2026 Engineering Student Placement (Mechanical)

Thales UK Limited
Belfast
6 days ago
Create job alert

Related Jobs Senior Mechanical Engineering Manager Mechanical Craftsperson Mechanical Repair Technician Mechanical Fitter Mechanical Fitter Cyber Subject Matter Expert Overview Role Why Join Us? General Responsibilities Essential Criteria Values & Behaviours Candidates That Would Impress Us Your Career At Thales Location: Belfast, United Kingdom Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar. Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us, and thats why we offer flexibility to suit your needs, including part-time hours, job sharing, home working, or flexible start and finish times where possible. Intern Mechanical Design Engineer Are you looking for a 12 month Mechanical Engineering student placement within a local, innovative and industry-leading organisation? Look no further! Working as part of a large Mechanical Design team, the Intern Mechanical Design Engineer collaborates with local teams to produce detailed mechanical designs and provide support to a range of Weapon System, Missile and Platform products to satisfy customer requirements. Youll gain relevant and exciting experience with an industry leader undergoing significant growth in the Defence and Space industries and apply your university learning to real-world applications to create designs that meet our customers requirements. Support engineering team with day-to-day engineering activities to deliver mechanical design output to projects Leverage engineering fundamentals to make sound decisions on complex technical issues Proactively challenge and drive team and self Detailed Mechanical Design (supported by a range of CAE applications) Maintain product documentation in line with department processes Collaborate with multiple stakeholders across the business unit and beyond to ensure robust product designs Perform engineering change related tasks, ensuring BOM & process integrity Produce engineering technical drawings in line with BS 8888 guidelines Studying for Degree (or similar) in an engineering related discipline Demonstrate an understanding of engineering first principles Demonstrate an understanding of the engineering design process at various life cycle stages Proficient in use of Microsoft Office apps Experience in working as part of a project and/or product team to deliver against milestones Excellent Communication & collaboration skills in a team environment Experience in solving complex problems and decision-making skills Pro-active attitude and a desire to explore issues to find root causes Good time keeping & self-management skills Goal orientated and delivery focussed Displays innovation and self-motivation Demonstrates dedication and determination against assigned tasks PROFILE: You are studying for a Mechanical (or similar) engineering degree You are a true team-player and love to work within a multidisciplinary environment You are very rigorous and analytical, logically examining the steps taken and the outcome to make corrections and produce better results Future opportunities will allow you to discover other domains or sites. You will be able to evolve and grow your competencies in different areas: Room and attention to personal development Build your talents in another domain of Thales Group, discovering new products, new customers, new country or go to a more complex solution Choose between a technical expertise or a leadership path Build an international career within a leading Engineering Group Connect with Fiona Tal, Talent Acquisition Partner who is eager to explore together with you this exciting opportunity. This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance. To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks. In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency. At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles. Great journeys start here, apply now! #J-18808-Ljbffr

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Mechanical Engineering Placement Student

Mechanical Design Placement: Cutting-Edge Tech & Mentorship

Mechanical Engineering Industrial Placement (Bristol)

F1 ERS Mechanical Design Placement Student

Mechanical Design ERS Placement (starting July 2026)

Estates Mechanic

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

How Many Edge Computing Tools Do You Need to Know to Get an Edge Computing Job?

If you’re trying to start or grow a career in edge computing, it can feel like you’re navigating a maze of tools, frameworks and platforms — Kubernetes, Docker, IoT frameworks, AWS Greengrass, Azure IoT Edge, OpenShift, TinyML toolkits, networking orchestration, real-time streaming frameworks, and on it goes. Scroll job boards and community forums and it’s easy to conclude that unless you master every buzzword imaginable, you’ll never get a job. Here’s the honest truth most edge computing hiring managers won’t necessarily say out loud: 👉 They don’t hire you because you know every edge computing tool — they hire you because you can solve real system problems using the tools you know. Tools matter, yes — but only when they support clear outcomes: reliable systems, performance at scale, secure edge deployments and real business value. So how many edge computing tools do you actually need to know to secure a job? For most edge computing roles, the answer is fewer than you think — and a lot clearer when sorted by fundamentals and roles. This guide shows you what matters, what doesn’t, and how to focus your time wisely so you come across as capable, confident and employable.

What Hiring Managers Look for First in Edge Computing Job Applications (UK Guide)

In today’s fast-evolving tech landscape, edge computing is one of the most sought-after fields — blending distributed systems, embedded systems, networking, cloud, IoT, data and real-time processing. But that also means hiring managers are highly selective. They scan applications fast and look for signals of relevance, impact, technical depth and real-world delivery long before they read every line. This guide demystifies what hiring managers in edge computing look for first in your application — so you can tailor your CV, portfolio and cover letter to jump out of the stack. Whether you’re targeting edge systems roles, embedded IoT edge jobs, edge-native data roles, edge platform engineering or edge-AI positions, this checklist will help you position your experience in a way hiring managers can trust immediately.

The Skills Gap in Edge Computing Jobs: What Universities Aren’t Teaching

Edge computing is rapidly moving from niche concept to critical infrastructure. As organisations deploy connected devices, sensors, autonomous systems and real-time analytics, processing data closer to where it is generated has become essential. From smart cities and manufacturing to healthcare, transport, defence and telecommunications, edge computing underpins systems where latency, reliability and resilience matter. Demand for edge computing skills across the UK is rising steadily — yet employers consistently report difficulty finding candidates who are genuinely job-ready. Despite growing interest and academic coverage, universities are not fully preparing graduates for real edge computing jobs. This article explores the edge computing skills gap in depth: what universities teach well, what they consistently miss, why the gap exists, what employers actually want, and how jobseekers can bridge the divide to build sustainable careers in edge computing.