Mbda

Systems Design (SD-WS) - Undergraduate Placement 2025

In short

This is a 10-month undergraduate placement with a UK defence company, designing Complex Weapons systems for the Armed Forces across Air, Land, Maritime and Cyber domains. The role covers the full Systems Engineering 'V' model: researching future technologies, developing requirements, creating concept solutions through Agile methods, performance analysis and trade studies, and verification/validation through trials and lab tests. Candidates must be currently studying towards a degree in Engineering, Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Maths, Technology, Computing or General Science, and must be a British Citizen or dual UK national with British citizenship due to security clearance requirements (HMG BPSS checks).

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

Stop applying.
Get referred.

$10 in free credits

In just 60 seconds, fully on autopilot — Eraldt's AI agents read your CV, map the roles you fit, find live vacancies and the people who can refer you, write personal emails, and get you referred.

This isn't an application: your CV doesn't go to the company, and we don't promise a referral for this exact role.

Discover who else lands interviews on autopilot