Systems Design Engineer - Graduate Programme 2027
// Role Summary
Join our Graduate Programme as a Systems Design Engineer starting September 2027. This role offers a comprehensive experience across the entire product lifecycle, from research and concept development to verification, collaborating with diverse engineering disciplines.
// Key Responsibilities
- Experience all phases of the product lifecycle, from research to verification.
- Collaborate across multiple engineering disciplines (Land, Maritime, Air, Cyber).
- Involved in technology research, requirement derivation, concept development, and performance analysis.
- 2-year programme with annual salary reviews and potential for bonuses.
- Comprehensive benefits package including pension, healthcare, and generous annual leave.
- Requires BPSS security checks post-offer.
// Role Specification
Systems Design Engineer - Graduate Programme 2027
Systems Design is at the heart of the product lifecycle, providing an opportunity to experience every phase of development and collaborate across all engineering disciplines. From researching novel technologies and identifying customer needs, through concept development and performance assessment, to product verification in lab tests and firing trials - Systems Design underpins it all.
As a Systems Design Engineer, you will be responsible for bringing the full range of design viewpoints together, ensuring customer requirements are met by proposing innovative solutions, honing in on the detailed design, and coordinating with development teams to make best use of their expertise. We offer exposure to a variety of engineering methodologies and processes across all domains - Land, Maritime, Air, and Cyber. Our Systems Design functions in Bristol are Weapon Systems, Command and Control Systems, Integration and Systems Validation, Emerging Portfolio and Capability, and Sparkworks.
Depending on your home function and choice of placements, you may be involved in:
- Technology research
- Deriving requirements
- Brainstorming concept solutions
- Developing functional architectures
- Analysing system performance
- Conducting trade studies
- Gathering verification evidence in the lab or through offsite trials
This role follows the complete Systems V' Model and is suited to those that enjoy the creativity and practicality of working with problems to arrive at logical solutions. Our people are adaptable and the role is varied and fast-paced - innovation is the company value that we pride ourselves on.
What we can offer you:
- 2 year Programme: starting September 2027
- Annual Salary Review
- Company bonus: up to £2,500 (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
- Healthcare Cash Plan: provides support with everyday health related costs including medical, dental, optical, physio and health & wellbeing.
- Excellent career progression and development opportunities
- Facilities: fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more
Programme Details:
- Salary: £31,900 plus a £3,000 joining bonus
- Dynamic Working: Up to 5 days per week on-site due to workload classification, depending on project
- Security Clearance: 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. British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship. Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply.
- Application Close Date: Monday 2nd November 2026 at midnight, but may close earlier.