Graduate Systems Engineer Review
at BAE Systems
Graduate Scheme
Engineering
Weymouth
Review Submitted: June 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
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Overview of the Role
4.6/5
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Experience & Company Culture
3/5
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Recommendations & Advice
Overview of the Role
Overall, how would you describe your experience at BAE Systems?
The role I was put into when I first joined felt randomly assigned with little to no consideration of my strengths. I indicated I wanted to undertake performance work and was told that role didn't exist in the business. 6 months in I discovered that this role did, in fact, exist. I have since moved to this team and an much more contented. Had I been put in this team from the off I feel my development and happiness would have been greatly served by this.
What are the main responsibilities of the role and which elements of the role do you enjoy the most?
In my first role, I worked almost solely on documents. My role was to collate the work of others and present it in a simple to understand format to be presented to the customer. I used no engineering skills in the role and it felt like this role did not require the knowledge which I developed at university.
In my second role I use MATLAB extensively to develop code which processes data from trials and analyses to determine the performance of the platform. My role has moved away from pure documentation and has begun to reincorporate my own work and utilises more of my knowledge and skills. Documents do, of course, still need producing but this is not my sole role and therefore I am much happier.
In my second role I use MATLAB extensively to develop code which processes data from trials and analyses to determine the performance of the platform. My role has moved away from pure documentation and has begun to reincorporate my own work and utilises more of my knowledge and skills. Documents do, of course, still need producing but this is not my sole role and therefore I am much happier.
To what extent does your role give you the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and feel valued by your team?
3/5
I have given this section a score of 3/5 as this reflects my overall position. My first role I would put at 1 or 2 out of 5 as it felt like I was doing a simple task which contributed relatively little. I felt like I had no input in driving the project as I did no engineering and was not involved in active project management of any kind. In my second role I would put this score at 4 or 5 out of 5. I am assigned my own tasks which make a genuine difference to the team and the quality of analysis that we are able to do. Being given this opportunity was like a breath of fresh air and gave me satisfaction that I did not feel in my previous role.
How does your compensation package - including perks & benefits - fairly remunerate you for the work you do?
4/5
The salary is fairly competitive and the discounts scheme is useful when it aligns with purchasing intentions. The shares scheme is good - the company matching pre-tax share purchases at preferential rates up to £75 a month but it is intentionally kept quiet that the company will only allow you to keep their contribution on shares purchased with 5 years of time served.
How well do you feel the role is preparing you for your future career?
4/5
Technically I am now being challenged to improve my skills which I think will benefit me long term. As I do more time with the business I will look for opportunity to develop managerial skills as this is where I want my career to go.
How would you rate the extent to which you were developing new or existing skills through formal training and your day-to-day role?
5/5
I am learning new coding skills almost daily. The formal training, naturally, varies in quality. Some more technical training is very good but some of the 'soft skills' training is sometimes patronising and offers little help.
Experience & Company Culture
How is the support you receive?
4/5
In general the support is good. Sometimes the bureaucracy of a large organisation gets in the way - for example poor assignment of mentor. When I contacted the team about this they told me I needed to tell my mentor I didn't think they were a good fit and this is not something I feel comfortable doing so I effectively have no mentor at the moment.
How is your work-life balance?
5/5
This is the best part of the role. The flexible working is brilliant for facilitating your life. It feels like I work around my life rather than living around my work.
What is the organisational culture, values and general atmosphere like?
4/5
There is a strong culture which is spoken about regularly. Sometimes it feels a bit forced but this could just be because it is so important to the powers that be.
How would you rate BAE Systems initiatives when it comes to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility?
5/5
There is significant effort to improve DEI and accessibility with numerous groups which anyone can join which cover different groups.
How would you rate BAE Systems CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives?
5/5
There always seems to be something going on in this space which the company is supporting.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The flexible working is brilliant and working at a company like this is great for your CV. You have to be willing to push for the role you want as if you leave it be then you will be pigeon-holed to wherever works best for them. You need to put the effort in as no one else will.
How well did the role match your expectations based on the recruitment process?
3/5
As mentioned previously, my initial role felt a world away from what I applied for. I was working as a project manager at best and it felt like a clerk at worst. Either way, NOT as an engineer. After finding a team who could actually offer me some engineering I now feel much closer to the role I applied for.
When considering the recruitment & onboarding process, have you any specific tips or advice you would give to others applying to BAE Systems?
Do lots of research into the current projects the company are delivering. Yes, some specifics are not publicly available but the large-scale projects are. How do these fit into the geopolitical world of today and what challenges may we face? Show your passion for helping the company develop new capabilities which can help defend the UK and our allies. You are applying to a company but one where the culture is all about helping to defend our way of life. You don't need to know everything about what we do but if you can know enough to help lead the conversation in your interview you will benefit greatly. Also, if applying for a Systems Engineering role then do some research into what systems engineering entails and try and remember things like the systems engineering process as this is rarely taught at university.
