Graduate Mechanical Design Engineer

Science and Technology Facilities Council 

Salary: £35,049 per annum + £1,000 welcome bonus

Contract Type: Permanent 

Hours: Full-time

Location: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX

Closing date: 19th October 2025 

Assessment Centre: December 2025 / January 2026

Start date: September 2026

The ISIS Neutron and Muon Source is a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences. Our suite of neutron and muon instruments gives unique insights into the properties of materials on the atomic scale. Professional engineers maintain and enhance the facility to ensure it remains operating at the highest standard and continually improving its capabilities to support groundbreaking scientific research.

ISIS Design Division are now on the look out for Graduate Mechanical Design Engineers. The team will provide a unique opportunity for a wide variety of design, analysis, and project engineering experiences across a range of challenging engineering settings. The diverse nature of the facility is mirrored in its variety of mechanical systems, including: pioneering precision mechanisms and motion systems, high power magnets, cryogenic and vacuum systems, and very high pressure and extreme temperature sample environment systems. To deliver the projects, this is a chance to work with exotic materials, innovative manufacturing and joining techniques, and specialised teams from across site who offer their full support!

We invite eligible candidates to apply to join our engineers as we work towards keeping ISIS at the forefront of scientific research, whilst simultaneously decarbonising the facility in order to meet STFC’s mission of Net Zero by 2040. 

Graduate Scheme

The STFC Graduate scheme will give you the opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion early in your journey with us, supported by technical training and a broader programme of career support and training and development. 

Our dedicated Graduate Development Team will provide the right combination of challenge and support throughout, helping you achieve your ambitions. We know that professional recognition is also important to you too, so we will provide mentoring and expertise to help you achieve valued qualifications or chartered status in your chosen field.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• To deliver engineering solutions for scientific requirements  
• To be involved in each aspect of the delivery process from engineering concept, design, procurement, installation/commissioning, testing, to final reporting  
• Produce concepts, designs and engineering drawings using 2D & 3D CAD systems  
• Create and manage specifications based on customer requirements  
• Produce calculations to validate designs  
• Present designs for peer and stakeholder review  
• Present work both in writing and verbally to a wide range of audiences  
• Procure manufactured items and bought out components  
• Oversee testing, commissioning, and quality assurance

Person Specification

In order to apply for the role we are looking for the following:

Essential:

• Achieved, or be on course to achieve, a minimum 2:1 degree, in a relevant field of study (S)
• Have the right to live and work in the UK at time of starting employment (S)
• Ability to produce good, clear written communications, with appropriate attention to detail. (S)  
• Ability to communicate well, both technically and non-technically (I) 
• Good technical understanding of the fundamentals of engineering (I): 
• Individual and Team Project working during degree / work placement (S) 

• Thermodynamics

• Mechanics

• Materials

• Manufacturing Methods

• Exposure to project management 

Desirable:

• Degree is IMechE/IET Accredited for CEng (S) 

• Highly Motivated (S)

• Innovative, and inquisitive (I) 
• Relevant industrial experience, and/or positions of responsibility (S) 
• Proactive approach to learning and professional development (S) 

Employee Benefits

We are offering a permanent position with a whole host of benefits including:

• 30 days holiday (in addition to 10.5 bank holidays and privilege days).
• Flexible working hours.
• An excellent defined average salary pension scheme.
• Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.
• Cycle to work scheme.

Link to more benefits: https://stfccareers.co.uk/rewards-and-benefits/

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact stfcgraduates@ukri.org. 

Application Guidance

Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate.

Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert.

Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received. 

We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us.

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what's possible!

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.  For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all applicants with a disability who opt into the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for the role. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How To Apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.