McDonald's Progressive Young Farmer Programme

McDonald's Restaurants Limited; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive placement salary

Mentoring and professional development

Exposure to agri‑food sector

Networking opportunities

Industry events

Job summary

McDonald’s is offering a 12‑month Undergraduate Industry Placement as part of the Progressive Young Farmer Programme in the UK & Ireland. You will rotate through supplier agriculture teams, gaining hands-on experience from farm to restaurant and work on sustainability projects.

Applicants must be full-time undergraduates, hold a UK or Irish driving licence, and be eligible to work in the UK and Ireland. Salary is £26,500 for the year, with mentoring and networking across a global brand.

Qualifications

• Applicants are undergraduates in full-time education.
• Hold a full UK or Irish driving licence.
• Be legally eligible to work in the UK and Ireland.

Responsibilities

• Rotate through multiple areas of McDonald's supply chain, from farm to restaurant.
• Join one of McDonald's key suppliers for a full year and gain hands-on experience.
• Visit key suppliers and work on sustainability, technical efficiency and agricultural innovation.

Skills

Passion for food

Teamwork

Willingness to relocate

Education

Undergraduate student

Job description

About Us

McDonalds has run its business in the UK since 1974 and currently operates over 1500 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, serving almost four million customers each day. McDonalds is one of the UKs largest private sector employers, employing over 170,000 people.

Department Overview

McDonald's Progressive Young Farmer Programme

Undergraduate Industry Placement

• Placement Duration: 12 Months
• Location: UK & Ireland
• Salary: £26,500
• Programme Dates: August 2027 – August 2028

What Team Will I Be Part Of?

Participants will join one of McDonald's leading suppliers and gain practical experience across the supply chain, following products from farms through to restaurants.

You will report to a supervisor within the supplier's Agriculture Team while gaining exposure to different areas of the wider supply chain.

Participating Suppliers

• Arla
  Dairy
  Leeds
• Cranswick
  Pork
  Hull
• Dawn Meats
  Beef
  Republic of Ireland
• Kepak
  Beef
  Republic of Ireland / UK
• Kinisla
  Dairy
  Republic of Ireland
• McCain
  Potatoes
  Scarborough
• Noble Foods
  Eggs
  Lincoln
• OSI/Pickstock
  Beef
  Scunthorpe / Telford
• Pilgrims Europe
  Poultry
  Ashbourne / Lincolnshire / Northern Ireland
• The Lakes
  Eggs
  Penrith

Duties

The Opportunity

This placement offers the chance to:

• Join one of McDonald's key suppliers for a full year.
• Rotate through multiple areas of McDonald's supply chain, from farm to restaurant.
• Gain hands‑on experience with supplier agriculture teams and progressive farms.
• Work on projects focused on sustainability, technical efficiency, and agricultural innovation.
• Visit key suppliers to gain insight into agricultural operations and supply chains.
• Spend a short period working as a crew member in a McDonald's restaurant.
• Act as an ambassador for McDonald's and its suppliers at industry events.

Qualifications

What Background Do I Need?

We are looking for passionate, curious, self‑motivated, and driven undergraduates who can thrive in a fast‑paced environment within the McDonald's supply base.

Students from all degree disciplines and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. An agricultural background is not essential, as diverse perspectives strengthen the industry.

Candidates should have:

• A passion for food, farming, or supply chains.
• The ability to work independently and within a team.
• A willingness to learn about careers within food supply chains and farming.

Benefits

• Competitive placement salary of £26,500.
• Professional development and mentoring from industry experts.
• Exposure to the wider agri‑food sector across multiple businesses.
• Flexibility to tailor the programme to your personal development goals.
• Excellent networking opportunities within both the placement cohort and a global brand.
• Insight Days with other McDonald's suppliers throughout the year.

Essential Criteria

Applicants must:

• Hold a full UK or Irish driving licence.
• Be willing to relocate and/or travel within the UK and Ireland.
• Be currently undertaking full‑time third‑level education.
• Have the legal right to work in the UK and Ireland.

Company Vision and Culture

Our Global vision is to build a better McDonalds and in the UK and Ireland we are working hard to be the UK & Irelands best-loved restaurant company.

McDonalds is defined by its culture. Our culture shapes and informs everything we think and everything we do. Our culture influences the way we interact with each other, and how we interact with customers, franchisees and suppliers. Our culture motivates and inspires us to attract and retain great talent, creating positive, energising, exceptional working environment for us all.

Our values drive our culture and shape our beliefs, our priorities and our actions. They influence the decisions we make, how we treat one another and how we show up as a brand to the world.

Serve: We put our customers and our people first

Inclusion: We open our doors to everyone

Integrity: We do the right thing

Community: We are good neighbours

Family: We get better together

At McDonalds we are People from all Walks of Life...

People are at the heart of everything we do, and they make the McDonalds experience. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture that means people can be their best authentic self in our restaurants and offices, which helps us to better serve our customers. We have a strong heritage of diversity and representation within our communities, which we are proud of. The diversity of our people, customers, Franchisees and suppliers gives us strength.

We do not tolerate inequality, injustice or discrimination of any kind. These are hugely important issues and a brand with our reach and relevance means we have a very meaningful role to play.

We also recognise our responsibility as a large employer to continue being active in our communities, helping to develop skills and drive aspirations that will help people to be more aware of the world of work and more successful within it, whether with McDonalds or elsewhere.