Mechanical Engineering - NDA group graduates 2027

Job Description

As part of the NDA group Graduate Programme, you will have the opportunity to gain experience across the organisations that make up the NDA group, working in a variety of teams, locations and environments. You'll contribute to meaningful work that has a lasting impact, helping to support the safe, secure and sustainable management of the UK's nuclear legacy. Along the way, you'll learn from industry experts, build valuable networks and develop a broad range of technical, professional and behavioural skills that will prepare you for a successful career in the nuclear sector.

Alongside your placements, you'll take part in the NDA group Graduate Development Programme, designed to accelerate your personal and professional growth. Where relevant, you'll be supported to achieve professional accreditation, registration or chartership. With guidance from experienced professionals, mentors and programme stakeholders, you'll gain the knowledge, confidence and capability needed to thrive across the NDA group and make a meaningful contribution to the future of the UK's nuclear industry.

Engineering Job Family

The Engineering Job Family provides innovative technical expertise and practical solutions to support the safety, reliability, and performance of nuclear facilities, assets and systems. Roles within this family may involve design, maintenance, testing, validation, construction, commissioning, asset management, and technical support, helping ensure critical systems continue to operate safely and effectively throughout their lifecycle.

Engineering teams play a vital role in enabling mission delivery today while helping shape the infrastructure, technologies and engineering solutions needed for the future.

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering provides specialist expertise in the design, operation, maintenance, improvement, and decommissioning of mechanical systems, equipment, and assets. These systems are fundamental to the safe operation of nuclear facilities and the successful delivery of decommissioning programmes.

This discipline helps ensure equipment and systems remain safe, reliable and fit for purpose while supporting innovation, operational performance and long-term mission delivery.

As a Mechanical Engineering Graduate, you will contribute to work that supports one of the UK's most complex and nationally important environmental missions. Mechanical engineering plays a vital role in supporting the safe operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Through your placements, you will gain experience across a range of engineering environments, developing an understanding of how mechanical systems and equipment support operational performance, safety, and long-term mission delivery.

Working alongside experienced engineers and technical specialists, you may contribute to activities such as equipment reliability, asset management, engineering design, inspections, maintenance strategies, safety assessments, risk management, project delivery, and technical problem-solving. You will gain insight into how engineering decisions are made within highly regulated and safety-critical environments.

You could gain exposure to operational facilities, major engineering projects, and decommissioning programmes, helping to improve system performance, manage engineering risks, and develop solutions to complex technical challenges. This breadth of experience will help you understand how mechanical engineering contributes to safe operations, hazard reduction, and environmental restoration.

Through this pathway, you will develop an appreciation of how different engineering disciplines work together to deliver complex programmes while building the technical knowledge and practical experience needed to support critical infrastructure and industrial assets.

This pathway would suit individuals who are curious about how complex equipment and systems operate, enjoy solving practical engineering problems, and are motivated by delivering solutions that have a tangible impact.

Location

Various UK Locations

The NDA group operates from more than 30 sites and office locations across England, Scotland and Wales. Applicants must be geographically flexible and willing to relocate to any of our sites to support business requirements and development opportunities across the programme.

Support is available to help graduates relocate where required.

Why Us?

Throughout your two-year journey on the NDA group graduates programme, you will be employed by Energus and complete two 12-month secondments within the NDA group.

At the end of the programme, we will support you to secure a role within the NDA group or within the wider nuclear sector, helping you take the next step in your career.

Benefits

• Annual salary of £32,000
• A comprehensive, tailored programme of professional development worth £9,900 which includes Membership of up to 2 professional institutions
• A robust support network which includes a dedicated mentor, a company lead, access to our graduate and employee networks and a pastoral care professional
• Generously funded travel & subsistence to support with travel to training and events
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and 6 additional discretionary days leave
• Energus' Contributory pension scheme, Employee Assistance Programme, Aviva DigiCare+ (to help you take control of your health and wellbeing) and our Cycle2Work Scheme

Qualifications and Requirements

• A minimum of a 2:2 in a relevant degree subject
• The right to work in the UK for the duration of the programme
• Willingness and ability to travel and relocate to any of the offices/sites that host secondments for your chosen programme. Secondments are organised to maximise your development and are aligned to business needs.
• Demonstrating that you personify our group values of Respect, Openness, Collaboration, Performance, & Creativity.
• Any offers will be conditional upon you providing proof of your right to work and passing security clearance and vetting checks.

Recruitment Stages

1. Online application form - please complete all required sections of the application to ensure this is submitted successfully.
2. Psychometric assessment - called Neurosight, this will be sent via email.
3. Online interview - a 30-minute video interview with representatives from one of the sponsoring organisations.
4. Assessment centre - these will be delivered face-to-face and will involve various activities, alongside insightful information around the nuclear industry and our programme.
5. Offer - following our assessment centres, we aim to issue outcomes within two weeks. Successful candidates will begin their exciting journey as an NDA group Graduate, working with our dedicated Energus People & Skills team to complete security paperwork ahead of starting the programme in September 2027.
6. Onboarding - we welcome all our graduates ahead of the start date, through social media groups and welcome sessions, ensuring you are prepared, and any support required is in place, providing you with the best start to your exciting future as an NDA group Graduate.

Face-to-face assessment centres will take place in early 2027. If you are invited to an assessment centre and are unable to attend, unfortunately, you may be unable to complete the selection process.

We encourage you to regularly check emails throughout the selection process, all correspondence including selection invitation will be sent via email.

Closing Date

12:00 (noon) Friday 6th November 2026

Any applications received after this date will not be considered. We reserve the right to close a role early should we receive sufficient applications. We encourage that you apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment. Please note only one NDA group Graduates application is required, please do not submit multiple applications.

Vetting

Individuals holding National Security Vetting (NSV) have several key responsibilities, primarily revolving around maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information and reporting any potential security concerns. They must ensure their clearance remains valid, promptly report any changes in their circumstances that might affect their clearance, and adhere to local security protocols.

As proud members of the Disability Confident Scheme, Energus aim to create a fair and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you have a disability or health condition and require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know – we will work with you to ensure your needs are met. We are committed to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. In the event of a high number of eligible applicants, we will prioritise those whose skills and experience most closely match the requirements of the role.