Complex Warheads: Lethality Engineer Placement 2026

Complex Warheads: Lethality Engineer Placement 2026

Are you interested in modelling the lethal performance of MBDA's Complex Weapon Systems?We are seeking an undergraduate to join our niche group of engineers, enabling MBDA to provide world leading defence capabilities for our home Nations and Allies.

Salary: £23,495

Dynamic (Hybrid) Working: To introduce you to the business and the role you'll play we aim for 3-4+ days on site to begin with, and as you gain confidence and experience we will seek to accommodate a blended approach to on-site and remote working. If preferential, full time on site working is also an option.

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

The Complex Warheads Centre of Excellence is a coordinated team situated across sites in Stevenage, Bolton and Paris and their role is to:

• Act as the company's design authority for warheads.
• Predict the lethal performance of various types of missile systems.
• Provide knowledge in the skill areas of warheads, explosives, target detection and weapon lethality.

The Lethality team in Stevenage primarily undertakes modelling of the missile terminal engagement, the target detection, warhead detonation and lethal performance prediction.

This is an outstanding opportunity to join a niche group of engineers with mixed expertise, involved in assessing the lethal performance of various missile systems. The skills we utilise are not typical in academia and so joining the team presents an opportunity for you to develop knowledge in numerous aspects of missile lethality that you would not develop anywhere else!

With support and mentorship from the team's Engineers, you'll be involved in applying a custom set of modelling tools to evaluate and investigate the lethal performance of developing and future missile systems against a range of targets. Our in-house tools are principally fast running evaluation models written in MATLAB; however, other tools ranging from CAD design software to complex finite element style hydrocodes see occasional use.

Joining us will build your knowledge and enable you to apply an understanding of fuzing techniques, warhead technologies, lethal effects and lethality assessment modelling methods to various types of missile systems in development by MBDA.

You will be encouraged to work on your own or in a small team, with limited supervision, as required, on short tasks (typically a few weeks to a few months in duration). Some projects may include collaboration with other MBDA departments around Europe.

What we're looking for from you

• Degree qualified in an Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computing or Applied Science discipline to a minimum 2:2

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.

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.