RAL Space offers a wide range of opportunities available for people at every stage of their career.
Whether you're looking to build on your expertise in one field or to broaden your outlook and experience, we offer an ideal place to build your career.
We offer the following early career opportunities:
For more information about entry requirements and the application process, please visit the links for each section.
For those in secondary school.
Daresbury Laboratory (DL), Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) and UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC) offer work experience placements to Year 10, 11, 12 and 13 students each year (S4, S5 and S6 in Scotland), many from local schools and around the country. As far as possible you are placed depending on your interests indicated on the application form.
Learn more
For school leavers.
RAL Space offers a Gold accredited, award-winning Apprenticeship Scheme. Play a key part in ensuring our world-class projects and facilities keep driving forward.
We are recruiting apprentices in diverse roles such as:
engineering (level 3; mechanical, electrical and electronic)
- computing (level 4 and 6; DevOps and software engineering)
- project management
- IT
- laboratory technician
- metrology
- audio-visual technician
- radiation protection
As an engineer, you could be working up-close and hands-on developing technology to push forward particle accelerator capabilities on a range of collaborative projects. In computing, you can utilise powerful supercomputers to enable our users to tackle work that improves life within the UK and beyond. Whatever your role, whether technical or professional support, you'll have training and support from experts in their fields working on amazing projects.
We are looking for people who will relish the opportunity to work towards their chosen apprenticeship, developing knowledge, skills and behaviours whilst making a real difference in their role. We provide an opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion; you'll have access to additional core skills development, a community of apprentices across the site, annual Apprentice awards evenings, a number of active sport and social groups across campus and potential opportunities for overseas placements.
Learn more
For those at university.
RAL Space can offer an incredibly diverse range of placements in which you will be working alongside world leading engineers, scientists and technicians in highly collaborative environments. Whichever you choose, you'll become a critical member of the team in which you will be exposed to exciting projects and challenges from the start.
Each of our placements provide unique opportunities to contribute to STFC's mission in the below areas:
- Engineering
- Computing
- Science and Technology
- Business Support
- Microelectronics
For recent university leavers.
We offer a 2 year graduate scheme that includes a 3-month placement in another department of STFC.
We provide an 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 Early Careers Team will provide the right combination of challenge and support throughout, helping you achieve your ambitions. We know that professional recognition is important to you too, so we provide mentoring and expertise to help you achieve valued qualifications or chartered status in your chosen field.
What you can expect
- A dedicated Graduate Team to support with pastoral care & human skills development.
- A two-year core training programme on a permanent contract, that sits alongside the technical training you will receive in your department, developing a greater understanding of leadership models, how to build strong and effective teams, and a greater understanding of communication styles to build strong working relationships with colleagues.
- Additional opportunities to develop skills specific to your field and more broader areas by learning from senior colleagues through our five pathways of Engineering, Science & Technology, Microelectronics, Computing, and Project & Programmes Management (PPM).
- Contribute to projects pushing the frontier of innovation & technology for the betterment of society, collaborating with across departments and internationally with partners such as CERN, ESS, ESO, and NASA.
- Strong support for graduates wishing to work towards professional registration, with our Graduate Programme being accredited by the IET, IMecheE and IoP. Upon joining, you will be supported in making the right professional body choice for your career path and will be connected with either an STFC or external mentor to help guide you on your journey.
- An opportunity to inspire the next generation into STEM through our Early Careers Engagement Programme, where you will complete a minimum of 3 days public engagement activities per year including training.
- Widen your skills by undertaking a 3-month placement in another STFC department in which you will be able to identify knowledge gaps, learn different ways of working, and build strong collaboration links across STFC.
Learn more
