Hydrogen Systems Internship - Systems & Control

GKN; West of England; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Starting salary £24,500

£500 starting bonus

12-month internship

Flexible working hours

25 days holiday

Pension scheme

Job summary

GKN Aerospace Bristol is recruiting for a Year in Industry intern in the Hydrogen Systems team. You will contribute to flagship programmes developing power distribution technologies for zero-emissions flight, gaining hands-on experience across MBSE, model-based design and real-time test environments.

As a student, you’ll work on requirements, simulations and software deployment while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Studying towards a degree with substantial Controls and/or Systems Engineering modules.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, Python or similar engineering tools.
• Good communication and teamwork skills.
• Motivated and organised.

Responsibilities

• Systems Engineering framework deployment.
• Requirements development & management.
• Create technical documentation, test reports and engineering data analysis.
• Connect and integrate between multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Create and run simulation models within virtual environment(s).
• Developing and testing control strategies using model-based design.
• Deploy software and test within a real-time computing environment.
• Operate low-power Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) test rig for an electric aircraft.
• Fault find and solve problems with control and software issues.

Skills

Strong analytical

Good communication

Motivated and organised

Education

Relevant degree with Controls/Systems modules

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

Job description

The internship will support the Hydrogen Systems team working on flagship programmes, H2FlyGHT and ICEFlight, which develop electrical and cryogenic power distribution technologies for zero-emissions flight. We are seeking talented candidates who want to gain exposure to the development of next generation aircraft. Main Activities and Responsibilities:

• Systems Engineering framework deployment.
• Requirements development & management.
• Create technical documentation, test reports and engineering data analysis helping us move to a more MBSE style knowledge management.
• Connect and integrate between multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Create and run simulation models within virtual environment(s).
• Developing and testing control strategies, using model-based design.
• Deploy software and test within a real-time computing environment.
• Operate low-power Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) test rig representing an electric aircraft.
• Fault find and solve problems with control and software issues.

What You’ll Bring

• Studying towards a relevant degree which includes substantial Controls and/or Systems Engineering modules.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, Python or similar engineering tools.
• Good communication and teamwork skills.
• Motivated and organised.

Desirable

• Good understanding of control theory & its practical implementation.
• Awareness of system thinking & systems engineering fundamentals.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings and schematics.
• Knowledge of requirements engineering and V model.
• Awareness of Hardware-in-the-Loop testing and system integration.
• Knowledge of HDL programming and experience with FPGA development.
• Knowledge of sensor integration and communication protocols.
• A keen interest in Aerospace.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we're inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We're proud to play a part in protecting the world's democracies. And we're committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world's aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career., GKN Aerospace Global Technology Centre in Bristol is the company's flagship aerospace research and development hub, bringing together engineers, researchers and industry partners to develop next-generation aircraft technologies, advanced manufacturing processes and sustainable aviation solutions. It plays a key role in innovations such as lightweight composite structures, electrification, hydrogen-powered flight technologies and the decarbonisation of aerospace.

We are currently recruiting a number of Year in Industry internship opportunities at our Bristol GTC. As a Year in Industry student, you'll have the opportunity to work on real projects that contribute to the future of aerospace. You'll gain hands‑on experience, receive support from industry experts, and develop valuable skills that will accelerate your career. Our interns make a genuine impact from day one and are trusted to contribute to meaningful work across the business., Throughout this process we try to utilise human interaction as much as we can. Here's what to expect: 1. Apply online by completing our application form (closing date is Sunday the 29th of November). 2. Successful candidates will be invited to take part in an online behavioural assessment. You will have 2 weeks to complete the assessment. 3. Dependent on number of applications we may ask you to complete a video submission with pre-provided questions . 4. Shortlisted candidates with be invited to an Assessment Centre at the Global Technology Centre in Bristol, on Tuesday the 9th of February 2027. This is where you will get the chance to meet the team and showcase your skills and potential. 5. For successful candidates your journey with us will commence late August 2027, as part of our Global Technology Centre Year in Industry Intern Programme.

Please note that GKN Aerospace reserves the right to change this process if we feel it will benefit our hiring process. This will be communicated to any relevant candidates as necessary.

We'll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go? A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we've created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It's a culture that won us 'The Best Workplace Culture Award'. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work. We're also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know. We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.

We have an opportunity available for aspiring engineers to join our Hydrogen Systems team on a 12-month industrial placement for academic year 27/28. The expected start date is the end of August 2027.

Here's what you look forward to when you join us:

• Starting salary of £24,500, plus a £500 starting bonus
• Be part of a broad Year in Industry intern community
• Work alongside world leading Technical Authorities and Fellows
• Work at GKNs flagship Global Technology Centre in Bristol
• Flexible working hours, including the ability to finish early on Fridays
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Opportunity to balance theoretical learning with practical hands‑on delivery
• An industry leading pension scheme, 1.5x employee contribution (max 12%)
• Collaborative, dynamic working environment