SDA Technical Engineering Graduate Scheme

Ministry of Defence

Apply before 11:55 pm on Tuesday 22nd April 2025

Details

Reference number

384105

Salary

£29,680

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Other

Engineering Graduate

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

MOD - Submarine Delivery Agency

Type of role

Engineering
Science

Working pattern

Full-time

Location

MOD Abbeywood, Bristol

About the job

Job summary

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is a part of the Ministry of Defence responsible for the procurement, in-service support, and disposal of the UK’s nuclear submarines. Our work is of unparalleled strategic importance nationally and internationally, ensuring the security of the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent (CASD), and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence. At least one of four nuclear-armed submarines, supported by smaller attack submarines, is on patrol at all times: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

At the SDA, we strive to Support, Deliver and Aspire and put out values at the heart of our recruitment process. We believe that everyone should feel comfortable to be themselves and be supported to do their best work. As part of a diverse and inclusive workforce, our team will find a community to belong to. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and different perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.

Job description

The SDA is looking for talented, motivated, and creative university graduates to join our Technical Engineering Graduate Scheme and become our Engineers and Scientists of the future.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Throughout your scheme, you will be supported by your Graduate Manager, as well as a Placement Supervisor and Mentor to reach your full potential and become a real asset to the SDA Engineering Function and beyond.
You will participate in various professional and personal development opportunities and workshops, with plenty of opportunities to participate in structured training and to gather experience and knowledge through several work-based placements, to learn and then apply nuclear engineering/scientific concepts and principles in a defence environment.You will initially be based in Bristol and will undertake various work-based placements across SDA, the Defence Nuclear Organisation, Navy Command and with Industry Partners to support personal development, scheme completion and Initial Professional Development towards Incorporated or Chartered status.

You will undertake at least one placement at one of our waterfront sites, and an industry partner, with funding support for relocation and additional accommodation costs in line with MOD policy.

There is also potential to undertake further academic study through our upskilling programme (MSc/MEng), and opportunity to access technical training and continuous professional development.

Depending on the placements you are allocated to, hybrid working may be available but there is an expectation that employees will be in the workplace on a regular basis.

Once you’ve successfully completed the Scheme you’ll be assigned to a role within either SDA or the Defence Nuclear Organisation and there may be opportunity to relocate to one of the following locations: Barrow-in-Furness, Bristol, Helensburgh, Plymouth, Rosyth. You’ll also continue to be supported towards gaining professional registration.

As part of this role, you'll be providing support to engineering staff across the business assisting with technical activities, while continually developing yourself. You’ll be involved in the following:

• Undertaking a structured technical training programme based around our platforms and systems to develop capabilities in a defence context.
• Solving engineering problems through the through the full lifecycle of the equipment and developing upgrades to ensure it continues to provide the battle-winning "edge" our customers need.
• Delivering engineering products/services against agreed objectives to develop knowledge and experience and adding value to the team and wider business.
We have a range of exciting opportunities available within the following Engineering and Science disciplines:
• Maritime / Nuclear Engineer (18 roles)
• Nuclear Scientist or similar (5 roles)
• Naval Architects (5 roles)

Due to the secure nature of these positions, posts will be reserved for UK Nationals only and may require you to obtain Developed Vetting clearance once in post. You must have the right of abode in the UK and have been ordinarily a resident in the EEA (including other countries determined within the EEA or those with bilateral agreements), for at least the previous three years on the first day of learning.

Person specification

You must have or be expected to achieve by September 2025 a minimum of 2.2 in an Engineering or Science-related Honours Degree (or equivalent). Please provide detail in the application for all qualifications you hold. (Including GCSEs).

Relevant work experience, demonstrating engineering project skills, including through internships, placements, work experience or practical assignments/activities.

Formal certificates must be provided within three months of signing the contract. Failure to provide this will result in your contract being withdrawn.

Qualifications

Five full GCSEs at A*-C or grades 4-9, including English Language and Maths.

You must have or be expected to achieve by September 2025 a minimum of 2.2 in an Engineering or Science-related Honours Degree (or equivalent).

Formal certificates must be provided within three months of signing the contract. Failure to provide this will result in your contract being withdrawn.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Communicating and Influencing
Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

Application of Analytical Techniques (Awareness)
Technical Requirements Evaluation and Acceptance (Awareness)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,680, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,598 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

You will receive learning and development opportunities tailored to your role
A generous benefits package including market leading employer pension contributions of around 28% of your salary (not including any personal contribution)
25 days holiday +1 additional day every year you work up to 30 days.
SDA benefits also include: flexible working after 6 months in the business, depending on academic requirements
MOD Discount Schemes
Health and Wellbeing support
Family friendly initiatives and so much more.

Take a look at our SDA Benefits Wheel (see below), to find out more about what we have to offer and our SDA Employee Value Proposition for an insight into why the SDA should be your next career choice, click here

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

Candidates are asked to provide their CV as part of the application process and will be utilised at sift.

At Sift, you will be assessed on:

Core Behaviours:

Communicating and Influencing
Working Together

At Interview, you will be assessed on:

Core Behaviours:

Communicating and Influencing
Working Together

Technical Competencies:

Application of Analytical Techniques (Awareness)
Technical Requirements Evaluation and Acceptance (Awareness)

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : Paul Fry
Email : SDA-TD-CECT-Nuc-GrApp@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : dbscivpers-graduaterecruitment@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Applicants should monitor their Civil Service Jobs application centre regularly for updates.

All broader banded (Band E2 – B1) and skill zone employees joining MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period effective from the employment start date.

Any move to Ministry of Defence from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

Complaints:

Please be aware that the selection and interviewing of applicants is the responsibility of the Recruiting Line Manager (RLM) and not the Defence Business Services (DBS) Resourcing team. DBS does not play any part in the selection and interview process itself. Therefore, if you wish to discuss your feedback, or you are dissatisfied with your markings, you should in the first instance raise this with the Recruiting Line Manager of the vacancy. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint, using the following options:

Emailing the DBS Complaints Team: dbs-complaints@mod.gov.uk
Calling the DBS Enquiry Centre: 0800 345 7772

We recommend using the above channels to raise all complaints relating to the level of service provided to you by DBS.
If after raising your complaint with DBS, you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address:

Civil Service commission
Room G/8
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ

Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk

Cabinet Office Fraud Checks:

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant whose details are found to be held on the IFD will be refused employment.

If you need to contact Defense Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by DE&S Enhanced Graduate and Apprentice Recruitment Team.

If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com.

Please see the MOD Privacy Policy Notice which informs how we will use your personal data, explains your rights and gives you information you are entitled to under Data Protection legislation.

Optima Health conducts pre-employment health assessments on behalf of the MOD and may contact you in respect of your application on the contact details you provide, should an offer of employment be made. Optima Health’s Privacy notice describes how your personal data may be processed for those purposes.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating staff on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harms associated with second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Tobacco-Free Working Environment (TFWE) programme, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere, unless stated otherwise, in the Defence working environment by 31st December 2022.
Those seeking, considering, or accepting employment should be aware of this requirement.

To find out a bit more about what it’s like working for MOD, visit the Civil Service Careers Website.
https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/