Mechanical Engineering Graduate

EDF Graduate Mechanical Engineer role gaining experience across nuclear engineering, safety-critical systems, plant modifications, turbine maintenance, commissioning and technical modelling within the UK energy sector.

About the Role

Ready to launch your engineering career while helping shape the future of Britain's energy system? At EDF, Success is Personal. You'll gain hands-on experience, learn from experienced engineers, and develop skills that will stay with you throughout your career, all while contributing to projects that power homes, support energy security and help build a more electrified future for Britain.

The Opportunity

As a Mechanical Engineering Graduate, you'll earn a salary of £37,500 per annum. The programme is expected to begin in early September 2027, when you'll join our graduate community and start building your career at EDF.

Over the course of a 16-month programme, you'll complete placements across a variety of engineering and operational environments while developing technical and professional skills. You'll contribute to projects ranging from safety-critical systems and plant modifications to turbine overhauls and commissioning activities, helping support the transition towards An Electric Britain.

What You’ll Experience

As a Mechanical Engineering Graduate at EDF, you'll gain practical experience that goes far beyond the classroom. Working alongside experienced professionals, you'll develop a deeper understanding of how engineering supports the safe and reliable operation of some of the UK's most important energy infrastructure.

Your placements could see you completing technical and safety justifications for modifications to pipework systems, preparing fire protection strategies for nuclear power station buildings, overseeing the overhaul of steam turbines during maintenance outages, supporting the commissioning of safety-critical systems at Hinkley Point C, or modelling gas flows and temperatures within nuclear reactor cores.

Throughout the programme, you'll work with colleagues from different disciplines, broaden your technical knowledge, and build the confidence to take on increasingly complex challenges. Every placement is an opportunity to learn something new, contribute to meaningful work, and explore the many career paths available across EDF.

Location

You'll be based at one of our key sites – #Heysham. During the programme, you'll have an opportunity to complete a placement at a different location, giving you valuable exposure to a range of teams, technologies and operational environments.

Most roles require between three and five days per week on site. Depending on your placement rotations, travel and relocation may be required during the programme. We'll provide practical and financial support to help make these transitions as smooth as possible.

Where This Programme Could Take You

Matthew joined EDF's Science and Engineering Graduate Programme in 2024 and completed the scheme in January 2026. During the programme, he completed placements across Operations, Engineering, Technical and Governance, and Defueling, gaining experience in four key areas of station operations and working alongside specialists from different engineering disciplines.

Today, Matthew works within the Safety Document Office, supporting Senior Authorised Personnel with the preparation of safety documentation and the application of isolations for work activities. His experience across multiple departments has given him a broad understanding of power station operations and the important role different teams play in delivering safe and reliable generation.

Who You Are

To be eligible for this EDF graduate programme, you need to have achieved, or be expecting to achieve a Bachelor's or Postgraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or a closely related discipline. You'll also have an interest in engineering, technology and the future of nuclear energy.

To be appointed to this role, you will need to meet the criteria for Security Vetting, which will, ordinarily, require you to have been a resident of the UK for at least three of the past five years.

Please note that an Assessment Centre stage of the hiring process will take place virtually on 10 November 2026. Applicants must be able to attend on this date to be considered for the programme.

Pay, Benefits and Culture

Alongside a starting salary of at least £37,500 per annum, potential for an annual bonus, and a market-leading pension scheme, your package will include customisable benefits such as electric vehicle leasing, discounted gym membership, life assurance, tech vouchers, experience days, and more.

At EDF, we believe there are multiple definitions of what it means to succeed. That's why we offer you the freedom to develop a career that's unique to you. Here, Success is Personal – it's your journey, powered by us.

Everyone is welcome at EDF; we're committed to building a workforce that reflects gender balance, social mobility, and inclusion of minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ communities, and those with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident employer, we're committed to creating an accessible recruitment process and encourage candidates to tell us about any support they may need. Should you disclose a disability and meet the minimum criteria (which will include holding a relevant degree discipline/grade and achieving the required pass mark for Stage 1 Testing) for the role you’ll be progressed to the first stage of the selection process.

Some of our roles at EDF attract large volumes of applications. When this happens, we’ll apply the Disability Confident scheme’s guidance on taking practical and appropriate steps selecting disabled candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job.