Industrial Placement - R&D Strategy, Processes & AI

Bentleycareers; Crewe; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary: £25,500

Mentorship by Early Careers team

35 days holiday incl. bank holidays

10% pension contribution

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Bentley invites Industrial Placement students to join the R&D Strategy & Processes team at Crewe. You will support strategic initiatives, help optimise cross-R&D processes, and contribute to the AI portfolio with practical automation tools and dashboards.

Based in Bentley's Crewe HQ, you will work under senior R&D leaders and gain hands-on experience across strategy, engineering processes and digitalisation, automation and AI.

Qualifications

• On track to achieve a 2:1 in relevant engineering, computer science, data science, maths or related fields.
• Strong analytical mindset with ability to communicate clearly with senior colleagues.
• Interest in AI, automation and new digital tools for improvement of work processes.

Responsibilities

• Support definition, delivery and tracking of R&D strategic initiatives and events.
• Assist in cross-R&D process optimisation and ensuring processes run effectively.
• Contribute to AI portfolio work by building practical solutions and dashboards.

Skills

Analytical skills

Python

Power BI

Power Automate

AI interest

Education

2:1 degree in Engineering/CS/Data Science/Mathematics/Physics/Business/Engineering Management

Tools

Copilot

Job description

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Industrial Placement - R&D Strategy, Processes & AI

Start Date: Monday 16th August 2027 – Friday 4th August 2028
Location: Based in Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 3PL.

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

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

• 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 create extraordinary vehicles for our customers. Based out of our state-of-the-art headquarters in Crewe, you will:

• Gain hands‑on experience across three connected areas at the centre of Bentley R&D: strategy, engineering processes, and digitalisation, automation and AI,
• See first‑hand how strategic decisions are prepared, made and turned into action, working alongside senior R&D leaders,
• Be mentored by experienced colleagues and take real ownership of your own projects, building skills that are increasingly central to how modern vehicles are developed.

Your main responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• R&D Strategy: supporting the definition, delivery, tracking and communication of strategic and operational initiatives, and helping to prepare strategy events,
• R&D Processes: supporting the optimisation of cross-R&D processes and helping to ensure they work effectively,
• Digitalisation, Automation & AI: supporting the R&D AI portfolio from idea to delivery, and building practical solutions, such as bespoke tools, Copilot agents, Power Automate flows and Power BI dashboards, to improve efficiency.

About the Department:

R&D Strategy & Process (EZ/S) sits within R&D Strategy & Operations and acts as a central team for the whole of Bentley R&D. The team defines and drives the R&D strategy, has responsibility for cross-R&D engineering processes, and leads R&D’s approach to digitalisation, data and AI, working closely with the R&D Directors, VW Group colleagues and IT.

What we are looking for:

The successful candidates will be on track to achieve a 2:1 in the following degrees: Engineering (including Mechanical, Automotive, Electrical/Electronic or Systems Engineering), Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, or Business/Engineering Management.

Skills required for the role:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a structured approach to work
• Experience of coding (e.g. Python) or low-code tools such as Power BI and Power Automate
• A genuine interest in AI, automation and new digital tools, and how they can improve the way people work
• Clear written and verbal communication, with the confidence to work with senior colleagues
• Organised, self‑motivated and curious.

What we offer:

As an Industrial Placement you will have access to the following benefits:

• A starting salary of £25,500
• Support from our Early Careers team and 121 manager mentorship
• 35 days’ holiday inclusive of bank holidays
• 10% pension contribution with life assurance benefits
• Learning and development opportunities

Right To Work:

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.