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Working at MBDA

  • Company employees
    7000
  • Gender diversity (m:f)
    74:26

Hiring in

  • Spain
  • United Kingdom

Office locations

Join MBDA as a General Engineering Level 4 Apprentice in Stevenage, combining hands-on rotational placements with a fully funded HNC in Engineering at Cambridge Regional College. This 4-year, full-time apprenticeship offers a starting salary of £21,000 plus a £3,000 joining bonus, excellent benefits, and professional development in a collaborative defence environment.

Requirements

  • GCSE Maths at Grade 5 minimum, GCSE English Language at Grade 4 minimum, and 3 additional GCSEs at Grade 4 minimum (including a Science or Technology subject).
  • Post-GCSE qualification: Either three A levels with 96+ UCAS points (including Maths, no grade below C), a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering at MMM+ (with Distinction in Further Maths), or a T Level in Engineering with a Merit grade.
  • Must be a British Citizen or a Dual UK national eligible for BPSS security clearance.

Skills & Responsibilities

  • Engineering fundamentals: Complete an Engineering Manufacturing Technician level 4 apprenticeship and study for an HNC in Engineering 1 day per week at Cambridge Regional College.
  • Rotational placements: Gain hands-on experience across mechanical design, missile design, manufacturing, integration, quality, and environmental engineering.
  • Professional collaboration: Work in state-of-the-art facilities while engaging with team members to share knowledge and develop practical technical skills.
  • Potential transition routes: Students or career changers with strong academic backgrounds in STEM subjects, mathematics, or technical studies may transition well into this apprenticeship by meeting the required GCSE and post-GCSE criteria.

Job description

General Engineering Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship 2027

Salary: £21,000 plus a £3,000 joining bonus

Location: Stevenage

Learning provider location: Cambridge Regional College, Cambridge Campus

Due to the need to attend your MBDA site and the training provider as required for your apprenticeship, applicants need to ensure their home or rental location is appropriate, travel arrangements are manageable and travel time is minimised as required for your role.

The qualification: You will complete an Engineering Manufacturing Technician (level 4) apprenticeship and study for an HNC in Engineering.

Find out more details on the course here: https://www.camre.ac.uk/course/engineering-manufacturing-technician-level-4-apprenticeship-standard/CC4AS4EMT/

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.

This role is scheduled to close for applications at midnight on Friday 22nd January 2027 but may close earlier depending on application volumes.

What we can offer you:

  • Fully funded qualification starting September 2027
  • Paid travel expenses to and from your place of study
  • Annual pay reviews
  • Healthcare Cash Plan: provides support with everyday health related costs – including medical, dental, optical, physio and health & wellbeing
  • 25 days annual leave (plus holiday purchase) and up to 15 days flexi leave
  • Study leave during exam periods

Programme structure - your work at MBDA:

You'll study onsite at Cambridge Regional College (Cambridge) 1 day per week. When not studying you'll be working in Mechanical Engineering (ME) and can expect to be onsite at MBDA for the remainder of the working week.

As an Engineering Apprentice you will work in an open-plan working environment with state of the art testing and manufacturing facilities and laboratories aimed at aiding your learning and development.

Our collaborative approach and culture of sharing knowledge will be key to your development. We trust each other to thrive; support one another to learn, and when you join us, you’ll bring a different perspective to how we see the future.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to join an apprenticeship scheme that has developed winners of some of the most prestigious apprenticeship awards in the UK.

You'll experience rotational placements over your 4 year scheme. This way of studying allows you to earn academic and nationally recognised qualifications as well as gain hands on learning experience within a professional and friendly workplace.

At college you'll be learning your basic skills with your remaining time spent on placements, typically lasting three to six months.

Placements within the business include;

  • Mechanical Design
  • Missile Design incl. Hardware-In-The-Loop
  • Manufacturing
  • Integration and Systems Validation
  • Customer Support
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Quality
  • Procurement
  • Drawing Office

We will also help you to achieve Professional qualification through the IMechE, IET or RAeS.

What we’re looking for from you:

This role has specific qualification and subject criteria so please make sure you carefully check your eligibility against this criteria before applying otherwise your application will not be considered. If you are currently studying and predicted to meet these requirements by the start date you are welcome to apply.

GCSEs:

GCSE Maths at Grade 5 minimum

GCSE English Language at Grade 4 minimum

An additional 3 GCSE's at Grade 4 minimum to include a Science or Technology subject

After GCSEs:

Following your GCSE's you must have completed one of the following qualification routes:

  • A level: Three A levels with a minimum of 96 UCAS Tariff points, including A level Mathematics, with no individual grade below C.
  • BTEC: A single Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering at MMM or above, including a Distinction in Further Maths module.
  • T level: T Level in Engineering with a minimum Merit grade.

Please note: We look at entry criteria based on your top three full A Levels or equivalent qualifications (BTEC/T Level). We do not include UCAS points gained from an Extended Project Qualification. Additionally, as an employer we set our own entry criteria based on the requirements of this role. This means that the criteria above may differ from the university.

Our company: Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given

MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.

We are proud of our employee-led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more…

We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information

Apply now
MBDA

General Engineering Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship 2027

Cambridge, Stevenage
On-site
£21,000 plus a £3,000 joining bonus

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