Materials Engineering Industrial Placement 2027

McLaren Automotive Limited; Woking; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Enhanced pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Wellbeing initiatives

Employee assistance programme

Financial & mortgage advice

Job summary

McLaren Automotive Limited is seeking a Industrial Placement Intern to join the Materials Engineering team in the Quality department at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey. The 12-month placement offers hands-on experience in the analysis laboratory supporting vehicle projects and ensuring McLaren's high quality standards across the business.

This on-site role for university students provides exposure to materials characterisation, failure analysis, data analysis, and collaboration

Qualifications

• Currently studying for a degree in Materials Science or Materials Engineering, on track for a 2:1 or above.
• Knowledge of materials characterisation techniques and data analysis.
• Interest in automotive materials and failure analysis.

Responsibilities

• Support development of the Materials Engineering department and lead failure analysis investigations.
• Assist with materials recommendations, experiments, and troubleshooting for components.
• Collaborate with design office, engineering teams and R&D to support projects.

Skills

Materials characterization

Analytical thinking

Excel

Power BI

Minitab

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Curiosity

Collaboration

Adaptability

Proactivity

AI proficiency

Passion for engineering excellence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science or Materials Engineering (or equivalent)

Tools

Power BI

Minitab

Excel

Job description

Materials Engineering Industrial Placement 2027Ref #59538Date postedMonday, September 28, 2026CountryUnited KingdomLocationWokingBusiness areaQualityDepartmentQualityPosition level6 - Support (L-11)Working timeFull TimeContract typeFixed Term ContractDuration12 monthsWorking pattern9am - 6pm Monday to FridayWhat to ExpectWe are recruiting for an Industrial Placement Intern to join our Materials Engineering team in the Quality department at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey. As a Materials Engineering Intern, you’ll gain hands-on experience within the analysis laboratory supporting all vehicle projects across the entire business, playing a key role in ensuring that every McLaren vehicle meets the high standards expected of our brand.This is a 12-month full-time Industrial Placement, designed for university students undertaking a placement year as part of a relevant degree programme. You will work alongside experienced quality engineers, design & structure engineers, data analysts, and programme managers to gain practical exposure to real-world challenges and solutions in automotive quality.**Please note this is an on-site position.**What You'll DoYou’ll have a key role in supporting a team of Materials Engineers with fundamental development of the department, conduct and lead failure analysis investigation work, whilst building an understanding of the relationship between material properties, manufacturing processes, and in-service performance of all of our parts. You will be actively involved in all stages of the Materials Engineering process, from supporting the design office and engineering teams with materials recommendations, creating and leading experiments for engineering departments and troubleshooting failure analysis investigations relating to components whilst developing exciting customisation options for our MSO division.As part of the Materials Engineering team, you will support a variety of projects and tasks across key areas including:· Analysis of tested components on our latest supercar projects· Help manage an efficient laboratory· Conduct testing and experimental work to support R&D teamsYou will also take part in intern development workshops, training sessions, and networking opportunities across the wider business.What You'll Bring· Currently studying for a degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering or other relevant degree, and on track for a 2:1 or above· Practical knowledge of materials characterisation techniques· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills· Comfortable using Excel, with some knowledge of data tools such as Power BI or Minitab being advantageous· Excellent organisational and communication skillsYou must also bring a passion for cars, and a desire to work at the cutting edge of the automotive industry within our Quality business area.**Personal Attributes:**We’re looking for candidates who thrive in detail-focused, engineering-led environments and are eager to learn from real-world automotive projects. Desirable traits include:· **Attention to detail** – precise when reviewing data, inspecting vehicles, or completing reports· **Analytical mindset** – confident using numbers and logic to spot patterns and support decisions· **Curiosity** – interested in how products work, fail, and can be improved· **Collaboration** – keen to learn from others and contribute to team success· **Adaptability** – ready to tackle new challenges and switch focus when priorities shift· **Resilience** – able to maintain quality and composure in a high-performance setting· **Proactivity** – eager to take initiative, suggest improvements, and take ownership of your work· **AI Proficiency** – comfortable using AI tools ethically and effectively to support learning, productivity, innovation, and problem-solving.· **Passion for engineering excellence** – excited by innovation, performance, and pushing boundariesWhat We'll Do for YouWe offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:· 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays. Annual buy & sell up to five days.· Enhanced company pension scheme· Discretionary annual bonus award· Private medical insurance and health cash plan· Life assurance benefit· Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping· A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice· Opportunities to experience our fantastic cars*\\*Qualifying criteria apply*Who Are We?No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact. It drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.