RF Seekers Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2026

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

Job summary

A leading defense organization in Stevenage is offering an RF Seekers Engineer undergraduate placement starting in September 2026. This role will allow students to apply their university learning in the areas of radar system design and integration. The placement includes hands-on work in system simulation, algorithm development, and collaborative projects across various teams. Competitive salary and dynamic hybrid working environment are provided, along with various employee benefits.

Benefits

Company bonus based on performance

Pension contributions up to 14%

Paid overtime opportunities

25 days annual leave plus additional purchase options

Flexible leave options

Qualifications

• Must be pursuing a relevant degree.
• Interest in radar systems and signal processing is advantageous.
• Eagerness to learn and adapt in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate radar seekers.
• Work on algorithm development and system simulation.
• Participate in hardware and software integration.

Skills

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Technical analysis

Education

Currently studying for a degree in Physics, Engineering, Computing, or Mathematics

Job description

Overview

RF Seekers Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2026

The seeker is "the eyes" of every Missile; not just a collection of sensors, but a sophisticated integrated system which detects, identifies, and tracks targets. The seeker contains some of the most advanced technology in the Missile, and typically comprises around half of the development activity of a missile project.

Salary: £23,495

Dynamic (Hybrid) Working: 4 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 FOR THIS ROLE IS MIDNIGHT ON 5TH 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

The Seekers department is responsible for the design, development, integration and production of all radar seekers, including multi-mode seekers (combining radar (RF) and electro-optic sensors). Our work is especially broad, as we are the design authority for all aspects of the seeker product. The diversity of fields working together under one roof makes the Seekers department a unique environment for discovering, exploring, developing and specialising in a wide variety of highly technical and valuable areas of expertise.

Seekers work across the whole product lifecycle so you'll see things start from research and development then progress to concept, design, integration and testing. Finally you'll see our products through to production and in-service support. You'll also see areas of the business that you may not expect, such as working on new business and bids or getting involved in field and flight trials. With such a range of lifecycle stages to cover, we offer a diverse range of placements. Some of these include:

• System simulation and modelling
• Algorithm development
• Design and test of electronic and RF circuits
• Hardware and software integration
• Signal processing and data analysis
• Performance analysis, requirements and specifications
• Electromagnetic simulation
• Experimental lab testing
• Image processing and ray tracing
• Production support

Working in this function, you'll find you use and advance your knowledge from university, applying it to technical challenges at the cutting edge of technology, in a department which never stops learning! We also work closely with many other teams, giving you exposure to even more areas across the industry. Seekers is an Anglo-Italian department, and work on numerous multinational projects.

Following this placement many are offered roles on our Graduate schemes.

What we're looking for from you

Currently studying for a degree in a Physics, Engineering, Computing or Mathematics discipline.

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.

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