Rolls-Royce Submarines has unveiled plans to establish new offices in Cardiff and Glasgow, bolstered by the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) support. The move is aimed at attracting top-tier talent and addressing the surge in demand from the Royal Navy and the recent AUKUS collaboration.
The satellite offices in Cardiff’s St Mellons and Glasgow’s Airport Business Park have been strategically chosen to tap into the skilled talent pools in both regions, with each location set to create over 100 job opportunities.
The heightened demand for technical specialists propels the establishment of these offices, as Rolls-Royce Submarines seeks to engage the finest engineers and specialists from across the UK for an expanding portfolio of defence nuclear projects.
Confirmed in March 2023, Rolls-Royce Submarines secured the contract to provide nuclear reactor plants powering new attack submarines as part of the trilateral agreement between Australia, the UK, and the US.
In Cardiff, the focus for recruitment is on individuals with expertise in mechanical design, materials engineering, structural integrity analysis, thermal analysis, and fluid dynamics. Conversely, the Glasgow office is targeting professionals with a background in electrical controls, instrumentation, and cybersecurity.
Steve Carlier, President of Rolls-Royce Submarines, expressed the company’s commitment to sustaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent and meeting increased demand resulting from AUKUS. He emphasized the unprecedented growth in the business and the importance of attracting top talent to contribute to the development of a secure and sustainable nuclear future.
Carlier remarked, “The work secured from recent announcements will see us support UK and Australian submarines well into the second half of this century, so there has never been a better time to join our industry.”
With a current workforce exceeding 4,000 employees, Rolls-Royce Submarines is responsible for designing, manufacturing, and providing in-service support for pressurized water reactors propelling every vessel in the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.
In 2022, Rolls-Royce, in collaboration with the MOD, established a Nuclear Skills Academy in Derby to ensure a continuous influx of talent into the industry. The academy is set to offer 200 apprenticeships annually for at least the next decade.
Rolls-Royce continues its active support for the ongoing Astute and Dreadnought boat build programs, delivering reactor plants and associated components. The company also provides worldwide frontline support for reactor plant equipment from its Operations Centre in Derby, offering assistance during the submarines’ construction at the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard and at naval bases in Devonport and Faslane.