Graduate Mechanical Engineer

Are you ready to launch your career and make an impact on real-world projects from day one?   

At Leonardo, we’re looking for graduates who want to be part of something extraordinary - shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety. 

We are committed to developing our graduates into leading technical or business professionals, and as such we will also support you through your preferred route for professional development.

Our 18-month Graduate Programme gives you the opportunity to work on exciting and challenging projects alongside subject matter experts. 

On joining, you will receive a starting salary of £34,000 per annum, plus a £1,000 welcome bonus. You’ll also be eligible for a £1,000 exit bonus upon successful completion of the programme. In addition, you may be eligible for a Temporary Accommodation Allowance (TAA), subject to specific criteria. 

We encourage you to spend at least three days each week on site to integrate with your team and maximise your learning experience. 

At Leonardo we have an opportunity for graduates to join the Radar and Advanced Targeting line of business as Graduate Mechanical Engineers working in either our design or analysis teams.

Your role as a Leonardo Graduate Mechanical Engineer will be to support the design and development of our world leading radar and electro-optic products under the guidance of experienced Mechanical Engineers. Our Engineering Graduate Scheme will enable you to learn how to use state-of-the-art methods, technology and tools to explore all aspects of the product lifecycle, including stress and thermal analysis, requirements analysis, design, implementation, test, build and product support. You will have the opportunity to rotate through different projects and phases of the product lifecycle in order to accelerate your competency development.

·         Contribute directly to the development and delivery of our cutting edge Radar, Laser and Infra-red countermeasure products as either a member of one of our Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) or as a member of our central analysis team.

·         Influence your own development towards attaining Mechanical Engineer level through the Engineering Graduate Scheme with the support of your line manager.

·         Receive training in both technical, management and soft skills which are tailored to the particular role and area of the business you are in.

·         The opportunity to accelerate competency attainment through rotational placements around different projects or stages of the product lifecycle, to enable you to become a well-rounded engineer.

·         As part of the accredited Institution of Mechanical Engineers Mentored Professional Development Scheme, you will be assigned a Mentor and invited to attend group graduate-based events, which will provide you with an opportunity to network with your peers and share best practices. Their aim is to develop your skills so that you can reach your full potential whilst working towards becoming a Chartered Engineer.

·         Continue professional development throughout your career through formal training, site visits, internal awareness sessions, learning from more experienced engineers and keeping up to date with the latest technical developments, both internal to Leonardo and in wider industry.

·         All of our roles require a minimum of a 2:2 Bachelor’s/Integrated Master’s degree from an IMechE accredited degree course, or a higher degree, such as a MSc or PhD.

·         Relevant Mechanical engineering work experience, such as summer placements or internships.

·         Experience with technical writing and project planning.

·         Strong analytical, modelling skills and laboratory skills.

·         Evidence of successfully working in a team.

·         Experience of CAD modelling tools such as PTC Creo or similar parametric modellers are desirable.

For the Graduate Mechanical Engineer role, the acceptable degrees are typically:

·         Mechanical Engineering

·         Computer Aided Mechanical Engineering

·         Aero-Mechanical Engineering

·         Aeronautical Engineering

·         Product Design Engineering

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

Many of our roles are subject to security and export control restrictions set by UK Government Security requirements and customer obligations.  As a result, and in line with the UK Government Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) requirements, all successful applicants will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record declaration information and employment and/or education history verification for the previous five years. 

For staff operating in more sensitive posts, there is an additional range of personnel security controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV).  As part of this process, a range of factors may be considered, including an individual's background, travel history, nationality, previous nationalities held and other information relevant to the vetting assessment. 

To be eligible for National Security Vetting at SC level, applicants will generally be expected to have continuously resided in the UK for the previous five years. For DV clearance, this is typically ten years.  In some circumstances, time spent overseas may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.  Additional vetting requirements may apply upon appointment. 

For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting