Industrial Placement - Body Systems

Bentley Motors Limited; Crewe; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

35 days holiday

10% pension contribution

Mentorship

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Bentley Motors Limited in Crewe, Cheshire, offers an Industrial Placement Student opportunity within our Material Development team at the Dream Factory campus. You will gain hands-on experience by delivering material feature solutions and working on automotive-ready applications, under the guidance of experienced professionals.

You’ll be mentored by the Early Careers team and join a cohort of around 93 trainees, enjoying a supportive environment, development workshops and social and volunteering

Qualifications

• On track to achieve a 2:1 in Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Environmental Sciences.
• Mechanical, Chemical or Automotive engineering may also be considered.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a minimum of 2 new materials feature solutions with the team.
• Translate design briefs into feasible, automotive-ready material applications and plan activities.
• Organise delivery of samples and testing within tight timeframes.
• Propose and evaluate solutions that meet technical, compliance, sustainability and aesthetic requirements.
• Assist with process improvements using digital tools or optimized procedures.

Skills

Data analysis

Materials selection

Failure analysis

Communication

Hands-on manufacturing

Project management

Education

2:1 in Materials Engineering

2:1 in Materials Science

2:1 in Environmental Sciences

2:1 in Mechanical/Chemical/Automotive engineering

Job description

Salary: £25,500

Start Date: Monday 16th August 2027 – Friday 4th August 2028

Location: Based in Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 3PL.

Working Arrangement: Hybrid Working

Entry Requirements: See ‘What we’re looking for’ section

Our Industrial Placement Programme:

As part of Bentley’s annual Early Careers intake, you’ll join a community of around 93 trainees including Industrial Placements, Graduates, and Apprentices.

During your placement, you’ll be based at our Bentley Campus "Dream Factory". Click here to visit our virtual tour. Alongside hands‑on work experience, you’ll also benefit from:

• CSR and outreach activities
• Opportunities to participate in charity events, community projects, and social committees
• Masterclasses, development workshops, and social events
• Inclusivity networks and peer support groups
• Placements and rotations across different areas of the business that interest you

About the role:

As an Industrial Placement Student at Bentley, you will play a key part in Bentley’s journey to extraordinary vehicles for our customers. Based out of our state‑of‑the‑art headquarters in Crewe, you will:

• Gain invaluable experience in managing high‑impact technical projects,
• Develop a deep understanding of automotive materials requirements and the journey from idea to car,
• Opportunity to pitch your own ideas and bring them to fruition,
• Get a first‑hand view of the roles of various functions interfacing with R&D in a high end manufacturing environment
• Working alongside and being mentored by Industry Leading Talent Acquisition professionals as well as other young talents.

Your main responsibilities include:

• Working proactively and in partnership with the Hiring Manager and Materials Development team to deliver a minimum of 2 new materials feature solutions,
• Working from design briefs to feasible and automotive ready material applications, you will project manage at the scale of your pre‑development objectives, plan activities for yourself but also for other supporting team members,
• Organising delivery of samples and testing within a challenging time frame,
• Proposing and evaluating solutions to technical challenges that meet all technical, compliance, sustainability, commercial and aesthetic requirements,
• Supporting other members of the team by implementing process improvements either using digital tools or procedure optimisation.

About the Department:

Our Material Development Team develops the new, luxury and sustainable materials to be used in the Bentley interior of future programs. You will integrate a team of materials engineers focused on improving, refining and validating the use of new technologies together with other departments such as manufacturing, quality and design.

We are also instrumental in the delivery of our sustainability strategy and you will be exposed and tasked to support on certain legislation implementation topics, innovations and performance tracking of our product sustainability.

What we are looking for:

The successful candidates will be on track to achieve a 2:1 in the following degrees:

Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Environmental Sciences. Mechanical, Chemical or Automotive engineering may also be considered.

Skills required for the role:

• Efficient data finding skills and an eye for finding innovative solutions and out of the box thinking,
• Understanding of Materials selection and experimental set‑ups such as design of experiment,
• Failure analysis and problem solving skills,
• Good communication both orally and with digital support is essential; especially to explain complex concept in a simple manner,
• Hands‑on experience with any material activity such as wood working, foam cutting, casting will demonstrate an understanding of some manufacturing techniques,
• Experience in running small group projects is an advantage.

What we offer:

• A starting salary of £25,500
• Support from our Early Careers team and 1‑2‑1 manager mentorship
• 35 days’ holiday inclusive of bank holidays
• 10% pension contribution with life assurance benefits
• Learning and development opportunities

RTW:

To be eligible for an Early Careers programme you must have a legal right to work in the UK for the duration of the placement or graduate scheme. We welcome students who have Settled Status, a Tier 4 Visa, or a Graduate Visa. We are unable to offer sponsorship for our Early Careers positions.

#BelongingAtBentley

Motivated to be the most diverse, inclusive luxury car company, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals are respected, valued, and empowered.

We firmly believe in equal opportunities for all, helping all colleagues thrive as their authentic selves and reach their highest potential. We believe that everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs, belongs at Bentley. Everyone is entitled to respect and dignity and we positively celebrate the differences between people.

Working at Bentley

To learn more about what life is like working at Bentley, and our assessment process view our Candidate Pack here.

The application process:

• Submit your application, including your CV and Cover letter,
• Applications will be screened by our HR team and the Hiring Manager,
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by our recruitment team and invited to attend an online Assessment between 9th – 27th November,
• Candidates successful at assessment stage will receive an offer shortly afterwards.
• All applicants will be kept informed throughout the recruitment process

Closing date: 23rd October 2026