2027 Cumbria Industrial Placement

Looking for a placement where you’ll really feel valued?

Join Sellafield and help create a clean and safe environment for future generations while shaping the UK’s sustainable future through world-first engineering, science and innovation.

This year, we have 12 month placement opportunities across a range of areas, including:

Commissioning

Engineering & Maintenance

Environmental

Safety

Science & Maths

Whichever path you choose, you’ll play a meaningful role in helping us deliver nationally important work, develop specialist skills and build a career with purpose.

Our Industrial Placement Programme

Our Industrial Placement Scheme is designed to give you the opportunity to apply your academic learning in a professional environment while developing the knowledge, skills and experience needed for a successful future career. Through a structured and supported placement, you’ll work on real projects that contribute to Sellafield’s nationally important mission, gaining valuable hands-on experience alongside industry experts. As well as developing technical competence in your chosen discipline, you’ll take part in a dedicated programme of learning and development designed to enhance your professional skills and support your continued growth. For many students, the placement also provides a valuable pathway into our Graduate Development Scheme, helping you make a seamless transition from university into a rewarding career with purpose.

You’ll receive dedicated support throughout your placement, and by the end you could be rewarded with a conditional offer on our graduate programme for the year you graduate. You can start to build professional networks and pave your own path to success.

What You’ll Get

As an Industrial Placement student, you’ll join us on 12-month fixed term contract, with a competitive salary of £27,043.

If you’re relocating here from more than 30 miles away, we’ll support you with a relocation allowance of £1,200.

We aim to strike a good work/life balance by offering 30 days annual leave with statutory public holidays on top. There is also the ability to purchase an additional 2.5 days leave on top.

During your placement with us you will get the opportunity to work towards objectives that if met, you will be offered the opportunity to return on our graduate programme once you have completed your degree. *Subject to there being a suitable graduate position available.

We also offer an attractive defined contribution pension scheme – the company will match up to 13.5% for a 7% employee contribution.

All of our employees can benefit from our 18 support networks, including the Nuclear Autism Support Network, oneLGBTQ+ Network and Gender Balance Networks, to name a few.

Other benefits include paid sick leave scheme, cycle to work scheme, family friendly policies, welfare & employee assistance programme, employee savings & discounts, plus many others.

What we’ll need from you

We want you to succeed with us, so we’re asking for you to:

• Be on track to achieve a minimum of a 2:1 Bachelors degree in a relevant subject to the scheme you’re applying to (please refer to the individual scheme requirements for full details).
• Have a willingness to relocate to West Cumbria for the duration of the programme.
• Have a commitment to working on or around the Sellafield site and supporting the delivery of our mission to create a clean and safe environment for future generations.
• Have a genuine interest in building a career within the nuclear industry and developing your professional and technical expertise.
• Have the ability to solve problems, think critically and approach challenges with curiosity and a willingness to learn.
• Have the drive to take ownership of your own development and make the most of the opportunities available through the programme.
• Have a proactive attitude, a willingness to try new things and the resilience to work through complex challenges.
• Have a commitment to upholding the highest standards of safety, security and professionalism.
• Eligibility to obtain and maintain the security clearance required for the role.

We’re looking for people who are curious, motivated and ready to make a difference. You don’t need nuclear experience, but you do need the enthusiasm to learn, the confidence to challenge yourself and the ambition to help deliver work that will have a lasting impact for generations to come.

Life in Cumbria

Build a career that makes a difference from day one. With us, you won’t be spending your placement programme on the sidelines. You’ll work on real projects that help tackle some of the UK’s biggest environmental, engineering and nuclear challenges, while contributing to our mission of creating a clean and safe environment for future generations. Based in West Cumbria, on the edge of the Lake District, you’ll be part of a team developing innovative solutions that support the UK’s sustainable future, reduce environmental risk and leave a lasting positive impact for generations to come. Alongside structured development, professional support and world-class expertise, you’ll gain experience that’s genuinely hard to find anywhere else.

You’ll be working directly on our site in West Cumbria, right on the edge of the breathtaking Lake District National Park. It’s a place where your weekends can be filled with hiking, cycling, or kayaking and your evenings end with sunsets over the fells. Away from the bustle of big cities you’ll enjoy fresh air, open space and a lower cost of living – without missing out on communities, activities or connections. And when you do fancy a city break, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow are just a few hours away. It’s the perfect balance of career opportunity and quality of life.

Enjoy affordable housing and living costs that go much further than big cities. Rural doesn’t mean isolated, you’ll still find shops, restaurants and gyms – just without the city chaos.

Our Application Process

• Applications for our Industrial Placement Programmes close on Friday 23rd October 2026.
• Once you’ve applied, you’ll be invited to complete an online assessment. The date you receive this will depend on when you submit your application. You’ll be given a deadline to complete it and can expect to receive your outcome in mid-November.
• Video interviews will take place between 2nd – 20th November 2026.
• Please note that if you’re unable to attend a video interview during the dates outlined above, you may not be able to progress through the recruitment process.
• Expected start date: July 2027.

Accessibility and Inclusion

• At Sellafield, we’re committed to creating an inclusive and supportive recruitment experience where everyone can succeed.
• We’re proud to be recognised as a Disability Confident Leader and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and experiences.
• Reasonable adjustments are available throughout every stage of our recruitment process, including online assessments, video interviews and assessment centres.
• If you require any adjustments or additional support, we’ll work with you to make sure you can demonstrate your skills and perform at your best.
• If you’d like to discuss any support requirements before or during your application, please contact our recruitment team. We’re happy to help and encourage candidates to speak to us as early as possible so we can ensure the right support is in place.

Before you apply

Before you start your application, please complete our immersive, realistic preview into the life of a placement student at Sellafield before you start your application. Completing this preview will take less than 10 minutes and will help you understand both the type of challenges you may encounter, and if you’re likely to enjoy working here. Click below to begin our realistic scheme preview:

https://rjp.neurosight.io/enc/GstpeCB9sNwskEQJLRjklUL_08BtbwY7CzXcJJn2X04

*Please note – requires an iPhone updated to at least iOS 14, or an updated Android device. Also accessible on tablets or laptops – Chrome is the recommended browser, although Safari also works on iO4 14 or better

Applications for our industrial placement programmes will close on Friday 23rd October 2026.

Please be aware that this role is subject to achieving security clearance. This role requires higher level of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 years of continuous residency in the UK. Factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the level of clearance you’re able to achieve.

From student to nuclear professional – your journey begins here. Join us and help shape the UK’s sustainable nuclear future with a company built on history.