Engineering Support - Undergraduate Placement 2027

MBDA S.A.S.; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

Pension

Annual leave 25 days

Flexi Leave

Healthcare Cash Plan

Subsidised meals

Free car parking

Job summary

MBDA invites undergraduates in engineering to join a year-long CSS placement in the UK, interacting with the Royal Navy, Army, and RAF. You’ll work across design, development and repair tasks, while gaining hands-on experience on live projects and learning through MBDA training platforms.

The role offers structured learning, career development and exposure to a global defence environment. Salary is £24,460 with hybrid working 2–3 days on-site.

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate working towards a degree in an Engineering discipline.
• Ability to communicate engineering concepts clearly to technical and non-technical people.

Responsibilities

• Work on design, development, troubleshooting and repair tasks on live projects with real impact.
• Analyse operational scenarios with the Armed Forces to reflect user needs in MBDA products.
• Access MBDA Learning Gateway and participate in training; engage in management training if offered.

Skills

Engineering basics

Communication

Troubleshooting

Design understanding

Education

Undergraduate in Engineering

Job description

As an Undergraduate in Customer Support and Services (CSS) you will play a crucial role in ensuring our products are ready for action whenever our customers need them. Alongside your primary role at our sites in the UK, you'll have the opportunity to visit and interact directly with the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force, gaining hands-on experience with all the support you need. Your placement within our department could be at any point in the CADMID cycle; it could be working on a current development programme where you would be influencing the design of the System. Or it could be supporting an In‑Service product, working to ensure the system remains operational with anything from resolving technical issues with the Design Team to supporting maintenance activities. You'll be able to choose between a variety of online learning platforms such as Percipio, YouLearn, Career Builder and Video Gateway. Each one is tailored to a specific type of learning. Speak to your line manager to find out more. We encourage new learning and will provide up to £150 in financial support per year if you wish to participate in further study in your own time. You'll have access to our Learning Gateway, which hosts the formal course catalogue and is where you can select the right training for your role and future development. The catalogue displays which courses are being delivered virtually or are classroom based. If you want to lead a team, you might be interested in our management training, designed for people of all experience levels.

• Current undergraduate working towards a degree in an Engineering discipline.
• A good understanding of engineering principles and the ability to communicate them clearly with both technical and non-technical people
  Our role within MBDA is unique - we support the development and delivery of the whole Weapon System; our mission is to understand everything that the user needs!
• Work on a mix of design, development, troubleshooting, and repair tasks, gaining practical experience on a live Project with real impact across the entire product lifecycle.
• You will be analysing operational scenarios to ensure our Systems can be used in the 'real world' and not just in models or laboratories. This goes beyond the analysis of technical documentation and into direct contact with the Armed Forces to reflect their experiences back into our Products.
• You will develop essential engineering skills as well as a broad understanding of how MBDA interacts with our customers. CSS excels in being able to provide placements that encompass both technical engineering as well as the opportunity to learn how a global player in the Defence Industry operates.
• CSS is one of the few departments within MBDA that communicates at all levels within the business, as well as externally to all of our Customers. This unique opportunity will enhance your communication skills; requiring you to tailor your conversations based on your audience and your objective.

Every single system that MBDA delivers, from Meteor to Sea Viper, requires support to ensure that the Missile and surrounding systems remain operational for many years to come. CSS are the team at MBDA that make this happen; you will be a part of the team that makes this happen. Your placement could be at any point in the CADMID cycle; for example, you could be working on a current development programme influencing the design of the System to ensure that it is supportable from the very first delivery. Or you could be resolving technical queries with the Design Team. Throughout the year-long placement, you will gain hands‑on technical experience, bridging the gap between classroom learning and practical application in the defence sector. Throughout all of this we'll make sure you receive structured training and support relevant for the role. This placement is like no other - where else could you go from assisting in a workshop one week to assisting with repair activities on a ship the next? What will you gain? Throughout the year-long placement, you will learn how MBDA designs our systems to be supportable, and then how we ensure they stay supported whilst In‑Service. You will gain experience as a member of the teams that are delivering on our contractual commitments, carrying out real world engineering support analysis and investigations to ensure our products can be relied upon for decades.

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.

Salary: £24,460 Dynamic (hybrid) working: 2-3 days per week on‑site 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.

• 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.