Job Title: Permit Controller
Location: Plymouth, Devon
Compensation: £39,607 (Rising to £41,985 upon completion of competency training) + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF73687
At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Permit Controller at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.
As a Permit Controller, you’ll take on a highly visible and trusted role within Devonport Royal Dockyard, controlling and authorising high‑risk activities across vessels and facilities. You’ll ensure work is properly planned, deconflicted and carried out safely, often in challenging environments such as confined spaces onboard Royal Navy warships.
Day-to-day, you’ll complete structured training and, once signed off through Babcock’s competency framework, be appointed as an Authorised Person for confined space work. Your judgement, attention to detail and ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders will directly support safe operations in one of the UK’s most critical defence environments, while building valuable skills for long‑term career development.
- Authorising and deconflicting high‑risk activities, ensuring permits and controls are applied correctly
- Reviewing risk documentation, including RAMS, COSHH assessments and safe systems of work
- Issuing, installing and monitoring atmospheric monitoring equipment
- Auditing authorised tasks and activities to confirm compliance with procedures
- Engaging with stakeholders across operations, maintenance and delivery teams
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at Devonport Royal Dockyard. The role offers a starting salary of £39,507, increasing to £41,985 upon successful completion of training through the competency framework.
Essential experience of the Permit Controller
- Experience or understanding of confined space operations and associated hazards
- Ability to meet the physical demands of working onboard vessels and in confined spaces
- Confidence reviewing safety documentation and following structured procedures
- Competence using Microsoft Office and basic digital systems
- Clear verbal and written communication skills
Qualifications for the Permit Controller
- GCSE Grade C or above (or equivalent) in Maths and English
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) security clearance for this role.
Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
What we offer
- Generous holiday allowance
- Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
- Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
- Employee shopping savings portal
- Payment of Professional Fees
- Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
- Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This Window opens February through to March annually.
- ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
We’re Babcock — a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 26,000 people working together to make a difference.
Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts — not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.
We call that lifetime engineering.
Join us and see how far we can go, together.
We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email careers@babcockinternational.com with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.
Closing date: 20/05/2026
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