Space Manufacturing Engineering Technical Apprenticeship

Start Date:

31st August 2027

Location:

Airbus Defence & Space Portsmouth

Duration: 4 years

College:
Havant and Southdowns College

Qualification:

HNC & HND in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Final date to receive applications:
Applications will be open until 4 January 2027. After this date, the advert will close once sufficient applications are received. Early submission is recommended.

We love your interest in joining Airbus! There is no limit on the number of positions you can apply for. However, please be aware that you can only progress in the selection process for one position at a time. We recommend reviewing all available opportunities and applying to those that best match your experience and aspirations.

Salary: £22,000

37 hours per week // Half day Fridays!* // 25 days holiday plus bank holidays // Pension // Success share // Plus many more flexible benefits!

* subject to completing full hours prior to this

Ever thought about working on the largest space craft in the UK? Because that's what we do in Portsmouth; we design, build and test satellites!

Interested in the thought that a year after this application, you could be in one of the largest clean‑rooms in the space sector, integrating hardware onto a payload or helping develop some of the most technical advanced electronic equipment for space.. to then watch it launch into space later on?

There are few other experiences like that!

More detail is important:

• We’re part of Airbus Defence and Space - the biggest space company in Europe, and a major player in the UK’s growing space sector;
• What do we make? Advanced satellites that help monitor climate change, keep the world connected, and even power your favourite TV shows (Yep, all national satellite TV in the UK? That’s us.);
• Our team in Portsmouth builds the “brains” of the satellite - the payload. It’s where the real magic happens, and we lead the world in some of the tech we make and use;
• The satellites we help build weigh up to 6 tonnes and are launched into space to beam TV, internet, and secure communications around the globe - including to military teams on the move;
• Oh, and it’s not just about space. We also support maritime satellite terminals - that means keeping ships and crews connected across oceans, no matter where they are in the world. So yes, you could help connect people literally everywhere - from sea to sky.

Whether you’re into tech, space, creativity, or just want to work on something that actually matters - this could be your launchpad.

Apprentices join us from all different backgrounds, from all over the UK! So no matter where you're from, what school or college you went to, we encourage you to apply!

Our Level 4 Apprenticeship:

Being a Higher Technical Apprentice at Airbus means you will get to develop both mechanical and electrical skills within our programme. You will be immersed in a stimulating design and manufacturing environment.

What will you study?

You will study towards an HNC in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering with the possibility of attaining an HND should you be eligible. You will also attain a level 4 standard, which will run alongside the HNC course, gaining both academic knowledge and practical experience on this apprenticeship.

What will you do?

We have an apprenticeship where you can learn to (amongst other things)…

• See and understand how a satellite is built;
• Work on satellites in some of the UK's largest space industry clean rooms;
• Run vibration, shock, thermal and EMC tests in the Environmental test facilities on site;
• Support the design of the payloads integration;
• Help the manufacturing teams assemble and test world leading electronic hardware.

The apprenticeship programme is 4 years, broken down into…