Mechatronic Maintenance Apprenticeship

Atomic Weapons Establishment; Reading; On-site; GBP 16,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense company in the UK is seeking Mechatronic Maintenance Apprentices. This apprenticeship offers practical hands-on experience in servicing, repairing, and installing mechanical and electrical systems. Ideal candidates will possess 5 GCSEs, a passion for problem-solving, and must be British nationals aged 16 or over. The position promises a starting salary of £16,750, with growth potential, and encompasses extensive training across various engineering disciplines.

Benefits

Starting salary of £16,750

Generous holiday entitlement of 270 hours annually

Access to employee discounts

Qualifications

• Must be aged 16 or over by 31st August 2026.
• British National required for security clearance.
• Considerable interest in mechatronics engineering beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Service, repair, design, and install various systems.
• Maintain equipment within production-related facilities.
• Engage in scheduled and breakdown maintenance.

Skills

Understanding mechanical systems

Problem-solving

Hands-on work

Applying engineering principles

Education

5 GCSEs at grade 4 / C or above including Maths and English

Job description

Overview

Mechatronic Maintenance Apprenticeship (Level 3)

Increase your chances of reaching the interview stage by reading the complete job description and applying promptly.

About the Apprenticeship

• Advanced) About the apprenticeship : As an apprentice you will initially be based at training facilities on site in Aldermaston, where you will develop your basic knowledge and core skills.

You will then progress on to the onsite aspect of your training.

At this point you will start to apply and further develop these core skills in a live working environment.

In addition to the practical aspects of your training, you will further your knowledge of mechatronics engineering through academic studies as you work towards the completion of your Level 3 Technical certificate.

Role and Responsibilities

As a Mechatronic Maintenance Apprentice at AWE, your role will include servicing, repairing, designing and installing various Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, Programmable logic control (PLC) systems.

These are all commonly used onsite to support the Machine Tools Engineering (MTE) and Trials & Test Technology Centre.

As a Mechatronic Maintenance Technician within either of these groups, you will be responsible for maintaining equipment within all our production-related facilities, within a diverse range of environments from conventional to specialist areas of the business, covering both Aldermaston and Burghfield sites.

The goal of maintaining production and ensuring minimal downtime.

These activities may include scheduled and breakdown maintenance on all aspects of engineering within the team.

Within MTE, you may be involved in small projects and rebuilds of our assets, including condition-based monitoring and calibration of the equipment.

Ideal Candidate

This role may appeal to you if you enjoy:

• Understanding how mechanical, electrical, electronic systems work
• Problem solving activities
• Being hands on
• Applying electrical and mechanical engineering principles into real life scenarios

Entry Requirements: 5 GCSEs at grade 4 / C or above including Maths and English (Science desirable). Applicants must be aged 16 or over, as of 31st August 2026 due to security clearance requirements. You must be a British National to apply for a role with us.

If you currently hold a Level 3 Diploma in Engineering or similar, you should consider applying for a degree level apprenticeship.

Benefits

Starting salary of £16,750 yearly, increasing to £23,500 in Year 2 and annually thereafter, subject to meeting key milestones and performance expectations.

Market leading contributory pension scheme.

Generous holiday entitlement of 270 hours a year (inclusive of Bank Holidays) plus every other Friday off.

Access to employee discounts portal for everyday savings on retail, hospitality and leisure.

Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.

Alongside these benefits you will get the opportunity to learn from some of the top leaders in their field whilst helping us to continue to deliver national nuclear security, threat reduction and counter‑terrorism solutions.

Location

Aldermaston / Reading area

Start Date and Leave

Start Date: Tuesday 1st September 2026.

Annual leave will not be granted from 1st September until 2nd October 2026 due to mandatory inductions you are required to complete as part of your apprenticeship.

Any leave approved after this point will depend on the training provider requirements for your apprenticeship and must be agreed in advance.

Duration

42 months plus 6 months End Point Assessment.

Recruitment Process

Recruitment Process: This vacancy will close on 11th January 2026, but we review applications as they come so we strongly encourage you to apply early.

We want you to shine in your application process which is designed to be fair and transparent.

So we've kept it simple with a three-step process.

Assessment Process

1. Online application: Apply for one apprenticeship; take your time to explore the options and choose the one that best matches your interests and goals.

2. Online test: If successful, you will be invited to complete our online assessment stage. These include online testing against numerical, verbal, logical and cognitive reasoning tests. Practice assessments will be available so you will be fully equipped with the knowledge of what to expect.

3. In person assessment: Those successful at testing will be invited to an in‑person assessment centre. The Assessment Centre is scheduled for 2nd February. Please note that this date may be subject to change, but rest assured, we will keep all applicants informed throughout the process.

Health & Safety

These roles are governed by Health and Safety at Work Regulations and require all candidates to have an Occupational Health pre‑employment medical held at AWE which follows the initial selection process.

All candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role and be willing and able to work in designated areas.

Diversity & Inclusion

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work.

We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.

Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.