On the incorporation of the Naval Works Department with the Navy Board in 1808, he was given the title of Mechanist under the Civil Architect and Engineer.
As well as his main responsibilities over time he was involved in devising machinery for testing anchor chains; for investigating different firefighting apparatus used on shipboard; reporting on machinery for making rope and cordage, and on saw-milling apparatus; for making seagoing trials of steam vessels.
He was in close contact with many of the important engineers of the time, including Richard Trevithick, Matthew Murray, Henry Maudslay, Sir Marc Isambard Brunel and, particularly, Joshua Field.
Goodrich married Susanna Lloyd on 25 December 1797 at the Navy church of Saint Martin in the Fields, Westminster and had two daughters.
The Simon Goodrich papers are a source of detailed information about what is something of a dark age in our knowledge of the engineering background to the Industrial Revolution.