Complex Warheads: Lethality Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2027

Are you interested in modelling the lethal performance of MBDA's Complex Weapon Systems? We are seeking an undergraduate to join our niche group of engineers, enabling MBDA to provide world leading defence capabilities for our home Nations and Allies.

Salary: £24,460

Dynamic working: To introduce you to the business and the role you’ll play we aim for 3-4+ days on site to begin with, and as you gain confidence and experience we will seek to accommodate a blended approach to on-site and remote working.  If preferential, full time on site working is also an option.

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.

This role is scheduled to close for applications at midnight on Monday 4th January 2027 but may close earlier depending on application volumes.

What we can offer you:

• 1 year placement: starting September 2027, that allows you to apply your university learning to real-world projects and technologies 

• Company bonus: based on company performance and will vary year to year

• Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%

• Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime

• Annual Leave:  25 days plus option to purchase extra holiday

• Flexi Leave: up to 15 additional days

• Facilities: fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more.

• Healthcare Cash Plan: The Healthcare Cash Plan benefit provides the option to claim cash back on everyday healthcare expenses such as optical, dental, health and wellbeing and more.

The opportunity:

The Complex Warheads Centre of Excellence is a coordinated team situated across sites in Stevenage, Bolton and Paris and their role is to:

• Act as the company’s design authority for warheads.

• Predict the lethal performance of various types of missile systems.

• Provide knowledge in the skill areas of warheads, explosives, target detection and weapon lethality.

The Lethality team in Stevenage primarily undertakes modelling of the missile terminal engagement, the target detection, warhead detonation and lethal performance prediction.

This is an outstanding opportunity to learn from a niche group of engineers with mixed expertise, involved in assessing the lethal performance of various missile systems. The skills we utilise are not typical in academia and so joining the team presents an opportunity for you to develop knowledge in numerous aspects of missile lethality that you would not develop anywhere else!

With support and mentorship from the team’s Engineers, you'll be involved in applying a custom set of modelling tools to evaluate and investigate the lethal performance of developing and future missile systems against a range of targets. Our in-house tools are principally fast running evaluation models written in MATLAB; however, other tools ranging from CAD design software to complex finite element style hydrocodes see occasional use.

This placement will build your knowledge and enable you to apply an understanding of fuzing techniques, warhead technologies, lethal effects and lethality assessment modelling methods to various types of missile systems in development by MBDA.

You will be encouraged to work on your own or in a small team, with some supervision, as required, on short tasks (typically a few weeks to a few months in duration). Some projects may include collaboration with other MBDA departments around Europe.

What we’re looking for from you:

Current undergraduate studying for a degree in an Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computing or Applied Science 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

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