Start Date: 7^th September 2026

Our vision is to create a safe and sustainable world.

Ricardo, a member of WSP, is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company. With over 110 years of engineering excellence and approximately 2,600 employees in more than 20 countries, Ricardo provides exceptional levels of expertise in delivering innovative cross-sector transportation solutions in engineering disciplines. We are relied upon by our clients worldwide to deliver engineering, scientific and consulting capabilities supported by niche manufacturing. Visit www.ricardo.com/en/services/transport to learn more.

Global Graduate Scheme – Ricardo Automotive & Industrial

This is a permanent graduate test engineer role in our Test Operations team starting with our 2-year accelerated development programme including technical and soft skills development in a consultancy environment.  Our scheme is accredited with the IMechE and the IET and we encourage progress to CEng/IEng; we provide an in-house mentor and cover professional fees. 

Do you want to use your passion for engineering to create innovative solutions to some of the world’s most complex challenges? 

Ricardo is looking for the next generation of engineering graduates to join our global automotive and industrial team. You will be using your specialist skills in mechanical, automotive, mechatronic, controls, electrical, software, manufacturing or aerospace engineering to consult with our clients to come up with innovative solutions to their requirements. You will be applying your specialist knowledge to a broad range of market sectors including passenger car, heavy duty and commercial vehicle as well as marine, defence, off-highway and aerospace. 

Our Test Operations department in our Midlands Technical Centre will offer a wide range of opportunities to apply your learned knowledge in a practical way in industry leading test facilities. You will join a diverse and passionate team ranging from technicians, many fellow graduates to senior engineers offering great mentorship and enormous collective experience to help you kick start your career.

This graduate role will draw on solid knowledge of testing practices, methodologies and fundamental understanding of transmission and driveline systems to deliver test and development programs.

Your main task responsibilities would include:

• Acting as a graduate test engineer on a wide range of test and development work packages – achievement of time, cost and quality requirements, through provision and management of appropriate engineering technology, equipment and processes.
• Responsible for planning, commissioning and running of bespoke test rig installations.
• Application of your knowledge of transmission and driveline development.
• Support to direct selling and Hybrid and Driveline Growth Solutions selling activities through development and presentation of sales material, proposal generation and development of relationships with customers.
• Preparation of development (DVP) plans and specifications to meet customer requirements
  • Supervision and execution of test and development activities.
  • Analysis and reporting of findings from development activities.
  • Problem solving, particularly with respect to mechanical development.
• Preparation and execution of component, system, transmission, driveline and vehicle testing either at Ricardo or on/off site with the customer: Experience to include -
  • Specialist instrumentation.
  • Prototype component manufacture.
  • Component and system functionality and durability test rigs.
  • Functionality and durability vehicle tests.
• Preparation of work proposals and project planning activities

What we can offer you?

• A 2-year accelerated graduate development programme with a focus on developing Test Engineering skills on a broad range of driveline and transmission projects
• Meaningful and fulfilling engineering projects across a range of market sectors.
• Opportunity to continue your professional development and work towards your CEng or IEng qualification with fees covered and mentorship provided.
• Technical and soft skills development in a consultancy environment.
• Recognition and celebration of your success including six-monthly performance and salary reviews during the 2-year scheme.
• Opportunity to become a STEM Ambassador and inspire the next generation of Engineers.
• Collaboration across a global graduate community and opportunity to grow your professional network.
• Potential to support overseas project work on a rotation

We are looking to recruit graduates with a strong desire to work within our industry that will have achieved a minimum of 2:1 from the following engineering disciplines: Mechanical, Automotive, Motorsport or Aerospace Engineering.

Successful candidates will have:

• A strong ability to apply fundamental engineering principles. Relevant experience of transmission and driveline systems is essential. 
• Initiative and interpersonal skills are required in this customer facing role, as are strong written communication and reporting/presentation skills.
• Technical task management of projects.
• Broad engineering knowledge of transmission systems.
  • Ability to coordinate and understand information from multiple engineering departments.
  • Understand engineering drawings.
  • Experience of fault finding techniques used in the Automotive industry.
  • Good project management skills.

 It would be beneficial for candidates to have:

• A master’s degree in an engineering or related field.
• Relevant work experience.
• Interest in a mechanical or electrical engineering hobby such as motorsport, restoration projects and/or formula student. 

We will be scheduling face to face assessment centres in February and March with an opportunity for those invited to meet our Engineering management team and our current cohorts of graduates.

To learn more about our global graduate programme, click here: https://www.ricardo.com/en/careers/early-careers/graduates/automotive-graduate-scheme

Note that in addition to this Test Engineering Graduate role, we are also recruiting for graduates who will specialise in Control & Electronics as well as our wider graduate programme, where your technical development is broader and includes technical placements around the business (including Test Engineering and Controls and Electronics). 

Applications for all 3 graduate roles are reviewed by the same team. Please only apply for the specific roles above if you have a keen interest/skills in this discipline do not apply for all roles.

Working here

You will be warmly welcomed into our workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, coming together to create a culture of inclusion. We will support you to find your place.

We will encourage you to use your passion and expertise to make a positive impact through the projects you work on.  Your knowledge and desire to bring about change will be invaluable in helping deliver innovative solutions that support communities across the globe in becoming safer and more sustainable.

Work life balance 

We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that is working from home, being in the office, or as a hybrid worker. We're happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential.

Benefits

We want you to know how much you are valued. Your remuneration and benefits package will reflect that. You will receive a range of benefits which include support for your physical and mental health. 

Our core benefits include 25 days' annual leave, plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance and professional subscriptions reimbursement. We also offer a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person's potential, and we'll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach as explained here. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can. As part of our commitment to engage positively and pro-actively with all our employees and to ensure an inclusive culture, we are a recognised as a 'disability confident' employer.

Visas and Sponsorships

In light of recent updates to UK Government immigration salary thresholds, Ricardo is currently unable to offer sponsorship for post-study work or Skilled Worker visas as part of our early career programmes.
Whilst this means we are unable to support visa applications under the current criteria, we remain committed to reviewing our approach in line with any future changes to immigration policy. We value the diverse talent that international graduates bring and will continue to monitor developments closely.

Next steps 

Once you have submitted your application a member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch. Please be aware that the timing can vary dependent on the volume of applications that we receive for each role and in some cases, we may start to review applications prior to the closing date. 

Ricardo is a Disability confident employer please advise the recruitment team via recruit@ricardo.com if you require any adjustments to support you throughout the recruitment process.