2027 Mechanical Engineering Graduate

Thales; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement 201 hours

Pension

Health Care Cash Plan

Hybrid/flexible working options

Learning and development support

Employee assistance programme

Annual bonus

Job summary

Thales in Belfast is offering a 3-year Engineering Development Programme for graduates in Mechanical Engineering or related fields, starting 06 September 2027. The programme accelerates learning through rotation, accreditation by IET, IMechE and RAeS, and a structured development path.

You will work in a fixed location with a supported learning pathway, gaining experience on current products while receiving mentorship from the Engineering Leadership team and exposure to diverse engineering

Qualifications

• This is an entry-level graduate opportunity designed for individuals at the start of their professional career.
• We welcome applications from candidates who have completed a degree and have limited relevant professional experience.
• 3-year Graduate Development Programme accredited by the IET, IMechE and RAeS.

Responsibilities

• Complete a 3-year Graduate Development Programme accredited by IET, IMechE and RAeS.
• Opportunity to rotate in Year 3 or explore an external secondment with Thales partners.
• Complete a core training pathway focusing on transversal skills.
• Develop key engineering skills, knowledge and competencies.
• Work in a set location and domain for the duration of the scheme.
• Work on exciting new and existing products.
• Build a professional network across the organisation.

Education

Product Design Engineering (BEng or MEng)

Mechanical or Aeronautical Engineering (BEng or MEng)

Design, Manufacturing & Engineering Management (BEng or MEng)

All applicable Mechanical Engineering related degrees

Job description

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

2027 Mechanical Engineering Graduate

Start Date: 06 September 2027

Salary: £34,000 per annum

Employee type: Permanent

Location: Belfast

Working Schedule: 37 hours per week (8 hours Monday - Thursday, 5 hours on a Friday)

Are you passionate about engineering? Do you have an inquisitive mind? Do you want to be part of a Graduate Programme that will develop and challenge you? If so, then look no further…

What is the Engineering Development Programme?

This is a 3-year programme with the option to rotate, in Year 3, across different business units experiencing different parts of an engineering lifecycle. You will be assigned to a succession of new or existing programmes where you will work with and be supported by other engineers to design and develop engineering solutions to meet the needs of our customers.

During your time on the programme, you will be under the sponsorship and guidance of the Engineering Leadership team and will follow a structured and detailed learning pathway to fast track your development within your role.

During the programme, you will

• Complete a 3-year Graduate Development Programme which is accredited by the IET, IMechE and RAeS
• An opportunity to rotate in Year 3 or explore an external secondment with one of our Thales partners
• Complete a core training pathway focusing on transversal skills
• Develop key engineering skills, knowledge and competencies
• Work in a set location and domain for the entirety of the scheme, enabling you to fully understand how the Engineering Function operates
• Work on exciting new and existing products
• Build a professional network across the organisation

Requirements

This is an entry-level graduate opportunity designed for individuals at the start of their professional career. We welcome applications from candidates who have completed a degree and have limited relevant professional experience.

• Product Design Engineering (BEng or MEng)
• Mechanical or Aeronautical Engineering (BEng or MEng)
• Design, Manufacturing & Engineering Management (BEng or MEng)
• All applicable Mechanical Engineering related degrees will be considered

Benefits

• Competitive salary of £34,000 per annum
• Performance-related pay uplifts
• Holiday entitlement of 201 hours a year (plus a company day and bank holidays)
• Contributory Company Pension
• Health Care Cash Plan
• Hybrid/flexible working options
• Employee assistance programme
• Learning and development support

Closing date

Our applications will close at 11.59pm on Wednesday 6 January 2027, this is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. Please note, we will be in contact by the end of February 2027 with details of next steps.

Because of the work we do at Thales, all roles are subject to security requirements.

To be considered for this position, you must have the permanent right to work in the UK and be able to successfully complete and maintain UK Government security checks, including Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) screening and Security Clearance (SC), which is a government background check, before starting employment.

To be eligible for SC clearance, you will typically need to have lived in the UK continuously for the last five years. As part of the vetting process, you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, right to work in the UK, any time spent overseas during the last five years, and your employment and/or education history.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please follow this link - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels

Thales is an equal opportunities employer, and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.