2026 Software Engineering Graduate

Join to apply for the 2026 Software Engineering Graduate role at targetjobs UK Location: Crawley, United Kingdom In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible. Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions. What The Role Has To Offer Permanent role from day one Work on exciting projects within our business units Receive mentorship and support from our Engineering Leadership team An opportunity in year 3 to rotate into different business units and experience different parts of an engineering lifecycle This is an exciting engineering graduate programme designed to create the next generation of aspiring engineering experts, specialists and leaders for Thales in the UK. We are looking for people with a passion for engineering and/or design and development combined with an inquisitive mind and an intrinsic interest in people, leadership and success through teamwork. If you are looking for a broad learning experience, Thales offers you extensive development and challenges and will support you so that you can drive your career progression at the right rate for you. Kickstart your career with us and work on advanced embedded solutions using technologies such as Java, C++, ADA, and automation tools like Bash, Python, Perl, and Ansible across RHEL environments. Collaborate with top engineers and gain experience with modern development platforms including Eclipse, IntelliJ, Bitbucket, Git, Jenkins, Artifactory, and industry-standard quality tools like SonarQube, Klocwork, and CppCheck. Graduate Programme This is a 3-year programme with the option to rotate. In Year 3, you will rotate around the country across different business units experiencing different parts of an engineering lifecycle. You will be assigned to a succession of new or existing programmes where you will work with and be supported by other engineers to design and develop engineering solutions to meet the needs of our customers. During your time on the programme you will be under the sponsorship and guidance of the Engineering Leadership team and will follow a structured and detailed learning pathway to fast track your development within your role. Requirements Gained or on track to achieve a bachelor’s degree in a STEM Subject in one of the following subject areas: Computer Science (BSc or MSc), Computing (BEng or MEng), Computing and Data Science (BSc or MSc), Software Engineering (BSc or MEng). All applicable technical or related degrees will be considered. Benefits 201 hours annual leave (plus a company day and bank holidays) Company Pension Health Care Cash Plan Life Insurance Discount Portal Performance-related pay uplifts 80 hours Volunteering (first two years) Assessment centres for shortlisted candidates will be held between February - May 2026. Induction week for all Graduate and Apprentices will take place from Monday 07 September - Friday 11 September 2026. Closing date: Our applications will close at 11.59pm on Monday 5 January 2026, this is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. Please note, we will be in contact by the end of February 2026 with details of next steps. Please note that roles may close earlier than the advertised deadline if we receive a high number of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out on this opportunity. Recruitment Process Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, all of our roles are subject to security restrictions. All successful candidates must possess the permanent right to work in the UK, and will be required to go through Government security clearance at BPSS Level and to obtain full Security Clearance (SC) in line with the United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) requirements below, prior to starting with us. This role requires you to be a sole British National from birth and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales. Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier‑free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro‑diverse applicants or those with a disability or long‑term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. #J-18808-Ljbffr