Product Cyber Security - Undergraduate Placement 2026

MBDA UK Ltd; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 24,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence organisation is offering an Undergraduate Placement in Cyber Security for 2026 in Stevenage. This role involves identifying security risks in complex weapon systems and developing effective security measures. The chosen candidate will work in a hybrid model (2 days on-site) and gain hands-on experience in the systems engineering lifecycle. This position provides opportunities in risk management, security documentation, and working with various stakeholders. Salary is £23,495, with a range of additional benefits.

Benefits

Company bonus

Pension contribution up to 14%

Opportunity for paid overtime

25 days annual leave

Fantastic site facilities

Qualifications

• Working towards a degree in a STEM subject.

Responsibilities

• Identify security risks within complex weapon systems.
• Assist in integration of information assurance activities.
• Contribute to trade studies related to weapon system security.

Skills

STEM subject knowledge

Risk Assessments

Information Security

Education

Working towards a degree in a STEM subject

Job description

Location: Stevenage

Role: Product Cyber Security - Undergraduate Placement 2026

The Cyber Security department delivers effective information security solutions for complex weapon systems and their associated sub-systems, providing documentation and evidence to support security approval and assurance activities within the programme context.

Salary: £23,495

Dynamic (Hybrid) Working: 2 days per week on-site due to workload 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.

Closing date: Midnight on 5 January 2026 (subject to application volumes)

What we can offer you

• 1 year placement: starting September 2026, that allows you to apply your university learning to real-world projects and technologies
• 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

The opportunity

Throughout this opportunity, you will be involved in identifying security risks within complex weapon systems, products and solutions and ensuring that those risks are addressed by the implementation and delivery of effective and balanced security measures. You will be able to assist in the timely integration of information assurance activities with the weapon system engineering, design, manufacturing and support programmes.

There will also be opportunity to contribute to trade studies related to weapon system information security and provide security documentation and evidence to meet MOD security assurance requirements.

You will get involved in the entire systems engineering lifecycle of delivered weapon systems including specification of security requirements and development of security architectures, as well as help develop security architectures to enable sustainable evolution of security architectures through life.

Further work packages could include supporting hardware, electronics and software developments, contributing to corporate information assurance knowledge and capability and maintaining knowledge of technology development and implications for information security as well as working with manufacturing to ensure that the security design is repeatable through the production chain, and the product is secure through the delivery and return chains.

This role will give you exposure to each of the stages of the product development life-cycle, a good understanding the required behaviours from a variety of viewpoints, architecture design and specification, integration, test, and analysis of achieved performance.

There is potential to travel nationally and internationally as well as an opportunity to work in a lab-based environment. There will also be further opportunities to develop practical cyber security skills such as "pen testing", "capability and vulnerability analysis" in the new cyber lab. Other things that this role can provide is an opportunity to engage with stakeholders, engineering teams and sub-contractors to provide direction, guidance and support on acceptable and balanced information security solutions, liaison with customers, assurance teams and national/ international technical authorities.

You will also gain experience in generation of information security Risk Assessments, Risk Treatment Plans and Risk Management and Assurance Documents.

What we're looking for from you

Working towards a degree in a STEM subject.

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.

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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.

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