Future Systems Engineer Placement 2026

Future Systems Engineer - Undergraduate Placement 2026

Future Systems develops concepts and systems that meet our Customer's future military capability needs.

Salary: £23,495

Dynamic Hybrid Working: 2-3 days per week on-site due to workload classification.

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 5TH JANUARY 2026 (SUBJECT TO APPLICATION VOLUMES)

What we can offer you

• 1 year placement: starting September 2026, 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…

The opportunity

Future Systems in MBDA manage programmes throughout the Concept and Assessment phases of the product lifecycle, and achieve a smooth transition into the Programme Directorate. We also create ​and develop opportunities to acquire contracts for advanced concept studies and research and technology activities.

As a result, as an undergraduate in Future Systems you'll operate as cross-functional support across the wider department. This will enable undergraduates to work on business related functions critical to current activities. The team supports a diverse set of activities, working for both internal MBDA customers and external defence related contracts. Activities can include;

• Generation and development of visualisations for the Future Systems Concepts
• Collation and maturation of concepts
• Support in the development of tools for assessment of concepts
• Supporting generation of Review material
• Attendance of multi- functional reviews
• Project management, planning skills and stakeholder management

We will provide guidance and mentorship to develop an understanding of weapon systems in operational use, gaining a broad understanding of missile systems and learning about our industry, as well as developing your problem solving and analysis skills and written and verbal communication.

What we're looking for from you

• Currently studying towards a degree in a Maths, Physics, Astronomy, Systems or Software Engineering, Computational Studies, Operational Research, Economics, Statistics discipline.

Application Process

• Submit an application: Our application form contains a few factual questions, some questions relating to the role you have applied for and a section for you to tell us all about you!
• Online assessment - Part One: Next in our process is part one of our online strengths assessment, completely tailored to our business and early careers schemes. After completing our assessment you'll receive a personalised report.
• Online assessment - Part Two: Part two of our online assessments include three video recorded tasks which are authentic work scenario based activities which you could be doing on your programme - we refer to these as job simulations.
• Assessment centre: Our strength based assessment centre is a half day virtual experience! You’ll get to work on a range of tasks, meet current programme members and people from the department you have applied for. All candidates receive feedback on their performance.
• Offer: We’ll call you within a week of your assessment day to talk through your feedback and the finer details of your offer, as well as next steps.

Information

Training and Development

You’ll be able to choose between a variety of online learning platforms such as Percipio, YouLearn, Career Builder and Video Gateway. Each one is tailored to a specific type of learning. Speak to your line manager to find out more.

We encourage new learning and will provide up to £150 in financial support per year if you wish to participate in further study in your own time. You’ll have access to our Learning Gateway, which hosts the formal course catalogue and is where you can select the right training for your role and future development. The catalogue displays which courses are being delivered virtually or are classroom based. If you want to lead a team, you might be interested in our management training, designed for people of all experience levels.

Dynamic Working

The way we work is changing and your schedule will reflect that. For non-executive employees, we have a flexi-time scheme that allows you to choose, within certain parameters, when you start and finish each day and how you can use time you have accrued. If you have worked the time, you are also able to accrue and take up to 15 days of Flexi-leave per annum, in addition to the 25 days of annual leave provided and bank holidays.

Security Clearance

All employees at MBDA are required to hold UK Security or BPSS Clearance. For further information, please view our Security & Vetting page.

Before continuing your application, please note that as a defence industry employer, restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work will apply.

If you do not meet the necessary requirements, any application you submit will be rejected.

We only recommend continuing your application if you are confident of your right to work for us.

Please refer to our Security & Vetting policy for further information.

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button. Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.