2027 Systems Engineering Apprentice - Reading

Summary

Turn your curiosity into a career. If you're passionate about engineering, eager to learn, and looking for a degree apprenticeship that combines academic study with exciting on-the-job experience, we'd love to hear from you.

Wage

£24,000 a year

• Pension – Thales match, plus 1%, with a maximum contribution of 7% • Health Insurance – 50% of salary for five years • Performance-related pay uplifts

Training course

Product design and development engineer (degree) (level 6)

Hours

Monday - Friday. Shifts to be confirmed.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 6 September 2027

Duration

4 years

Positions available

9

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

As a Systems Engineering Apprentice, you will develop the technical knowledge, practical skills and professional behaviours needed to become a confident and capable engineer.

Working as part of our Systems Engineering team, you will support the delivery of systems and equipment solutions, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.

Your responsibilities may include:

• Supporting systems requirements and design activities
• Contributing to project reviews
• Participating in system testing and validation activities
• Assisting with engineering investigations and problem solving
• Visiting customer sites, platforms and installations to support surveys, trials and system deployment where required
• Working with experienced engineers on live projects

What You Will Learn

Throughout the apprenticeship, you will gain experience and knowledge in:

• Professional engineering behaviours and industry best practice
• Understanding and working with complex engineering systems
• Different engineering roles and activities across live projects
• The Systems Engineering Lifecycle and key engineering processes
• Requirements capture, requirements management and system design techniques
• Systems engineering tools and methods
• Testing, integration, verification, validation and qualification (IVVQ) activities
• Structured and methodical approaches to problem solving and investigation

Where you'll work

350 Longwater Avenue
Green Park
Reading
Berkshire
RG2 6GF

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK

Training course

Product design and development engineer (degree) (level 6)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Translate conceptual ideas or technical requirements into developmental outcomes or operational designs or specifications for products, systems or components to solve engineering challenges such as compliance, technology, technical or physical challenges.
• Select, use and apply approved problem-solving methods to solve complex problems and determine appropriate solutions or actions such as Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control (DMAIC), Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) or Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA).
• Collate and use a range of data sources and supporting documentation to support projects.
• Interpret and produce technical documentation such as schematic and circuit diagrams, engineering drawings or 3D CAD models, simulation models, project plans, engineering reports, test reports, fault reports or data analytics using company documentation systems and guidelines.
• Observe, record and draw accurate and auditable conclusions from data or developmental or test evidence.
• Manage assigned projects or programmes of work to meet the required specification, taking into account factors such as resource requirements, safety, quality, cost and performance or sustainability criteria. Apply processes for project or programme management including outcomes such as escalation, audit or risk management and risk mitigation.
• Comply with statutory and organisational safety standards and requirements, supporting safety risk assessments and mitigate any risks identified within the design, manufacture, development or test activity.
• Identify resources, such as digital tools or technologies, human, equipment, materials or data, to complete design and development projects or programmes of work.
• Create and manage a project or work programme plan and develop activities in a logical process embedding mechanisms for adapting to changing circumstances or requirements.
• Demonstrate leadership when undertaking product design, development, modification or update engineering activities.
• Identify and rectify faults, inaccuracies, discrepancies or unexpected results during the design or development process, which may impact the quality and reliability of the product, system or component.
• Ensure that all systems or equipment has been correctly configured and checked for safe operation before use.
• Evaluate engineering designs, development or modification options.
• Identify areas for improvement and lead continuous improvement activities in the operation and performance of the product, system or component.
• Complete project documentation checks throughout the activity and report non-conformances.
• Translate conceptual ideas or technical requirements into developmental outcomes or operational designs or specifications for products, systems or components to solve engineering challenges such as compliance, technology, technical or physical challenges.
• Select, use and apply approved problem-solving methods to solve complex problems and determine appropriate solutions or actions such as Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control (DMAIC), Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) or Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA).
• Collate and use a range of data sources and supporting documentation to support projects.
• Interpret and produce technical documentation such as schematic and circuit diagrams, engineering drawings or 3D CAD models, simulation models, project plans, engineering reports, test reports, fault reports or data analytics using company documentation systems and guidelines.
• Observe, record and draw accurate and auditable conclusions from data or developmental or test evidence.
• Manage assigned projects or programmes of work to meet the required specification, taking into account factors such as resource requirements, safety, quality, cost and performance or sustainability criteria. Apply processes for project or programme management including outcomes such as escalation, audit or risk management and risk mitigation.
• Comply with statutory and organisational safety standards and requirements, supporting safety risk assessments and mitigate any risks identified within the design, manufacture, development or test activity.
• Identify resources, such as digital tools or technologies, human, equipment, materials or data, to complete design and development projects or programmes of work.
• Create and manage a project or work programme plan and develop activities in a logical process embedding mechanisms for adapting to changing circumstances or requirements.
• Demonstrate leadership when undertaking product design, development, modification or update engineering activities.
• Identify and rectify faults, inaccuracies, discrepancies or unexpected results during the design or development process, which may impact the quality and reliability of the product, system or component.
• Ensure that all systems or equipment has been correctly configured and checked for safe operation before use.
• Evaluate engineering designs, development or modification options.
• Identify areas for improvement and lead continuous improvement activities in the operation and performance of the product, system or component.
• Complete project documentation checks throughout the activity and report non-conformances.

Training schedule

You will study towards the BEng Applied Professional Engineering Degree Apprenticeship with The University of Warwick, following the Product Design and Development Engineer pathway.

The programme is delivered through a blended learning approach, combining:

• On-campus teaching (approximately 12 blocks of 3 days)
• Virtual coaching sessions
• Online learning resources

Programme structure:

This is a broad programme, designed to provide a strong multi-disciplinary engineering foundation prior to moving onto a more specialist pathway.

Years 1 and 2

• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Materials and Design
• Computational skills

Years 3 and 4

• Progress onto the Design and Development Engineer specialist pathway
• Work based project
  

Throughout the four-year programme, you will combine university study with practical workplace experience, developing both academic knowledge and professional engineering skills. Aligned to the IET accreditation requirements, this degree will support those looking to become a Chartered Engineer in future.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

5 GCSEs incl. Maths & English (grade A-C or 9-4)

A Level in:

Maths and a further STEM subject (grade BB minimum of 112 UCAS points)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Problem solving skills
• Administrative skills
• Number skills
• Analytical skills
• Logical
• Team working

Other requirements

Because of the work we do at Thales, all roles are subject to security requirements.

To be considered for this position, you must have the permanent right to work in the UK and be able to successfully complete and maintain UK Government security checks, including Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) screening and Security Clearance (SC), which is a government background check, before starting employment.

To be eligible for SC clearance, you will typically need to have lived in the UK continuously for the last five years. As part of the vetting process, you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, right to work in the UK, any time spent overseas during the last five years, and your employment and/or education history.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please follow this link -