Mechanical Engineer Review
at BAE Systems
Graduate Scheme
Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Chelmsford
Review Submitted: May 2026
Overall Rating
3.8 /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!
3.8/5
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Overview of the Role
3.6/5
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Experience & Company Culture
5/5
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Recommendations & Advice
Overview of the Role
Overall, how would you describe your experience at BAE Systems?
Stretching in positive way, full of process that is necessary for work done.
What are the main responsibilities of the role and which elements of the role do you enjoy the most?
Design work, building and testing, many systems and platforms.
To what extent does your role give you the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and feel valued by your team?
4/5
Pull my weight just can't help more with not knowing certain bits, etc.
How does your compensation package - including perks & benefits - fairly remunerate you for the work you do?
3/5
Do many hours and paid well as a starter role, but overtime policy doesn't pay consistently.
How well do you feel the role is preparing you for your future career?
4/5
Good transferable engineering skills picked up, and vast work that can undertake.
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
Always learning on the job either process, technical information and skills or just how systems operate to help in any future ideas, concepts, design etc.
Experience & Company Culture
How is the support you receive?
3/5
Probably as good as needs to be, being helped if asked and requiring but moderate suffering when learning independently to help retain, teach newer concepts for various projects.
How is your work-life balance?
3/5
Do a lot of overtime as I am person who likes to get job done then go home and forget work exists, but in winter when days are shorter this is crap when all of sunny day is spent at work. Could take longer breaks etc, but personally work would build up too significantly and be too mountainous to attempt happily.
What is the organisational culture, values and general atmosphere like?
4/5
Everybody personally very nice and helpful etc. this environment relies on teamwork so everyone has to be team player, only the slight ethical argument of working for a defence company that may produce the weapons which nations use to cause suffering is questionable on whole. Personally my side is significantly distant from this, but being within the same company and people still backing is head scratching.
How would you rate BAE Systems initiatives when it comes to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility?
4/5
Common corporate acceptance of all people, which is beneficial in the sharing of ideas, teamwork especially in large systems.
How would you rate BAE Systems CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives?
4/5
Each site does like to be part of their local community, helping veterans in employment, going to schools and teaching engineering days etc., but it does all seem to be toward gathering new employees (good for diversity, teamwork etc.) but cynically mainly to increase strategic growth which does seem quite ugly
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Top of the engineering work in the world, offering cutting edge projects etc. and overall good foot on the ladder experience in engineering, just shame defence company and not more positive to everyday people (I know national security is important, just would also like to help individuals directly).
How well did the role match your expectations based on the recruitment process?
5/5
Its a defence engineering job, does what it says on the tin.
When considering the recruitment & onboarding process, have you any specific tips or advice you would give to others applying to BAE Systems?
Only to those in engineering (grads), hopefully you don't expect work undertaken to be any easier than at UNI, will be harder with potentially less support, gotta just firm it and be honest when stuck etc. people will help/understand, but need a drive.
