DE&S Operational Delivery Through Life Support Graduate Scheme in Bristol

Location: MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol BS34 8JH (office attendance required).

Duration: Two years.

Start Date: September 2026.

Salary: £28,800 (with annual increments).

Entry Requirements: Bachelor\’s degree (2:2 or higher).

Working Pattern: Full-time.

Overview

Join Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) to support the UK Armed Forces by delivering cutting‑edge equipment and technology. This two‑year development programme offers hands‑on experience in Through Life Support (TLS) professional development and the opportunity to achieve a certification in the Association for Project Management Project Management Qualification (APM PMQ).

What You’ll Do

• Determine resource schedules for producing and maintaining the TLS aspects of equipment acquisition and in‑service projects.
• Build and maintain stakeholder and assurance community networks.
• Support the production and validation of TLS use cases and associated deliverables.
• Produce and monitor availability, reliability and maintainability estimates using mathematical and statistical knowledge.
• Develop technical report writing skills.
• Conduct supportability analyses and negotiate trade‑offs for alternative support solutions.

Benefits

• Salary of £28,800 with annual increments.
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays and an extra privilege day).
• Employer pension contribution of 28.97 %.
• Flexible and hybrid working options.
• Professional training and funding for qualifications.
• Access to employee networks promoting diversity and inclusion.
• Huge range of discounts.

Eligibility

• UK residency for the last 5 years.
• Security Check (SC) clearance required.
• Right to work in the UK (DE&S does not sponsor visas).

Minimum Selection Criteria

• GCSE Maths and English Language (grade 4 or above).
• Bachelor\’s (or higher) degree in any subject at a minimum grade 2:2.

Application Process

1. Online application (13 Oct – 10 Nov 2025).
2. Interactive assessments (Nov 2025) – 20‑30 minutes.
3. Checks of minimum selection criteria and nationality (Dec 2025).
4. Assessment centre at DE&S headquarters (Jan‑Feb 2026) – interview, presentation and group activity.
5. Offer (Feb 2026) – based on order of merit.
6. Pre‑employment checks (Mar – Aug 2026).

Behaviours We Assess

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Diversity and Inclusion

As a Disability Confident level 3 leader DE&S is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and offer reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria and offer them an interview or assessment centre opportunity if they meet the minimum criteria for the job.

Contact

Have a question or a request for a reasonable adjustment? Email us at [contact@example.com].

Apply now to start your career and make a difference for the UK Armed Forces!

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