recruitment environment where every candidate feels valued and has an equal chance to succeed.

If you experience difficulties or are unable to apply for a role on-line please contact us at people.skills@harland-wolff.com and one of the team will be in contact to help you.

• Permanent position
• Competitive salary
• Company pension

We are an Opening Doors employer, committed to equal opportunity and an inclusive workplace. Our approach, shaped by our values of service, trust, excellence, agility, dedication, and you, we focus on removing barriers and recognising potential. We are committed to fairness at every stage, including providing reasonable adjustments and actively working to eliminate discrimination.

We believe talent is everywhere, and by widening access to opportunity and welcoming diverse experiences, we aim to create a workplace where every person feels valued and has an equal chance.

If you experience difficulties or are unable to apply for a role on-line please contact us at people.skills@harland-wolff.com and one of the team will be in contact to help you.