Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year

Babcock International; Bristol; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor in the UK is offering an Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year in Bristol. This 12-month role supports the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet, providing students with hands-on experience in engineering and project management. Applicants must be undergraduate students in STEM fields, capable of achieving necessary security clearances. This placement paves the way for potential graduate program recruitment.

Qualifications

• You must be an undergraduate studying a Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) based degree.
• Must be able to achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) clearance.

Responsibilities

• Support the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet as part of a UK-wide team.
• Collaborate with colleagues across various Babcock sites.
• Engage with personnel from the Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy.

Skills

STEM degree

Ability to achieve BPSS and SC clearance

Job description

Overview

Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year

Programme title: Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year

Location: Bristol

Application closing date: 16 October 2025

Start date: September 2026

Role ID: 66858

What you’ll be doing

Step into a vital role supporting the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet. As part of a UK-wide team of engineers and subject matter experts, you’ll help ensure submarines remain safe, operational, and ready for deployment. Based in our Bristol office, you’ll collaborate with colleagues across key Babcock sites including Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth, HM Naval Base Clyde, and Leicester.

You’ll also have the chance to engage directly with personnel from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Royal Navy, gaining insight into how your work contributes to national defence.

Over the course of your 12-month placement, you’ll get hands-on with cutting-edge naval technology and work across a variety of teams – from technical engineering departments to project management and production. It’s a unique opportunity to build real-world experience, broaden your understanding of defence operations, and make a meaningful impact.

What you’ll get out of it

Our placements are about more than work experience – they’re an opportunity to immerse yourself in life at Babcock, form meaningful connections, and develop skills that will set you up for your future career. You’ll work alongside supportive colleagues and gain guidance from experienced professionals every step of the way.

We value the fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that placement students bring to our team. We believe you have the potential to shape the future of our business. But we also understand that this placement is as much about you assessing what’s right for you as it is about us getting to know you. Perform well, and you could be considered for a position on our graduate programme – your journey with Babcock could just be getting started.

What you’ll need

• You must be an undergraduate studying a Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) based degree.
• Many of our graduate programmes are subject to Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions which mean that your place of birth, nationality, citizenship, or residency you hold or have held may impact which programmes you are eligible for. For this programme, you must be able to achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) clearance. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK.

Application process and closing dates

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the programme may close early if we receive a high volume of interest. To give yourself the best chance of being considered, we strongly recommend submitting your application and completing any required online assessments as soon as possible.