Graduate Engineering

2026 Engineering Graduate

HS2s Graduate programmes have been designed to create meaning opportunities for hands on experience and broad exposure across the project and within specified discipline areas.

Graduates will learn directly from industry experts gaining valuable insight into real world practices whilst building their professional network.

The programmes offer a range of learning and development opportunities from technical development to core skills development equipping graduates with the skills knowledge and confidence needed to grow and succeed at HS2 and beyond

There are four x Engineering graduate opportunities available this year based in positions will involve regular travel to various site locations along the HS2 route.

The Engineering graduate programme has been specifically tailored to build capability and competence in various aspects of engineering. It will provide you with experience and exposure to the different aspects through role rotations on-the-job training technical qualifications and support from technical leads and mentoring.

Engineering

As an Engineering Graduate there will be a variety of opportunities available within the engineering teams to work with company experts and learn from their experience.
Joining as an Engineering Graduates provides the best opportunity to learn how a high-speed railway relies on a complex interface between multiple engineering disciplines.

At HS2 we offer a two-year rotational graduate programme providing opportunities for learning and development across a range of programme related placements.

All graduate programmes are designed to provide enabling practical experience and exposure to discipline relevant aspects of the project alongside discipline specific technical training.

What youll do

• Support management of HS2s Technical Assurance activities.
• Support administration of HS2s Request for Information (RFI) process via the HS2 RFI system.
• Support management of HS2s Departures and Assumptions processes via the HS2 RFI system.
• Supports HS2s Technical Assurance Review process.
• Supports HS2s Document Controllers in managing the process of review/comment on contract deliverables.
• Undertake Design Reviews across Integrated Project Teams (IPTs).
• Support production of Verification Activity Plans.
• Support management of the HS2 supervisors inspection schedule.
• Support management of the risk-based review of Inspection and Test Plans.
• Actively promote and embed Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work and support and comply with all organisational initiatives policies and procedures on EDI.

About You

Skills:

• Planning and organisational skills - the ability to prioritise and deliver day to day tasks.
• Prioritisation skills the ability to coordinate and deliver multiple tasks and responsibilities to agreed time and quality standards
• Data Analysis skills the ability to review and analyse data and produce and present documents and reports to a variety of audiences
• Stakeholder engagement skills - the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels
• Communication Skills the ability to review convert and communicate technical information into a format that is understood by non-technical audiences in a persuasive and engaging way
• Problem solving the ability to understand complex issues to carry out problem solving.
• Creative thinking skills the ability to develop creative ideas to support continuous improvement.

Knowledge:

• 2:2 Bachelors degree (or equivalent) in an engineering discipline
• Awareness of engineering and major infrastructure projects
• IT knowledge including; Word Excel PowerPoint or equivalent.

Does HS2 offer sponsorship if I do not have the Right to Work in the UK

To be eligible to apply for HS2s 2026 Graduate programmes all applicants will need to already hold the on-going Right to Work in the UK that is not timebound in any way.

Due to the nature of our organisation HS2 arenot able to sponsor any applicationsas we do not hold the required sponsorship license from the UK Home Office and candidates are not allowed to sponsor themselves.

We appreciate the Right to Work question can be complex to understand so if you are unsure of your Right to Work status in the UK please email us atand we will be happy to advise further.

Please note to enable HS2 to comply with UK Home Office policy Right to Work status will be checked early in the recruitment process.

Graduate programme salaries:

Salaries are currently pending pay review however please see below figures based on 2025;

• London: Basic 26871 + 15% Flexible allowance 30902
• Birmingham: Basic 24022 + 15% Flexible allowance 27625

Please note the rotational placements may vary and are subject to business requirements.