Early Careers UK

Our Early Careers programmes are the future of our organisation and we are committed to ensuring that your experience here is the best it can be.

Smiling group of Northrop Grumman Employees at Recruitment Fair

About Our Programmes

As a Graduate or Industrial Placement Student, you can choose to specialise in a range of disciplines including software engineering, project management, systems engineering and control software engineering.

You will complete a one-week induction, followed by a structured training programme to equip you with the skills and knowledge to start working on our customer projects.

12-Month Industrial Placements

Placements start each September providing you with business exposure and the chance to apply skills that support the delivery of key Defence projects. You’ll benefit from on-the-job learning and specialist training to develop technical, leadership and soft skills.

Applications are now closed for September 2026 start.

Contact earlycareers@uk.ngc.com for more information about Early Careers at Northrop Grumman UK.

Two-Year Graduate Programme

 All places on our Graduate programme are filled by returning Industrial Placement Students. During the programme, Graduates will hone their technical and soft skills and build leadership capabilities. They benefit from comprehensive support including a mentor, buddy, project lead, line manager, and Early Careers team.

headshot of man smiling

Kevin Longman

Managing Director of National Security Solutions
Northrop Grumman UK

“Having been at Northrop Grumman in the UK for 20 years, I am proud to say that we have always fostered an inclusive and collaborative environment. We encourage our employees to be curious and ask questions to ensure that we deliver on our commitment to our customers.

We make the UK and our allies safer through our Defence and Cyber and Intelligence businesses. We offer our early careers joiners the opportunity to explore the latest technologies and solve some of the world’s most complex challenges.

However, it’s not just about the critical work we do, but also how do it whilst maintaining our culture. I love that our company values are not just on a poster but are fully embedded in our working environment and enable us to focus on delivering the critical missions that our customers trust us to deliver every day.

For anyone joining us, I suggest you look into our Employee Resource Groups and our STEM outreach activities and get involved wherever you can. You may be surprised as to where these opportunities can lead you when you ‘say yes’ and the incredible people that you will meet along the way."

Meet Our Graduates and Placement Students

We mean it when we say anything is possible at Northrop Grumman – and our colleagues are proof of this. With the immense scale and scope of our business, you can shape your career journey with diverse roles and experiences that expand your expertise, feed your curiosity, and fuel your passion. 

Luke, Graduate Systems Engineer

Luke, Graduate Systems Engineer

At Northrop Grumman UK, our team’s commitment to advancing defence technology is evident through dedicated engineers like Luke. 

Sharjeel, Verification and Validation Engineer

Sharjeel, Verification and Validation Engineer

Sharjeel exemplifies the dedication and expertise necessary to uphold the standards, safety and reliability of the critical systems Northrop Grumman is known for. 

Ayisha, Graduate Software Engineer

Ayisha, Graduate Software Engineer

After her 12-month placement, Ayisha went on to graduate from university before rejoining the business as a Graduate Software Engineer to continue honing her technical and leadership skills.