Engineering Undergraduate Placement Year

Location: Bristol or Ashchurch or Devonport, Plymouth

Application closing date: 20 October 2026

Start date: June 2027

What you’ll be doing

You’ll spend your placement year getting hands-on with some of the world’s most advanced engineering and technology. You’ll have a variety of different opportunities, working as part of technical departments, project management or production teams.

You will join one of our engineering discipline teams, specialising in areas such as Mechanical, Electrical Control and Instrumentation, Systems, Integrated Product Support or Software Engineering.

Each team brings unique expertise, with some dedicated to designing and manufacturing complex engineering solutions, such as our highly mechanised Weapon Handling and Launch Systems (WHLS) and Air Turbine Pumps (ATP).

Other teams focus on delivering products and services that establish us as a world leader in military communications, spanning Very Low Frequency (VLF) to High Frequency (HF). Our capabilities also include systems engineering, operations, and support, with recent expansions into space and satellite operations.

What you’ll get out of it

Our placements are about more than work experience – they’re an opportunity to immerse yourself in life at Babcock, form meaningful connections, and develop skills that will set you up for your future career. You’ll work alongside supportive colleagues and gain guidance from experienced professionals every step of the way.

We value the fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that placement students bring to our team. We believe you have the potential to shape the future of our business. But we also understand that this placement is as much about you assessing what’s right for you as it is about us getting to know you. Perform well, and you could be considered for a position on our graduate programme – your journey with Babcock could just be getting started.

What you’ll need

• To be studying an engineering degree.

• Many of our programmes are subject to Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions which mean that your place of birth, nationality, citizenship, or residency you hold or have held may impact which programmes you are eligible for. For this programme, you must be able to achieve and maintain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) security clearance. For further details, visit GOV.UK and search ‘United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels’.

Application process and important information

Applications are reviewed in the order they are received, and if there’s a high level of interest in this programme, we may close applications earlier than advertised. To give yourself the best chance of being considered, we recommend submitting your application and completing any required online assessments as soon as possible.

Please apply to one programme only. If we receive more than one application from you, we’ll assess the first one submitted. If your chosen programme becomes oversubscribed, we may contact you to discuss other programmes you could be eligible for.

We're a Disability Confident Employer. If you require additional support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply. Our team will contact you after receiving your application to discuss your requirements and the support available.

We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.