Graduate Engineer - Stress and Thermal Analyst

Leonardo UK Ltd; Basildon; Hybrid; GBP 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time to recharge—flexi-leave

Award-winning pension scheme

Employee stock ownership plan

Private healthcare and dental

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd in Basildon is seeking a Graduate Engineer specializing in Stress and Thermal Analysis. You will work with our Mechanical Engineering Team on real projects, applying FEM/CFD techniques across design stages from concept to certification.

The programme runs 18 months with a starting salary of £34,000 plus a £1,000 welcome bonus and a potential £1,000 exit bonus. Hybrid site-based roles and on-site attendance are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2:2 in Mechanical/Engineering degree.
• Graduate role in Stress and Thermal Engineering.
• Exposure to on-site and remote working.

Responsibilities

• Analyse mechanical designs for strength, durability, and safety.
• Conduct thermal analysis using CFD and hand calculations.
• Support material and manufacturing technology selection.
• Prepare design data and technical documentation.

Skills

Stress Analysis

Thermal Analysis

Finite Element

Mechanical Eng

Education

2:2 Bachelors or integrated Masters

MSc or PhD preferred

Tools

FEM Software

CFD

Engineering Tools

Job description

Job Description

Your impact Are you ready to launch your career and make an impact on real-world projects from day one? At Leonardo, we’re looking for graduates who want to be part of something extraordinary - shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety. We are committed to developing our graduates into leading technical or business professionals, and as such we will also support you through your preferred route for professional development. The role requires an enthusiastic individual who has a passion for overcoming technical challenges. We are looking for a graduate to do Stress and Thermal Analysis within the Mechanical Engineering Team —shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety. Our 18-month Graduate Programmes give you the opportunity to work on exciting and challenging projects alongside industry leaders.

On joining, you will receive a starting salary of £34,000 per annum, plus a £1,000 welcome bonus. You’ll also be eligible for a £1,000 exit bonus upon successful completion of the programme. In addition, you may be eligible for a Temporary Accommodation Allowance (TAA), subject to specific criteria. We encourage you to spend at least three days each week on site to integrate with your team and maximise your learning experience.

During the programme, as a Graduate Engineer - Stress and Thermal Analyst, you will Support the design and development of our world leading electro-optic, communications and information systems products under the guidance of experienced mechanical engineers. Be introduced to state-of-the‑art methods, technology and tools to enable you to explore all aspects of the engineering lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, implementation, test, build, production and in‑service support. This role allows a mixture of on‑site and remote working; with attendance at our Essex facility required when Customer requirements dictate.

Key Responsibility Areas

Acquiring the skills required to work effectively within a professional engineering environment.

Analysing and advising on thermal and stress performance to help products meet demanding environmental and operational requirements.

Supporting members of the mechanical engineering team in the delivery of technical solutions that meet our customer needs.

Design and develop structures of products providing information about the behaviour of a structure, related to its static and dynamic response supporting both new innovations and proven legacy products.

Creating and presenting design data to the appropriate departmental ‘best practices’ and utilising industry leading tool sets.

Delivering detailed designs, including numerical calculations, tolerance studies, etc.

Working to meet cost, schedule and quality demands.

What you will bring

All of our roles require (a) a minimum of a 2:2 Bachelors/Integrated Master’s degree, or (b) a higher degree, such as a MSc or PhD.

For the Graduate Stress and Thermal Engineer role, the acceptable degrees are:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Aero-Mechanical Engineering
• Mechatronics
• Electro Mechanical

Personal Attributes

• Be a self‑motivated individual, willing to take on new challenges and drive continuous personal development.
• Strong communication skills across a variety of mediums i.e. written, verbal, digital, etc.
• The ability to develop effective working relationships with peers and stakeholders.
• Adaptable to the ever‑changing demands that will be encountered within the role.
• Offer novel ideas and methods for solving complex problems, drawing on personal experiences and knowledge learned during academic studies.

Demonstrate relevant project work and/or placements in Industry are beneficial, but not essential.

What you’ll do

Analyse and assess mechanical designs for strength, durability, performance and safety against regulatory and customer requirements using finite element techniques and classical hand calculations.

Conduct thermal analysis of mechanical designs to assess performance and safety using thermal analysis software, CFD techniques, and classical hand calculations.

Support the selection of manufacturing technologies and aerospace materials based on a sound understanding of material physical and mechanical properties and the mechanical fit, form and function of the product.

Advise on materials and manufacturing techniques with an emphasis on thermal performance and mechanical integrity.

Support product development through all phases—from design and testing to final certification.

Contribute to technical documentation, including material for peer reviews and stage/gate approvals.

All members of the Analysis Team are encouraged and supported to continually develop their skills, including (but not limited to) Structural, Thermal, Pressure and Model Driven domains.

Desirable

Working evidence on the application of a wide range of classical hand calculation techniques for static and dynamic loading conditions and fatigue assessment (Land, Naval or Airborne equipment).

Experience of manufacturing and joining techniques, engineering material properties.

Experience of environmental test methods for design verification and working knowledge of design certification for land based and airborne equipment.

Awareness of equipment safety compliance requirements, including the ability to support inspection processes and generate fault and failure reports.

Security Clearance

Many of our roles are subject to security and export control restrictions set by UK Government Security requirements and customer obligations.

As a result, and in line with the UK Government Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) requirements, all successful applicants will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record declaration information and employment and/or education history verification for the previous five years.

For staff operating in more sensitive posts, there is an additional range of personnel security controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV).

As part of this process, a range of factors may be considered, including an individual's background, travel history, nationality, previous nationalities held and other information relevant to the vetting assessment.

To be eligible for National Security Vetting at SC level, applicants will generally be expected to have continuously resided in the UK for the previous five years.

For DV clearance, this is typically ten years.

In some circumstances, time spent overseas may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

Additional vetting requirements may apply upon appointment.

For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Why join us

• Time to recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
• Secure your future: Benefit from our award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your wellbeing matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee‑led networks championing inclusion and diversity.
• Rewarding performance: All employees are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Join in our success: Our annual Employee Stock Ownership Plan provides you the opportunity to own shares in Leonardo.
• Tailored perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.

We are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace.

We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people, communities and our customers.

If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Primary Location: GB - Basildon Contract Type: Permanent Hybrid Working: Hybrid International, multicultural, innovative, technological: this is Leonardo. The company’s passionate and talented team is strongly influenced by STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) expertise, with a diverse range of experience that enables colleagues to share knowledge and know‑how across the generations. Leonardo always wants to expand its talent pool, here you can find the right opportunity for you!