Year in Industry- Engineering

Year in Industry Placement - Engineering Salary £24,500 per annum plus benefits Location Aldermaston or Burghfield, Berkshire Contract 12-month placement Start date August 2027 Working pattern Full time, 9-day working fortnight Work location Onsite

About AWE We are a team of remarkable people, united by one extraordinary mission: keeping the UK safe and secure. Our work supports the UK's independent nuclear deterrent and extends into areas including counter-terrorism, global nuclear test monitoring and the development of world-class nuclear science and engineering expertise.

Role purpose

As an Undergraduate Engineer, you will join an engineering team and contribute to real technical work from the start of your placement. Depending on your degree, interests and business needs, your experience could span design, systems, process, manufacturing, software, data, infrastructure, modelling, testing or commissioning. You will apply knowledge from your degree in a unique, highly regulated environment while learning how engineers collaborate across disciplines to deliver safe, secure and effective outcomes.

We know people can underestimate their readiness when they do not meet every point in a role profile.

Key activities and responsibilities

• Support engineering design, analysis, modelling, testing or manufacturing activities relevant to your placement team.
• Contribute to the development and review of technical information, calculations, requirements, plans or engineering documentation.
• Apply structured problem-solving to real technical challenges and share evidence-based recommendations.
• Work collaboratively with engineers, scientists, project professionals, manufacturing teams and other stakeholders.
• Support systems, process or manufacturing improvements while considering safety, quality, security and regulatory requirements.
• Use relevant digital tools and potentially gain exposure to analytical modelling, virtual reality, simulation or additive manufacturing.
• Agree challenging but achievable objectives at the start of the placement and review progress throughout the year.
• Contribute to a respectful, inclusive team environment and be willing to seek guidance, share ideas and learn from feedback.

Learning and development

• Learn from experts: Work alongside experienced engineers and technical specialists who will support your development.
• Meaningful work: Contribute to live projects rather than observing from the sidelines.
• Technical capability: Build experience in engineering design, systems thinking, manufacturing, processes, project delivery and technical communication.
• Confidence and leadership: Develop self-awareness, team awareness and the confidence to contribute your perspective.
• Continual support: Receive support from a dedicated line manager, Evolve pathway lead and buddy.
• Community and belonging: Join a multidisciplinary Early Careers community and access staff-led inclusion networks and development events.

Entry requirements

• We welcome applications from students working towards a degree in: Mechanical Engineering Electrical or Electronic Engineering Chemical Engineering Computer Science or Software Engineering Data Science Product Design Engineering Manufacturing Engineering Systems Engineering General Engineering
• You must be on track to achieve a minimum 2:2 in your degree by August 2027.
• You must be graduating in either 2029 or 2030 and completing a placement year as part of your degree.
• You must be available to join AWE in August 2027 and attend site each working day.
• You must be a British National and willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance.

Behaviours and qualities

• Curious: You enjoy learning and are comfortable asking questions when something is unclear.
• Collaborative: You listen, build relationships and value the expertise and perspectives of others.
• Analytical and creative: You can examine evidence while remaining open to new approaches and ideas.
• Adaptable: You can respond positively to change and learn from challenges.
• Dependable: You take responsibility, keep your promises and understand the importance of trust.
• Safety and security focused: You work carefully and follow agreed requirements.
• Inclusive: You help create an environment where people can contribute and be themselves.

Salary and benefits

• £24,500 salary.
• 270 hours of annual leave, including bank holidays.
• A full-time, 9-day working fortnight, giving you every other Friday off.
• A salary-sacrifice benefit scheme.
• Savings across retail, hospitality and leisure.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• A vibrant Early Careers community and access to employee inclusion networks.
• Potential to secure a Graduate role after university, subject to performance, business need and available opportunities.

Working location

The placement will be based onsite at Aldermaston or Burghfield in Berkshire. Both sites are served by public transport from Reading and Basingstoke. Due to the nature and security of the work, home working is not available for this placement.

Inclusion and reasonable adjustments

We want candidates to feel confident and informed throughout the application process. We welcome requests for reasonable adjustments. Any inclusion information will be used only to support the application and held in accordance with GDPR. Questions can be directed to EarlyCareers@awe.co.uk.

Important things you need to know

Applications close at the end of October 2026. We recruit on a rolling basis and will close once enough applications have been received. You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process. Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process. Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work.

Next steps

Everyone who works at AWE brings unique skills and perspectives to the table. We recognise that great people don’t always ‘tick every box’. That’s why we focus on your potential, your fit with our values, your transferable skills as well as your experience. Even if you don’t meet every point above, but you feel that this role and AWE are a great fit for you, please go ahead and apply, we’d love to receive your application.

If you’re looking for a role with excitement, intrigue and something that really makes a difference then now is the time to join AWE. We are at the start of a once in a generation – possibly two generations – programme to design and produce a replacement warhead for the UK’s continuous at sea deterrent. We will do this while continuing to deliver the Trident programme as well as managing ambitious state‑of‑the‑art capital and construction projects – some of which have never been done before. We are recruiting right across the business: from technical roles in engineering, science, manufacturing and industrial work to business roles in areas such as IT, project management/ controls, commercial, human resources and facilities management. We also have our Evolve graduate programme, or you may be interested in an apprenticeship with our award-winning Skills Academy. What we do is vital to national nuclear security. Keeping our nation, everyone, our environment and everything around us safe and secure is a top priority for us. So, as you would expect, that brings with it a high level of safety and security that you will see across our sites and in how everyone who works here operates. We are always looking for high calibre people to join our team, so why not explore the opportunities we currently have on offer. Whatever stage of your career, AWE is an exciting and challenging environment to develop your skills and achieve your potential.