Graduate Mechanical Design Engineer Review
at Sellafield Ltd
Graduate Scheme
Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Birchwood Park
Review Submitted: May 2026
Overall Rating
4.2 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4/5
-
Overview of the Role
4.6/5
-
Experience & Company Culture
3/5
-
Recommendations & Advice
Overview of the Role
Overall, how would you describe your experience at Sellafield Ltd?
General Positive. Good benefits, Nice culture, Good support structures. It provides huge access to some of the most significant nuclear projects across Europe with constant design challenges, incredibly interesting & varied from an engineering perspective.
Although staff are both helpful & kind there is a culture of low expectations, Limited drive & poor incentives to produce significant amounts of work. This can be frustrating when wishing to progress and develop as projects move at a glacial pace.
Although staff are both helpful & kind there is a culture of low expectations, Limited drive & poor incentives to produce significant amounts of work. This can be frustrating when wishing to progress and develop as projects move at a glacial pace.
What are the main responsibilities of the role and which elements of the role do you enjoy the most?
3D CAD Design - Fusion 360
Technical Calculations
Design & Presentation of state of the art facilities/systems
Maintenance & Operability Assessments
Nuclear Hazard and Operability Assessments
Technical Calculations
Design & Presentation of state of the art facilities/systems
Maintenance & Operability Assessments
Nuclear Hazard and Operability Assessments
To what extent does your role give you the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and feel valued by your team?
3/5
3
Very valued/supported. Generally frustrated by pace of progress issues and bureaucratic barriers to completion of tasks.
Very valued/supported. Generally frustrated by pace of progress issues and bureaucratic barriers to completion of tasks.
How does your compensation package - including perks & benefits - fairly remunerate you for the work you do?
5/5
5 - Low stress, relatively high pay
Progression path is under-incentivised and causes many more ambitious staff to leave following chartership. General consensus that graduate level staff are overpaid and promotions take on significant responsibility without appropriate renumeration.
Progression path is under-incentivised and causes many more ambitious staff to leave following chartership. General consensus that graduate level staff are overpaid and promotions take on significant responsibility without appropriate renumeration.
How well do you feel the role is preparing you for your future career?
4/5
4
Wide range of experience. Great exposure to some of the most impressive engineering projects in the country. Strong support through both training and chartership.
Slightly held back by a slow pace of work.
Wide range of experience. Great exposure to some of the most impressive engineering projects in the country. Strong support through both training and chartership.
Slightly held back by a slow pace of work.
How would you rate the extent to which you were developing new or existing skills through formal training and your day-to-day role?
4/5
4
Experience & Company Culture
How is the support you receive?
4/5
How is your work-life balance?
5/5
I've listed this as 5 - as most would perceive leniency as a positive.
Extremely relaxed working culture. Although this does make it difficult to drive work and develop significant experience quickly.
Extremely relaxed working culture. Although this does make it difficult to drive work and develop significant experience quickly.
What is the organisational culture, values and general atmosphere like?
4/5
Kind, supportive, slow-paced
How would you rate Sellafield Ltd initiatives when it comes to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility?
5/5
How would you rate Sellafield Ltd CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives?
5/5
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Sellafield Ltd to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Sellafield is extremely good at supporting early careers. Provided you are sufficiently driven to get involved in a wide range of work it can provide a great foundation for an engineering career, well supported by a strong set of benefits.
There is a clear issue with the incentivisation for later careers however with rapidly increasing responsibilities and limited salary/benefit progression compared to private sector equivalents
There is a clear issue with the incentivisation for later careers however with rapidly increasing responsibilities and limited salary/benefit progression compared to private sector equivalents
How well did the role match your expectations based on the recruitment process?
3/5
When considering the recruitment & onboarding process, have you any specific tips or advice you would give to others applying to Sellafield Ltd?
Be authentic. Apply for roles you are genuinely passionate about. Do not simply scatter applications across a wide range of graduate schemes.
