Project Controls Graduate Programme

Tussell Limited; West of England; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

A minimum of 25 days holiday

Generous pension and employee share

Flexible benefits

Wellbeing support

Employee Assistance Programme

Health checks

Job summary

Cavendish Nuclear, a Babcock subsidiary, offers a two-year Project Controls Graduate Programme based in the UK. You will contribute to scheduling, cost management, risk assessment and governance, rotating across disciplines to build a broad foundation in project controls within defence programmes.

You will receive structured mentorship, expert masterclasses, and technical training in project controls methodologies, with placements at HM Naval Base Clyde, Scotland and in Bristol.

Qualifications

• Degree in one of the listed subjects (Risk Management, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Finance, Economics, Project Management, Data Science, Maths, Statistics, Business Management, Information/IT Management, Sciences, or Engineering).
• Security clearance restrictions may affect eligibility depending on location and business area.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain project schedules and forecasts for defence programmes.
• Monitor costs, progress and risks to support governance and decision-making.
• Create performance reports and dashboards to enable effective programme delivery.
• Participate in rotations across Planning, Cost Control, Risk & Opportunity, Project Reporting, Governance and Assurance.

Skills

Forecasting

Cost management

Risk analysis

Schedule development

Data analysis

Governance reporting

Education

Finance

Economics

Engineering

Data Science

Maths

Statistics

Job description

What will you do on the programme?

On our Project Controls Graduate Programme, you'll help keep critical defence programmes on track, within budget and delivering against their objectives. As part of Project Controls, you'll help provide the analysis and forecasting that enables teams to understand performance, manage risk and plan effectively. You'll gain experience of how schedule, cost, risk and performance data is used to support the successful delivery of complex projects. Working as part of integrated project teams, you'll help develop and maintain schedules, monitor costs and progress, assess risks and opportunities, analyse project data, and produce forecasts and reports that support effective governance and decision-making.

How is the programme structured?

Over two years, you'll build a strong foundation in Project Controls, developing an understanding of the processes, tools and techniques used to deliver complex projects. You'll complete a series of placements, each lasting up to six months, across disciplines including Planning & Scheduling, Cost Management, Risk & Opportunity Management, Project Reporting, Governance and Assurance. These rotations will give you the opportunity to apply your learning on live projects and gain experience across the project lifecycle. As you progress, you'll take on increasing responsibility and develop the technical, commercial and analytical skills needed for a successful career in Project Controls. career goals, helping you build relevant experience in areas that matter most to you.

How do we develop and support you?

From day one, you’ll receive structured support, personalised training, and dedicated mentorship to help you excel throughout your programme and beyond. You’ll join our Graduate Development Programme, featuring expert-led masterclasses on communication, personal branding, resilience, and wellbeing. Alongside this, you'll receive technical training in core Project Controls methodologies and tools, with focused development in areas such as planning and scheduling, forecasting, risk management and performance reporting. Regular feedback and support towards professional accreditation will help you apply your learning in practice, strengthen your expertise and accelerate your development as a Project Controls professional.

What’s waiting for you after the programme?

Once you successfully complete the programme, you’ll have the opportunity to move into a permanent role within our Project Controls discipline. You’ll have the flexibility to develop as a broad Project Controls professional or specialise in a specific area such as Planning, Cost Control or Risk Management. From there, your development doesn’t stop. We’ll support you as you grow into more senior roles and take on greater responsibility. Through the Babcock Role Framework, you’ll have a clear view of how your career can progress, with mapped-out pathways, development opportunities and the tools you need to get wherever you want to go.

What rewards and benefits will you get?

In addition to a minimum starting salary of £35,000, you’ll benefit from:

• - A minimum of 25 days of holiday plus bank holidays
• - Generous pension and employee share schemes
• - Flexible benefits, including cycle to work scheme, discounts
• - Wellbeing support, covering mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing, with services like our Employee Assistance Programme, digital GP service, and health checks.

You’ll also have the chance to get involved in our STEM outreach activities and volunteering opportunities.

Where will you be based?

Places on our Project Controls programme for September 2027 are available at HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland and Bristol in England. Agile working is supported, but regular onsite attendance will be expected, to meet the requirements of the business. When you successfully complete the programme, you will have the opportunity to continue at the same location, so it’s important you consider this when applying.

Marine/Nuclear – HM Naval Base Clyde, Scotland

Babcock’s HM Naval Base Clyde operation provides highly specialist engineering support services, including the management of critical infrastructure and nuclear facilities. We also deliver operational maintenance, upgrades and repairs to support Royal Navy vessels, including the Vanguard and Astute-class submarines based in Scotland. In this location, you could support a wide range of programmes and projects, from infrastructure and facilities upgrades to submarine maintenance, sustainment and capability enhancement activities. Working within a highly regulated environment, you’ll gain exposure to projects that play a vital role in supporting the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet and the UK’s defence capability.

Mission Technologies – Bristol

If you’re interested in advanced manufacturing and disruptive technologies, Mission Technologies is where you’ll thrive. Based in Bristol, you could contribute to the delivery of advanced communications systems, electronic warfare capabilities, or satellite operations supporting national defence. Here, you’ll be involved in a diverse portfolio of innovative programmes, helping to support the development and delivery of technologies that operate across land, sea, air and space. It’s an opportunity to contribute to complex projects that support customers across the UK and around the world.

• - You'll need to have achieved, or be on track to achieve, a degree in one of the following subjects: Risk Management, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Finance, Economics, Project Management, Data Science, Maths, Statistics, Business Management, Information/IT Management, Sciences, or Engineering.
• - Many of our programmes are subject to Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions, meaning your place of birth, nationality, citizenship, or any residency you hold or have held may impact your eligibility. Restrictions may vary depending on the business area or location in which you work, so please refer to the relevant job advert for full details before applying.

We are Cavendish Nuclear, a wholly owned subsidiary of Babcock International Group and the UK’s leading nuclear services company. With a highly skilled workforce we are located at offices and sites in the UK as well as internationally. Our people innovate to make nuclear safer, faster, at lower cost and deliver across all aspects of the nuclear energy life cycle, from design and build, through operations and maintenance, to decommissioning, waste management and remediation. A career with us is hugely rewarding and exciting; one that stretches and challenges individuals to be the best they can be. When you join Cavendish Nuclear, you will have opportunities to work on projects that will have an impact on the future.At Cavendish Nuclear we put people first. Work with us and you’ll discover that our focus on people is unique.