Graduate Trainee - Project Management and Delivery

AWE plc; Spencers Wood; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme (market-leading)

270 hours of annual leave

9-day working fortnight

Salary-sacrifice scheme

Welcome payment

Life Assurance

Employee discounts

Interest-free £1,000 loan

Employee Assistance Programme

Career progression & pay reviews

Job summary

AWE plc is offering a Project Management Graduate Programme in the United Kingdom. You will learn how complex projects are structured, governed, and delivered, supporting delivery teams and engaging stakeholders to influence outcomes.

The programme includes online and virtual assessments with a November 2026 centre and a September 2027 join date. Eligible candidates must be British Nationals and able to obtain security clearance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2:2 degree in any subject.
• Project Management or Business Management may be particularly relevant.
• British National and willingness to obtain and maintain security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Support Assistant Project Managers, Project Managers and Programme Managers in delivering complex work safely and effectively.
• Help organise activities, milestones, resources and dependencies to keep delivery moving.
• Contribute to project governance, reviews, decision-making and clear reporting.
• Help identify, assess and respond to risks and opportunities that could affect delivery.
• Build relationships across technical, operational, commercial and corporate teams.
• Take ownership of meaningful work and build the confidence to influence outcomes.

Skills

Proactive

Curious

Collaborative

Organised

Adaptable

Professional

Education

2:2 in any subject

Job description

Help turn ambitious plans into outcomes that support AWE's mission. You will work with project teams delivering complex science, infrastructure, manufacturing and national-security programmes, building the skills needed to become a future Project Manager and delivery leader. Build a career in project leadership From the start, you will contribute to meaningful delivery activity, work with experienced project professionals and learn how strong leadership, governance and stakeholder relationships help complex projects succeed. What opportunities will you have?

• Project delivery: Support Assistant Project Managers (APMs), Project Managers and, where appropriate, Programme Managers in delivering complex work safely and effectively.
• Planning and coordination: Help organise activities, milestones, resources and dependencies to keep delivery moving.
• Governance: Contribute to project governance, reviews, decision-making and clear reporting.
• Risk and opportunity: Help identify, assess and respond to risks and opportunities that could affect delivery.
• Stakeholder engagement: Build relationships across technical, operational, commercial and corporate teams.
• Leadership development: Take ownership of meaningful work and build the confidence to influence outcomes.

What you will learn

• How complex projects and programmes are structured, governed and delivered.
• How Project Managers balance scope, time, cost, quality, risk and stakeholder needs.
• Project planning, coordination, governance and decision-making.
• Risk and opportunity management within a highly regulated environment.
• How to communicate clearly, influence stakeholders and support collaborative delivery.
• Leadership, business awareness and the behaviours needed for a future project-management career.

Looking for a more analytical pathway? If you are particularly interested in analysing project performance, reporting, planning, scheduling and data-driven project insights, take a look at our Project Controls Graduate Programme, which focuses on the analytical and performance-management side of project delivery.

• Online assessment: If eligible, complete numerical, verbal, logical and cognitive reasoning assessments. Practice materials will be available.
• Virtual assessment centre: Successful candidates will be invited to a virtual assessment centre planned for November 2026.
• Pre-assessment support: Attend guidance webinars so you know what to expect and can prepare.
• Offer and clearance: Successful candidates will move into the offer and security-clearance stages before joining in September 2027.
• £31,000 starting salary.
• A market-leading contributory pension scheme.
• 270 hours of annual leave, including bank holidays.
• A 9-day working fortnight, giving you every other Friday off.
• A salary-sacrifice benefit scheme, Life Assurance and employee discounts.
• A welcome payment and the option of an interest-free £1,000 loan.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Regular Graduate pay reviews and structured career progression.

What we are looking for

• Proactive: You take ownership, show initiative and follow through on commitments.
• Curious: You ask questions and want to understand how complex projects fit together.
• Collaborative: You build constructive relationships and value different perspectives.
• Organised: You can manage priorities and help keep activities on track.
• Adaptable: You respond positively to change, challenge and feedback.
• Professional: You act with integrity, accountability and respect.

Minimum 2:2 in any subject. Project Management or Business Management may be particularly relevant. You must be a British National and willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance.