Student Placement Programme; Engineering

Sponsored Student Placement Programme (Engineering) - UK

Start date:

First summer placement commencing June 2026.

Building your career, constructing our future - join an engineering sponsored student programme with us!

Please note, this placement programme is open for first- and second-year University students only and we are recruiting in a variety of locations nationwide that align with our key projects.

We are offering places on a sponsored student programme geared towards Civil and Mechanical Engineering University students. If you are pursuing a degree in a relevant area and are keen to get up close with fascinating construction projects on your summer and industrial placements, with a fast track to our graduate development programme once you finish uni, this opportunity may be right for you.

Murphy is a leading international, multi-disciplined engineering and construction company founded in 1951 that improves life by delivering world‑class infrastructure. Operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and North America, Murphy provides better engineered solutions to infrastructure sectors including transportation, water, power and natural resources. We also have a number of related businesses – Ground Engineering;
Utility Connections;
Murphy Plant;
Murphy Process Engineering;
Pipeline Testing Services;
Specialist Welding Services; and Electrical Services. Murphy is a specialist in delivering pipelines, design, structural steel, tunnelling, fabrication, bridges and piling, and has a substantial holding of plant, equipment and facilities. We employ more than 4,300 engineers, professional managers and skilled operatives around the world. Together, we work as ‘One Murphy’ by directly delivering the people, plant and expertise needed to make projects a success.

There’s more to Murphy.

• 36% reduction in carbon emission intensity to date
• 98% of waste diverted from landfill
• Introduced cleaner burning Gas‑to‑Liquid fuel (first construction company in the UK)
• Installed electric and hybrid car charging points
• Working towards being Net Zero by 2030

• Paid work experience gained on summer and industrial placements with us throughout the course of university study, starting with a summer placement in 2025. Earning a pro‑rata professional salary and gaining hands‑on experience in a leading construction business, as well achieving a yearly bonus as part of the ongoing placement programme
• Place on the graduate programme at the end helps lift your final year worries about graduate unemployment. You will be able to concentrate on your course and upcoming exams with a peace of mind that you have secured a graduate role, without the distraction of job applications
• Confidence in being able to hit the ground running, with a solid understanding of Murphy from the day you start full time work with us on a graduate programme

We are one of the biggest contractors in the UK and Ireland and have hundreds of live projects at any given time. This is why it’d be hard to explain what awaits on a page! To give you a flavour though, you can expect to get involved in the following:

• Read and understand the scope of the works, contract and works information for the project – to fully understand what the project and what we in Murphy are building
• Look at specifications and relevant standards to the project and the client
• Learn how to read site drawings and how to use them on site
• Work alongside the Site Engineer on the project, setting up engineering instruments and undertake setting out duties
• Carrying out surveying duties and creating Inspection and test Plans for the activities on the project
• Reading and understanding site documents – Risk Assessments/Method Statements
• Attend site progress meetings to understand the programme requirements of the project
• Familiarising and carrying out inspections on materials and equipment on site
• Prepare a short presentation summarising the above project and report to be presented to line manager / members of the team
• The review of technical specifications, reports and documents
• Working with an Engineer…