Assistant Design Engineer

 Assistant Design Manager – 12‑Month Placement 

Right across infrastructure, there’s a requirement to not only maintain, but also renew and reimagine. Whatever stage you’re at in your career, with us you’ll have an opportunity to grow and develop. Delivering essential infrastructure services for life, while being safety first, and client and customer centric in a friendly, fun and respectful environment where you are encouraged to thrive.    

Where will you be working? 

Aviation- Our Aviation team works across a wide range of specialist civil, mechanical and electrical engineering works including major international airports, regional airports and RAF airfields.  

Want to come and be a part of it? 

What will you be doing?

Key Responsibilities

Large transport systems like railways and airports rely on more than technical engineering — they depend on good design thinking to make complex environments safe, usable, efficient and intuitive. 

This 12‑month industrial placement is aimed at Product Design students who want to apply their skills in real, safety‑critical, user‑focused environments across the Rail and Aviation industries. 

You’ll work on some of the UK’s most complex infrastructure projects, supporting design teams and learning how design decisions shape passenger experience, operational efficiency and long‑term asset performance. 

Where will you be working? 

You will work across our Rail and Aviation teams, supporting projects that include: 

• Major airports and airfield infrastructure 

• Rail stations, depots and operational environments 

• Passenger‑facing and operational systems 

• Safety‑critical, regulated environments

These industries involve tight constraints, multiple stakeholders and demanding users — making them ideal contexts for strong product and systems designers. 

What will you be doing? 

As an Assistant Design Manager (Product Design) on placement, your focus will be on design coordination, usability and system thinking, rather than detailed engineering calculations. 

You’ll work alongside Design Managers, engineers, architects and construction teams to support the design process from concept through delivery. 

Your work may include: 

• Supporting coordination of multidisciplinary design teams (engineering, architecture, M&E) 

• Contributing to early‑stage design concepts and option studies 

• Participating in design reviews with a focus on user experience, accessibility, safety and clarity 

• Helping translate complex technical designs into understandable visuals, diagrams and presentations 

• Understanding how passenger, operator and maintainer needs influence design decisions 

• Supporting design change control and tracking how requirements evolve over time 

• Visiting live sites to see how design decisions perform in real environments 

You’ll be encouraged to bring a product design mindset, asking questions such as: 

• Who uses this space or system, and how? 

• Is the design intuitive, legible and robust? 

• How do safety, standards and constraints shape good design? 

• How does design perform over its full lifecycle? 

Who this placement is for 

This placement is ideal if you are: 

• Studying Product Design, Industrial Design, Design Engineering or a closely related discipline 

• Eligible for a 12‑month industrial / sandwich placement 

• Interested in applying human‑centred design beyond consumer products 

• Curious about how design works in regulated, real‑world environments 

• Comfortable working collaboratively across disciplines 

• Skills in sketching, CAD, visual communication, prototyping or service design are welcomed, but no rail or aviation experience is required. 

What you’ll gain from the placement 

Experience applying product design thinking to complex rail and aviation systems 

Understanding of how infrastructure is designed for safety, usability and maintainability 

Exposure to design constraints such as regulation, standards, cost and programme 

Insight into how designs move from concept to construction and operation 

Mentoring from experienced design managers and engineers 

Strong material for your final‑year portfolio and graduate applications 

High‑performing placement students may be considered for graduate roles or return placements upon completion of their degree. 

What’s in it for you? 

Competitive placement salary 

• Paid holidays 

• Structured mentoring and support throughout the year 

• Learning and development opportunities 

• Office‑, site‑ and hybrid‑based experience 

• Exposure to major national infrastructure projects 

About us 

We want to be an employer of choice and a great place to work, attracting diverse and talented people, who join us and make a difference. We’re one of the Top 100 UK companies actively supporting and recruiting army veterans. Our ENABLE inclusion networks bring together people who have a shared passion, to help create an environment where everyone belongs.  

Our values help to shape our culture and how we work with one another. We recruit with these values in mind, to ensure your aspirations, and ways of working, align with ours.  

• We’re responsible and go further for our people, clients, communities and the planet  

• We’re open and seek new and better ways of exceeding expectations  

• We’re together and as one team; the whole is greater than the sum of the parts  

• We’re ambitious and embrace opportunity, to lead essential infrastructure services for life  

Whether you’re a trainee, apprentice or graduate, or progressing through your career, our people benefit from industry recognised programmes, training and development.  

It’s an exceptional time to be a part of M Group.