Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year

weServed; West of England; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

The Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year at Babcock is based at the Babcock Technology Centre in Bristol. The role offers a rotation across the Submarine Support Engineering (SSE) team, exposing you to real-world submarine engineering projects.

You will work with tools such as Autodesk, Ansys, Python, and MATLAB to support system performance modelling, maintenance optimisations, and future submarine design, while developing practical engineering skills and industry insight.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate studying a Mechanical Engineering degree.
• Security clearance requirements: BPSS and SC; UK national may be required.
• Security considerations may affect eligibility based on place of birth, nationality, or residency.

Responsibilities

• Complete a rotation of placements within SSE throughout the year.
• Contribute to system performance modelling and analysis.
• Assist maintenance optimisations, engineering design, and support for future submarines.
• Use tools such as Autodesk, Ansys, Python, and MATLAB.
• Collaborate with engineers and stakeholders and research new technologies.

Skills

Mechanical engineering knowledge

Education

Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Autodesk

Ansys

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year

Programme title: Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year

Salary: £26,800 pro rata

Location: Babcock Technology Centre, Bristol

Application closing date: 20 October 2026

Start date: September 2027

Role ID: 74777

What you'll be doing

You'll be based within the Submarine Support Engineering (SSE) team, which focuses on maintaining in-service submarines and provides technical engineering support to the Ministry of Defence.

As a Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate, you will complete a rotation of placements within SSE throughout the year, where you'll experience different aspects of the business and broaden your engineering skills and knowledge. You'll have the opportunity to contribute to exciting and varied projects such as system performance modelling and analysis, maintenance optimisations, engineering design, and support for future submarines.

Your work could involve using engineering tools and software (e.g. Autodesk, Ansys, Python, MATLAB), collaborating with knowledgeable engineers and stakeholders, and designing submarine components. You may also be involved in waterfront production and manufacture, as well as researching new technologies.

The placement year is designed to be flexible and tailored to your interests, allowing you to apply your engineering knowledge in real-world situations and gain exposure to a wide range of mechanical engineering challenges.

What you'll get out of it

Our placements are about more than work experience - they're an opportunity to immerse yourself in life at Babcock, form meaningful connections, and develop skills that will set you up for your future career. You'll work alongside supportive colleagues and gain guidance from experienced professionals every step of the way.

We value the fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that placement students bring to our team. We believe you have the potential to shape the future of our business. But we also understand that this placement is as much about you assessing what's right for you as it is about us getting to know you. Perform well, and you could be considered for a position on our graduate programme - your journey with Babcock could just be getting started.

What you'll need

• You must be an undergraduate studying a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Many of our programmes are subject to Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions which mean that your place of birth, nationality, citizenship, or residency you hold or have held may impact which programmes you are eligible for. For this programme, you must be able to achieve and maintain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) security clearance. For further details, visit GOV.UK and search 'United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels'.
• Under applicable national security legislation, this post may only be occupied by a UK national. This legal requirement is independent of our recruitment policies, and all eligible applicants will be assessed fairly and without discrimination.

Application process and important information

Applications are reviewed in the order they are received, and if there's a high level of interest in this programme, we may close applications earlier than advertised. To give yourself the best chance of being considered, we recommend submitting your application and completing any required online assessments as soon as possible.

We're a Disability Confident Employer. If you require additional support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply. Our team will contact you after receiving your application to discuss your requirements and the support available.

We're committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone's free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working - please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

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