Mechanical Engineer - Summer Placement 2026

Overview

Mechanical Engineer – Summer Placement 2026

The Mechanical Engineering department develops physical solutions from concept through development and certification to production on missiles and weapon systems. The nature of complex weapons and the environments they operate in present an extensive scope of unique and interesting mechanical engineering challenges. You could be part of our team!

Salary: £23,495

Dynamic (Hybrid) Working: 3-4 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.

What we can offer you

• 10 week placement: starting June 2026, that allows you to apply your university learning to real-world projects and technologies
• Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
• Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime
• Annual Leave: 5 days
• Facilities: fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…

The opportunity

The Mechanical Engineering department develops physical solutions from concept through development and certification to production on missiles and weapon systems. The nature of complex weapons and the environments they operate in present an extensive scope of unique and interesting mechanical engineering challenges.

You\’ll get hands-on work experience from all placements – interaction with hardware is highly encouraged to help further understanding of our products. This could mean use of rapid prototyping facilities, getting involved in external manufacture or participating in assembly builds and laboratory tests. You\’ll learn from our engineers\’ knowledge in complex weapons and Defence technology across all departments. Summer placement students often work collaboratively with other closely related departments on a common project supported by a network of technical specialists. These dynamic projects are at the forefront of innovation and capture the latest trends and concepts to deliver future novel solutions within the battlespace.

You could gain experience in some of the following areas:

• Mechanical Design – Be involved in all stages of design from concept development through to manufacture. This role relies on CAD tools and gives opportunity to be involved in laboratory test programs.
• Mechanical Future Concepts – Positioned at the cutting-edge of missile technology, gain experience in the early stages of the product lifecycle from concept generation to research & development (R&D) studies.
• Mechanical Analysis – Develop specialist technical solutions to aid the design process. With Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools and laboratory testing, conduct detailed stress and thermal analysis on structures and mechanical systems.
• Actuation Systems – Working within a multi-disciplinary team on the electro-mechanical design of fin, wing and seeker actuation systems. The role is broadly similar to the Mechanical Design placement with the added possibility of working in a cross-discipline, international team.
• Materials and Processes – Advise design teams in the principles of materials science, and evaluate their ideas against material compatibility; this offers the chance to get involved in top-tier research of novel materials as well as practical lab based assessments.

What we\’re looking for from you

Studying towards a Degree in an Engineering discipline (incl. General, Mechanical, Production/Manufacturing, Aeronautical/Aerospace), Materials Science or Technology Degree 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.