Summer Placement - Façade Engineering

From helping shape entire cities to adapting infrastructure to deal with the climate emergency, a career at Buro Happold presents the chance to make a difference. With a world‑class reputation, our creativity and our people have delivered positive change to clients, the environment and communities alike. If you want to be part of something bigger, this is your chance.

What is Façade Engineering?

The quality of the ‘skin’ of a building is about much more than aesthetic vision; it involves buildability, efficiency and long‑term sustainability. A façade must resist weather, be airtight, and avoid falling off the building, while its energy impact is also critical. An efficient, buildable façade improves overall building performance, and we constantly strive to provide more efficient skins. A thorough knowledge of façade construction allows a client to entrust us with a project from concept design through to the “nuts and bolts” of construction, the operation and maintenance of the façade, and even refurbishment or re‑purposing options.

Projects I Work On

• Whiteleys Redevelopment, London – A multi‑use project in a Grade II listed building combining the design of large precast and glazing systems with specialist advice to historic facades.
• Bee’ah Headquarters, UAE – A building designed to embody the ethos of sustainability with a sweeping curved exterior.

Which Degree Could I Be Studying Towards?

• Façade Engineering
• Architectural Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Sustainability
• Building Physics
• Architecture
• Building Surveying

What Would I Do?

• Assist in developing jobs technically from initial client ideas, using aluminium, steel, concrete, stone, glass, and timber.
• Deliver work in a timely and technically competent manner.
• Increase awareness of basic weather performance issues, building physics, ventilation, solar gain control, thermal insulation, and glare control.
• Help assess and advise on embodied carbon, operational carbon, and durability/life‑cycle impacts of design decisions.
• Gain practical experience handling and fabricating typical cladding materials.
• Understand design life of façade components and inspect existing buildings to identify failures or defects.
• Hone understanding of international standards and building codes (e.g., British Standards, Eurocodes, International Building Code, UBC, Aluminium Design Manual, Australian and NZ standards, ASTM Standards, Saudi Building Code).
• Work with other teams to understand constraints of other major design disciplines such as Architecture, Structures, Building Services/MEP, Fire Engineering, Acoustics, and computer modelling.
• Develop strong design leadership on façade issues for the client’s design team.
• Maintain good client relations throughout the job.
• Improve competency across software such as Autodesk Robot, STAAD, Strand, SAP2000, MEPLA, and THERM.

Application Process

We typically complete shortlisting after the role has closed. Therefore, you can expect to hear from us within 2–4 weeks of the job closing on our website. If you wish to contact us for more information or an update, please email earlycareers@burohappold.com.

This is an 8‑week paid placement for Summer 2026. Most placement students start in June or July, but we can be flexible.

A Place for Everyone

Buro Happold values flexible approaches to working patterns and welcomes applications from those who seek flexibility in their careers. Our exceptional portfolio stems from diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds and experiences. We actively work to improve representation of marginalised groups in the built environment and are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels under‑represented. If you need adjustments to the application process, contact recruitment@burohappold.com and we will support you.