Electro-Optic Seekers & Systems Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2027

MBDA; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

Pension (up to 14%)

25 days annual leave

Flexible leave

Healthcare cash plan

On-site facilities

Job summary

MBDA is inviting applications for an Electro-Optic Seekers & Sensors Undergraduate Placement in Bristol. This 1-year placement starts September 2027 and offers hands-on work in EO technologies, system design, modelling and testing within a highly collaborative team.

You will gain experience across projects from concept to testing, with potential routes to a graduate role. Attractive benefits include pension, bonus and generous annual leave.

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate studying for a degree in Physics, Engineering, Electronics, Computing or any Applied Science discipline.
• Interest in electro-optic systems and technologies; keen to apply knowledge and take on challenges with the team.

Responsibilities

• Work on electro-optic systems design, computational modelling, lab testing and field trials.
• Collaborate with a diverse team of engineers across MBDA.
• Develop models for EO systems and predict performance.

Skills

Interest in electro-optic systems

Computational modelling

Lab testing

Systems thinking

Education

Undergraduate degree in Physics/Engineering/Computing

Tools

Modelling tools

Job description

Electro-Optic Seekers & Systems Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2027

Would you like to utilise your degree to push the cutting edge of sensing and imaging technology? This opportunity within the Electro-Optics Seekers and Sensors will allow you to innovate within a supportive team, at a company that invests in its people and supports our Armed Forces.

Bristol

Would you like to utilise your degree to push the cutting edge of sensing and imaging technology? This opportunity within the Electro-Optics Seekers and Sensors will allow you to innovate within a supportive team, at a company that invests in its people and supports our Armed Forces.

Salary: £24,460

Dynamic (hybrid) working: You can expect to be onsite around2-3 days per week

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
• 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:

Our Electro-Optic (EO) Seekers & Sensors department provides expertise and support into all projects within MBDA involving EO technologies, as well as investing in research and development of innovative technologies which will shape the future of our products. We work on projects that cover the whole product lifecycle from concept and assessment through to full product design, testing and production. This role presents an exciting opportunity to experience all of these areas through a range of systems design, computational modelling, lab testing and field trials within a diverse team of engineers.

Some of the EO technologies we specialise in include:

• Infra-Red (IR) Seekers & Sensors
• Optics
• Computational Imaging
• Lasers & Directed Energy Weapons

Across the department we have a variety of different teams to get involved in, who work together to deliver our overall functional capability. We all interact regularly through team meetings, events and socials to continue to grow as a department. We also collaborate closely with the technical community across MBDA and the wider defence industry. Within our department you will be able to undertake work with the following teams:

• Systems Engineering – Support major MBDA programmes by designing and certifying EO products
• Technologies - Innovate and develop cutting edge technologies alongside experts in the field
• Modelling and Tools – Generate models for EO systems and use these to predict performance
• Scene Generation – Create synthetic IR imagery for these models to test different scenarios
• Trials – Assess real EO systems through lab testing and field trials

What we're looking for from you:

Current undergraduate studying for a degree in a Physics, Engineering, Electronics, Computing or any Applied Science discipline.

We are looking for candidates with an interest in electro-optic systems and technologies, who are keen to apply their knowledge and skills to challenge themselves, the team and our technical capability.

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 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