Operational Analysis – Undergraduate Placement 2027

MBDA UK; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

1 year placement starting Sep 2027

Company bonus

Pension up to 14%

Overtime opportunities

25 days annual leave + flexi-leave

Subsidised meals & car parking

Job summary

MBDA UK is offering an Undergraduate Placement in Operational Analysis for 2027. The role involves assisting the OA team with research, analytical modeling, and producing presentations.

You will work on real defence projects, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and develop skills in data analysis and statistics. Placement runs for 1 year starting September 2027, with potential to secure a graduate role.

Qualifications

• An analytical and problem solving mindset.
• A genuine interest in defence and how analytical methods can solve complex operational challenges.
• Currently studying towards a relevant analytical or defence related degree including, but not limited to Maths, Physics, Systems Engineering, Computational Studies, War Studies, Operational Research, Economics, Statistics.

Responsibilities

• Undertaking research for multiple activities within the OA team.
• Running analytical models and producing reports or presentations.
• Supporting a number of different activities throughout the placement.

Skills

Analytical mindset

Problem solving

Interest in defence

Education

Maths/Physics/Engineering degree

Operational Research/Statistics

Job description

Operational Analysis – Undergraduate Placement 2027

Salary: £24,460 Dynamic (hybrid) working: 3 days per week on-site hybrid working pattern. There may be times we ask you to work up to 5 days per week on site subject to work classification.

Security clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship. Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

This role is scheduled to close for applications at midnight on Monday 4th January 2027 but may close earlier depending on application volumes.

What we can offer you:

• 1 year placement: Starting September 2027, that allows you to apply your university learning to real-world projects and technologies
• Perform well on your placement and you could secure a graduate role before your final year
• Company bonus: Based on company performance and will vary year to year
• Pension: Maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
• Overtime: Opportunity for paid overtime
• Annual Leave: 25 days plus option to purchase extra holiday
• Flexi Leave: Up to 15 additional days
• Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…
• Healthcare Cash Plan: The Healthcare Cash Plan benefit provides the option to claim cash back on everyday healthcare expenses such as optical, The opportunity:

The Role

Operational Analysis (OA) is a scientific approach to problem solving by applying analytical methods and tools in order to support and improve decision-making. Through qualitative and quantitative methods, the OA team supports a diverse set of activities. This includes working for both internal MBDA customers and external contracts across defence.

The OA Team is involved with; Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and learning how operational, engineering and strategic considerations interact. Applying problem solving and critical thinking to complex questions across all the domains. Developing valuable technical skills in areas that are unique to the team e.g. data analysis, statistics, historical analysis, wargaming and scenario building.

As an Undergraduate within the OA Team, you will likely be supporting a number of different activities throughout your placement. This includes undertaking research, running analytical models, and producing reports or presentations.

What we're looking for from you:

• An analytical and problem solving mind set.
• A genuine interest in defence and how analytical methods can solve complex operational challenges.
• Currently studying towards a relevant analytical or defence related degree including, but not limited to; Maths, Physics, Systems Engineering, Computational Studies, War Studies, Operational Research, Economics, Statistics.

Our Company

Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom. We are proud of our employee-led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more… We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information. What we do matters. Because defence matters. As a leading company in the defence industry we support our nations by delivering essential military capabilities, both for today and the future. We are proud to be an award-winning employer and are proud of the growing diversity of our workforce. Our people are the ones who drive our constant innovation and deliver against challenging targets. Whatever your background, we welcome your application to MBDA UK and look forward to speaking with you soon.