Project Engineer - Undergraduate Placement

Project Engineer
- Process Improvement Placement

This role is 1 year Fixed Term Contract, working 37.5 hours per week, Monday
- Friday, 8:30 - 17:00.

You will join the Process Improvement team, supporting strategic initiatives that improve manufacturing performance, increase operational efficiency and help shape future investment decisions across the business. Working at the intersection of Operations, Engineering, Technology and Finance, you will contribute to projects that deliver measurable business value and support the long‑term transformation of our manufacturing operations.

This placement offers a unique opportunity to gain hands‑on experience in analysing manufacturing processes, identifying improvement opportunities and supporting key business decisions.

This placement will provide you with:

• Direct exposure to senior leaders across Manufacturing, Engineering and Business Transformation.
• Hands‑on experience of process mapping, value stream analysis and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience conducting capacity assessments, feasibility studies and operational performance evaluations.
• Involvement in developing business cases, ROI assessments and investment recommendations for manufacturing improvements and new capabilities.
• Exposure to digital manufacturing, automation, data analytics and emerging technologies that support the future of food manufacturing.
• Ownership of defined projects and work streams, with the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution from day one.
• Development of analytical, problem‑solving, project management and stakeholder management skills that are highly valued across industry.

This placement is ideal for someone who is curious about how businesses make operational and investment decisions and who wants to gain practical experience helping transform a leading UK food manufacturing operation through process improvement, innovation and technology

apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors, serving more than 1,300 care homes, healthcare and education settings.

Our meals are expertly crafted by our dieticians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness.

Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK’s largest ready meal supplier, cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.

• Analyse manufacturing processes, production data and operational performance to support business decision‑making.
• Develop process maps, operational models and analytical tools to identify improvement opportunities.
• Support capacity planning, forecasting and scenario modelling for strategic projects.
• Research and evaluate manufacturing technologies, digital solutions and emerging industry trends.
• Assist with feasibility studies, option evaluations and business case development for operational and capital investment projects.
• Support the design of future‑state processes and manufacturing transformation initiatives.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance and IT.
• Participate in supplier meetings, technology demonstrations and solution evaluations.
• Prepare reports, presentations and recommendations for project teams and senior stakeholders.

Previous placement students have contributed to projects including:

• Production Capacity Modelling
  :
  Developing production capacity models and forecasting tools to support long‑term manufacturing investment decisions.
• Manufacturing Feasibility Studies
  :
  Conducting feasibility assessments and scenario modelling for manufacturing capability and expansion projects.
• Digital Manufacturing Technology Assessments
  :
  Evaluating manufacturing systems, planning solutions and…