Summer Placement Mechanical Engineering Student

Kier Group; Falmer; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Kier Group is offering a summer placement for a Mechanical Engineering student in Falmer, East Sussex. The 8-week programme runs July–August, with a starting salary of £27,976 per annum. You will assist in mechanical design, develop drawings and reports, and visit sites to monitor progress and compliance.

Applicants must be returning to university after the placement and have a valid driving licence. The role provides hands-on learning within Kier's Water team, exposure to real projects, and

Qualifications

• Pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree and returning to university after placement.
• Excellent numerical and analytical skills.
• Good written and verbal communication.
• Full driving licence required.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the design, development, and implementation of mechanical systems.
• Prepare detailed drawings, specifications, and reports.
• Conduct site visits to monitor progress and ensure compliance with design specifications, safety standards, and quality requirements.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, standards, and company policies.

Skills

Numerical skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Driving licence

Teamwork

Education

Mechanical Engineering degree

Job description

Summer Placement Mechanical Engineer.

We're looking for a Summer Placement Mechanical Engineering Student to join our Infrastructure team. You will be working on projects for our Southern Water framework across East Sussex.

Location:

Falmer, East Sussex

Starting Salary:

£27,976 per annum

Pathway:

8 Weeks- 40hrs per week

Starting date:

July 2027

We are unable to offer certificates of sponsorship to any candidates in this role.

What will you be responsible for?

As a Summer Placement Mechanical Engineer, you'll be working within the Water team assisting in the design, development, and implementation of mechanical systems. This role offers a fantastic opportunity to gain hands‑on experience, receive mentorship from experienced professionals, and develop a strong foundation in quantity surveying.

What will your day‑to‑day duties include?

• Assisting in the design and development of mechanical systems for projects.
• Supporting the preparation of detailed drawings, specifications, and reports.
• Conducting site visits to monitor progress and ensure compliance with design specifications, safety standards, and quality requirements.
• Ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations, standards, and company policies.

How does a placement work?

Kier is committed to encouraging talent and providing opportunities for growth and development.

When you join, you will be enrolled onto our summer placement scheme. The programme will take 8 weeks to complete and has been designed to immerse you in the world of construction, you'll get to see your learnings in real world situations and gain practical experiences to support the rest of your degree.

Benefits for you:

• Practical experience: gain valuable hands‑on experience in your field.

• Skill improvement: develop technical and professional skills.

• Networking: build professional relationships and expand your network.

• Career insight: gain insights into your chosen industry and potential career paths.

• Employment opportunities: increase your chances of securing a further placement, or graduate opportunity, at Kier or elsewhere.

What are we looking for?

We're on the lookout for students undertaking a degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, who can join us on an 8-week placement across July - August. You must be returning to university upon completion of your placement.

• Excellent numerical and analytical skills.

• Good communication skills written and verbal

• Ability to work well both independently and collaboratively as part of a team

• Full driving licence required

Diversity and inclusion

Making Kier a diverse and inclusive place to work is a high priority for us. We're proud of the steps we've taken so far, but we know we must always do more. Our employees are key in shaping Kier's diversity and inclusion initiatives, and our people have made a huge impact on how we work, by using their experiences to shape our policies. You can see our D&I action plan here .

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this role will be offered an interview.

Recruitment timeline

• October 2026: Initial applications
• November 2026: Application reviews
• January 2027 onwards: Interviews

It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations we reserve the right to close adverts early