Propulsion Engineer Placement 2027

MBDA; Filton; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary

Dynamic working

1 year placement

Company bonus

Pension plan

Overtime

Annual leave

Flexi leave

Facilities

Healthcare plan

Job summary

MBDA in the United Kingdom is offering an Undergraduate Propulsion Engineer placement beginning September 2027. The 1-year placement allows you to apply university learning to real propulsion projects with a salary of £24,460.

The role is on-site four days a week, with potential to progress to a graduate role after successful performance. You will work within MBDA's propulsion team on solid rockets, ramjets and gas turbines, mentored by experienced engineers, developing modelling and CFD skills

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate working towards a degree in Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, General Engineering, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Sciences or other related subject.

Responsibilities

• Be involved in propulsion design and evaluation across MBDA's missile systems.
• Work with modelling tools and CFD techniques to analyse propulsion performance.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams across the project lifecycle.

Education

Undergraduate degree (engineering) in Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering

Job description

Step into one of the most dynamic and technically challenging areas of aerospace engineering – missile propulsion.

As an Undergraduate Propulsion Engineer at MBDA, you'll play a part in shaping the next generation of defence technology, working on projects that are innovative, impactful and at the very forefront of engineering.

Rewards and Benefits

• Salary: £24,460
• Dynamic working: 4 days per week on-site due to workload classification
• 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, dental, health and wellbeing and more.

The Opportunity

Becoming an undergraduate propulsion engineer offers you the opportunity to develop the skills and expertise needed to design and evaluate the propulsion systems that power MBDA's advanced missile systems, including solid rockets, ramjets, and gas turbines. The Propulsion Department is central to MBDA's mission, supporting projects across the full product lifecycle - from early concept through to in-service support. Working closely with leading UK and international propulsion suppliers, you'll contribute to a wide portfolio of projects that underpin the UK's defence capability.

Our Propulsion Department is a collaborative team of engineers, scientists and specialists who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of what propulsion systems can achieve. You'll be mentored by experienced experts, learning cutting-edge modelling techniques and gaining hands-on exposure to real-world engineering challenges.

During your time with the Propulsion team, you'll be involved in understanding areas such as:

• Application and development of bespoke and commercial modelling tools to evaluate propulsion performance.
• Key drivers are in future propellant research, and failure modes of propellants and how this affects the length of service of the rocket motor.
• Internal ballistic modelling of solid rocket motors and assessing rocket exhaust plume characteristics using CFD techniques.
• Assessment of missiles at different stages of their lifecycle (concept, development, in-service).
• Exploration of multi-disciplinary design challenges, including integration, plume, thermal, structural and system considerations.
• Understanding the role of propulsion when integrating missiles onto land, naval and air platforms.

By joining MBDA's propulsion team, you'll be part of a supportive environment where innovation thrives, collaboration is key, and your work directly contributes to the future of defence technology.

What We're Looking For From You

• Current undergraduate working towards a degree in Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, General Engineering, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Sciences or other related subject.
• 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.

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.

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