Guidance

Graduates, students and apprentices at Dstl

Shape the future with a career at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.

Apply now to become part of the future at Dstl

Applications are now open for:

At the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), graduates, students and apprentices make real contributions to our projects and the future of our organisation. We take great pride in recruiting talented and enthusiastic young people each year.

We have exciting projects and assignments that we can’t wait to get you involved in. We’re confident that when you join Dstl you’ll help us see things through a different lens and bring innovate solutions to our challenges.

Dstl is recruiting

Our purpose

Dstl’s purpose is simple, but powerful: to provide the science inside UK defence and security, and help protect our nation.

We can tell you the hows and whys when we speak to you, but ultimately, that’s our goal and we are proud of who we are and what we do.

We provide world-class expertise and cutting edge science and technology to the UK, and for us to continue doing this, we need to bring in more talented individuals along the way. That’s where you come in.

Our values

At Dstl (the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) we value innovation, collaboration and impact. Those 3 words not only describe how we work, but also our people and culture. These values are embedded into our organisation and are reflected in the fantastic work we do.

We look for people who can demonstrate these values and apply them to our unique challenges at Dstl. So, if you want to start your career - or get a glimpse of work - at an organisation that has a truly special purpose, then we’d love to hear from you.

Graduate programmes

Young woman using lab equipment

Our graduate programmes last for 2 years, and you’ll learn all about the objectives, direction and challenges of our science and technology work, while getting hands-on involvement in unique projects.

When you join Dstl you’ll start to shape your career from day one, with ongoing support and opportunities to develop your learning through:

  • collaboration with experienced professionals (internally as well as in industry and academia)
  • internal and external events including work-related conferences
  • role-specific courses
  • our in-house graduate community

You’ll be encouraged to continue your professional development through chartered programmes and accreditations.

You’ll gain invaluable insights through working at Dstl on some of our most exciting projects, and you’ll earn a salary ranging from £25,000 to £29,500. During the 2-year programme you’ll have 4 reviews where you can achieve pay increases. You’ll also be immersed in our incredible culture and have access to all of our employee benefits.

Current graduate roles

Apply today for these graduate roles:

Applications close on 30 November 2022.

Student placements

1-year industrial placements

People around a computer

Undergraduate students can join us on a 1-year placement scheme to gain practical experience within your degree discipline. You’ll have the opportunity to bring new ideas to our projects and start to ease the transition from university to the workplace.

By joining us on an industrial placement, you’ll instantly contribute to projects and work across a broad range of areas. You will gain experience working with teams of engineers and scientists, in support of the MOD, UK armed forces and other government departments.

Depending on your placement area, we’ll involve you in practical lab-based tasks, supporting trials or working in IT helps to advance our research.

Your personal development and insight to Dstl are very important to us and we will work with you to maximise both.

You’ll be rewarded with new skills, job satisfaction and a salary of £18,278 (pro-rata to account for the duration of your placement).

Apply now for a Dstl industrial placement starting September 2023.

Applications close on 192 DecemberJanuary 2022.2023.

Summer placements

People holding munitions

Dstl also gives undergraduate students the chance to work with us during the summer break on 10 to 12 week placements. These placements will give you the opportunity to maximise your studies by transferring theoretical learning to genuine projects

Our summer placement students are rewarded with new skills, job satisfaction and a salary of £18,278 (pro-rata to account for the duration of your placement).

Apply now for a Dstl summer student placement for 2023.

Applications close on 192 DecemberJanuary 2022.2023.

Sponsorship opportunities

At Dstl, we have an eye for talent, so if you impress us, during either your summer or industrial placement, then we’ll dip our hands in our pockets and offer you a sponsorship opportunity. This means we will financially contribute to the remainder of your studies and you will be fast tracked to the interview stage of a graduate opportunity, when you finish your degree.

Apprenticeships

Stacie’s Story: Lab Technician Apprenticeships at Dstl

As an apprentice with Dstl you will earn while you learn and develop. Usually starting in September (at the beginning of the academic year), during your placement you’ll benefit from a blend of formal classroom-based study and hand-on training in our workshops, laboratories and offices..

First year apprentice salaries range from £14,500 to £22,00 depending on the apprenticeship level. Our apprentices receive annual pay increases and enjoy our full range of benefits.

At the end of the apprenticeship, many apprentices accept permanent roles at Dstl, and are then able to progress further with additional training and development.

Read some of their experiences and how some of our apprentices have recently gained first class engineering degrees.

Ordnance Munitions Explosives Apprenticeships at Dstl

Our apprenticeship opportunities are advertised on Civil Service jobs, from around January to March each year.

Why choose Dstl

We are a specialist organisation that harnesses advanced science and technology to protect our nation. With a workforce of nearly 5,000 permanent employees, we work shoulder-to-shoulder to ensure the safety of the UK.

The work we do is fascinating and unique. We provide the UK government with specialist science and technology research, advice and analysis. Unsurprisingly, the work we do is sensitive and often operationally critical, with the potential to save many lives.

We have a fantastic organisational culture, where we collaborate and support each other. Our people feel comfortable bringing their whole and unique selves to work and we are passionate about our people. We also have a number of employee support network groups you can become involved in, celebrating diversity within our workforce, from LGBTQ+ to neurodiversities.

An apprentice observes an armed soldier

Life at Dstl

We look forward to welcoming you to Dstl on one of our Early Career programmes. Whether you’re thinking of joining us temporarily on one of our placement schemes, or permanently on a graduate programme, we’re committed to creating an environment that enables your personal and professional growth.

Early careers community

Every year we bring in bright, excited and enthusiastic cohorts of students and graduates. So you’re not alone. You’ll be immersed into a community of like-minded individuals, where you can share experiences, knowledge and ideas, to help us shape our future.

Your development is our objective

We recruit people who embody our values and demonstrate the potential to drive our organisation forward. We invest you, because we know you will add value straight away and as you progress into a future star at Dstl. You have the education, enthusiasm and potential and we have the culture, leaders and opportunities – the perfect combination.

With specific developmental plans, mentoring programmes and buddy-systems, our learning and development team work passionately to help you unlock your full potential.

But that’s not all. The leaders you work with will involve you in truly fascinating and unique projects. You’ll be able to apply your theoretical and educational understanding, to real-life jobs, with real-life impacts.

Ultimately, we value and understand the importance of creating an environment that sets you up for a fantastic and rewarding career.

Find out more about the benefits of working for us, and how we make Dstl a place where everyone can thrive, succeed and achieve their ambitions.

Our recruits in their own words

My career in Dstl

Hear from some more of our employees about their career paths and experiences working at Dstl:

Read more stories from the people inside Dstl.

Published 6 October 2021
Last updated 2130 November 2022 + show all updates
  1. The deadline to apply for summer and industrial placements is now 2 January 2023.

  2. Applications are now open for Dstl's 1-year industrial placements and summer student placements for 2023.

  3. New graduate roles added. Apply by 30 November to join our 2023 intake.

  4. Added vacancy for electronic engineering technician apprentices.

  5. Apprenticeship vacancies for 2022 have now closed.

  6. Added links to Data Scientist degree apprenticeship and Cyber Technologies and Solutions degree apprenticeship.

  7. Added Safety, Health and Environment Technician Apprentice vacancy.

  8. Added apprenticeship opportunities.

  9. Added STEM graduate opportunities in Platform Systems division and summer placement as rural estates operative.

  10. Applications for graduate opportunities for 2022 are now closed. All current vacancies continue to be advertised on Civil Service Jobs.

  11. Applications for 2022 summer and industrial placements have now closed, but some graduate opportunities for 2022 are still open.

  12. Added new summer placement opportunities for 2022.

  13. Added student placements for counter terrorism and security and for platform systems.

  14. Added links to additional graduate positions and newly-posted summer and industrial placement opportunities for 2022.

  15. First published.