Aerodynamics Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2027

MBDA UK; West of England; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

Pension 14%

Overtime opportunities

25 days leave + purchase options

Flexi Leave

Subsidised meals and parking

Healthcare plan

Job summary

MBDA UK is offering an Aerodynamics Engineer Undergraduate Placement for 2027 in Bristol. The scheme lets you apply university knowledge to real projects and technologies, with an opportunity to secure a graduate role after your placement.

You will be mentored by experienced aerodynamics engineers and work on cutting-edge missile design and performance assessment. The role is predominantly on-site in Bristol due to security considerations, with limited remote work possible where feasible.

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate working towards a degree in aerospace/engineering or physics-related field.

Responsibilities

• Work with specialist aerodynamics engineers on real-world projects.
• Use bespoke tools alongside commercial software to evaluate airframes.
• Support design across development stages of missiles and integration tasks.

Education

Undergraduate in Aerospace or Aeronautical, Mechanical, Production/Manufacturing Engineering, Mathematics or Physics

Job description

Aerodynamics Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2027

This scheme offers an excellent opportunity to kick‑start your aerodynamics career. Work in one of the most exciting areas of the aerospace industry, alongside a team of outstanding aerodynamicists at the forefront of missile aerodynamics. Salary: £24,460

Dynamic working: This role requires on‑site working in Bristol for the majority of the time due to security considerations and teamwork. However, we will try to accommodate a limited amount of remote working where there are opportunities to do so.

Security clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship. Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team. This role is scheduled to close for applications at midnight on Monday 4th January 2027 but may close earlier depending on application volumes.

What we can offer you:

• 1 year placement: starting September 2027, that allows you to apply your university learning to real‑world projects and technologies
• Perform well on your placement and you could secure a graduate role before your final year
• Company bonus: based on company performance and will vary year to year
• Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
• Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime
• Annual Leave: 25 days plus option to purchase extra holiday
• Flexi Leave: up to 15 additional days
• Facilities: fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more
• Healthcare Cash Plan: The Healthcare Cash Plan benefit provides the option to claim cash back on everyday healthcare expenses such as optical, dental, health and wellbeing and more

The opportunity:

You will be able to draw on knowledge and experience from specialist aerodynamics engineers.

The aerodynamics department at MBDA works on the entire MBDA UK portfolio of products, from concept phase through to in‑service support. As a key player in the UK defence industry, we are able to provide outstanding opportunities across a wide range of applications. Receive mentorship and support from our team of aerodynamicists to learn to use cutting‑edge aerodynamic techniques; designing the missiles of the future.

Undertake a placement seeking to expose you to some of the following areas:

• Application and development and use of our bespoke tools alongside commercial software to evaluate the performance of airframes
• Design of a range of missiles, in all the different stages of their development (concept, assessment, development, in‑service)
• Stealth, propulsion, thermal and structural aspects of missile design and how these foster a multi‑disciplinary design approach
• Missile integration onto land, naval and air platforms
• Integration of solid rocket motors and air‑breathing engines into missile airframes, and assessment of their impact on missile aerodynamics and overall performance

The project selected for you will utilise much of the knowledge gained during your university course and apply this to an industry specific problem. Gain a feel for MBDA and the type of work that we undertake.

What we’re looking for from you:

• Current undergraduate working towards a degree in an Aerospace engineering, Aeronautical engineering, Mechanical engineering, Production/Manufacturing engineering, Mathematics or Physics discipline. Aerodynamics and propulsion based modules are most relevant to this role (such as Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Aircraft Performance, Flight Dynamics & Control etc.), please list any that you have studied on your application

Our company:

Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom. We are proud of our employee‑led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more

We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information.

What we do matters.

Because defence matters.

As a leading company in the defence industry we support our nations by delivering essential military capabilities, both for today and the future.

We are proud to be an award‑winning employer and are proud of the growing diversity of our workforce.

Our people are the ones who drive our constant innovation and deliver against challenging targets.

Whatever your background, we welcome your application to MBDA UK and look forward to speaking with you soon.