Safety and Reliability Engineer – Undergraduate Placement 2027

MBDA; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Company bonus

Overtime

Annual leave

Flexi Leave

Healthcare plan

Meal subsidies

Job summary

MBDA is offering a Safety and Reliability Engineer Undergraduate Placement in Bristol. This role covers safety and reliability across the product lifecycle, from concept to customer delivery, with hands-on experience in a Defence context.

The successful candidate will develop skills in Hazard Analysis, FMECA, and Fault Tree Analysis, while pursuing an engineering degree in a related field. The placement is hybrid, with 2–3 days on-site per week, and runs starting September 2027, with potential

Qualifications

• Hazard analysis techniques used in safety and reliability engineering.
• FMECA and fault tree analysis applications in complex systems.
• Development of safety and reliability case reports.

Responsibilities

• Develop a specialist background in Safety and Reliability Engineering within Defence.
• Support product development from concept through testing to delivery.
• Engage with stakeholders to deliver safe and reliable MBDA products.

Skills

Hazard Analysis

FMECA

FTA

Safety Cases

Reliability Engineering

Safety & Reliability

Education

Engineering (Aeronautical/Aerospace)

Physics

Astronomy

Job description

Bristol

Safety and Reliability Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2027

Our Safety and Reliability Department is critical to ensuring that the complex weapon systems we provide to the Armed Forces are safe to operate and perform flawlessly when it matters most. You will gain hands‑on experience across the entire product lifecycle, from initial concept to customer delivery.

Salary: £24,460

Dynamic (hybrid) working: 2-3 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.

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, dental, health and wellbeing and more.

The opportunity:

The Safety and Reliability Department are in the fortunate position to support all areas of the business to ensure all the products MBDA produces are safe to use and provide a reliable performance to the Armed Forces who protect our nations.

This is supporting in assessing and assuring the safety and reliability aspects of the inherently lethal attributes required of complex weapon systems (specialisation in either safety or reliability could be supported, but the preference is to fully develop skills in both areas). Successful candidates will:

• Develop a specialist background in Safety and Reliability Engineering within the Defence sector.

• Experience and support product development across the different phases; from product conception through testing and trials to manufacture and customer delivery.

• Experience of Safety and Reliability Engineering techniques and best practice. For example; Hazard Analysis, Failure Mode Effects & Criticality Analysis (FMECA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Safety or Reliability Case Reports.

• Have opportunities to build and secure a network with other stakeholders within and outside of MBDA (for example; Supporting design teams to deliver safe and reliable products on time and on cost, implementing business processes with guidance from Guided Weapon Safety Officers or Technical Experts, facilitating or attending Customer Safety Panel meetings or Community of Practice events).
  

There are creative opportunities in MBDA, for example, to take part in outreach representing Safety / Reliability Engineering in your community and becoming involved in collaborative internal knowledge sharing events.

MBDA offers incredible development and career opportunities! We believe that any individual with a learning mind-set and belief in what we do can make a difference here!

What we're looking for from you:

Current undergraduate working towards a degree in Degree in an Engineering (incl. Aeronautical/Aerospace, Electrical/Electronic, Systems and safety), Physics or Astronomy 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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