Systems Design (SD-WS) - Undergraduate Placement 2025

Systems Design Engineer- Undergraduate Placement 2025

Salary: £23,495 (pro rata)

Location: Bristol

Working pattern: Where possible, we will seek to accommodate a blended approach to on-site and remote working, but this will depend on project requirements and the need for access to specific site facilities.

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. 

Closing date for this role is midnight on Monday 4th November

The opportunity:

Working within one of our Systems Design functions, you will be involved in designing the latest Complex Weapons capabilities for the UK and partner nation Armed Forces in response to advanced threats in Air, Land, Maritime and Cyber domains. 

You’ll complete a placement based on a project that could be at any stage in a range of areas, from future capabilities to in-service products. Through the placement, we’ll help you understand the make-up of a missile or a weapon system; from the warhead to the seeker in the missile to the wider weapon system components.

These placements will enable you to understand the Systems Engineering ‘V’ model across the whole product lifecycle – including:

• Researching future technologies and novel domains;
• Developing requirements and functional architectures;
• Creating concept solutions through Agile methodologies;
• Analysing performance and conducting trade space studies;
• Conducting verification and validation through trials and lab tests.

Across the Systems Engineering domain, we offer exposure to a wide variety of different technologies, engineering methodologies, and customer needs associated with specific products or capabilities.

This role is suited to those that enjoy the creativity and practicality of working with problems to arrive at logical solutions.

What’s great about this role?

Our Systems Design function will support you to become a fully integrated member of the team with the opportunity to assume an increasing level of responsibility. We offer varied roles with scope to choose placements based on interests and skills.

Our people are adaptable and the role is varied and fast paced – Innovation is a company value that we practice the most.

Systems Engineers work with people across all engineering fields and business teams, meeting suppliers and customers and engaging with international MBDA colleagues. There is also Opportunity to travel both within the UK and potentially internationally.

What we’re looking for from you:

Currently studying towards a degree in an Engineering, Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Maths, Technology, Computing or General Science discipline.

Our company:

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.

What we can offer you:

• 10 month undergraduate placement starting September 2025
• Fantastic site facilities, including subsidised meals and free car parking
• A placement that allows you to apply your university learning to real-world engineering projects and technologies
• Flexible working

We respect new perspectives and experiences, and we value our collaborative ways of working. We are committed to growing and supporting diversity in our workforce and ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to reach their potential.  MBDA is proud of our employee-led networks including Gender Equality, Pride, Neurodiversity, Ethnic Diversity, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers and Armed Forces.

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.