NATS is the UK’s leading Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP). Every year we handle 2.6 million flights and keep 250 million passengers safe whilst in UK airspace. We provide air traffic management (ATM) services to 15 airports in the UK as well as providing these services around the world spanning Europe, Middle East, Asia, and North America.
We’re shaping the future of ATM through our focus on ‘advancing aviation and keeping the skies safe’ and believe that the size and diversity of our business makes us an exciting choice for undergraduates considering their future careers.
Safety is at the heart of what we do and who we are – every one of us has a part to play in ensuring operational, physical, cyber, and personal safety every day.
The Safety & Assurance team support a wide variety of projects from smaller routine updates to our current in-service systems, to major programmes implementing new technologies.
What will the Safety and Risk Graduate Scheme involve?
This scheme will be based at our Head Office in Whiteley or in our Air Traffic Control Centre in Swanwick (Hampshire) however we have adopted ‘agile working’ which will enable you, where possible, to have the opportunity and flexibility to work in our modern office facilities as well as at home.
This scheme combines work and study, throughout the course of the graduate scheme you will embark on a government apprenticeship degree programme studying a remote MSc in Aviation Safety Management, Risk and Regulation at Cranfield University. Under the apprenticeship programme you will be allocated time during the working week to complete your studies, providing a great opportunity for apprentices to engage the learning from master’s programme and integrate it with the work that you will be carrying out in your role in Safety & Assurance.
Working in Technical Safety & Assurance provides a fantastic career opportunity to develop systems safety engineering skills while working in a multi-disciplinary environment. It will provide the opportunity to be part of a team focussed on the development and delivery of a safe service to our ATC colleagues, Airline and Military Customers, and to the travelling public.
The Operations Safety and Assurance team focus on current air traffic management performance and investigations, development and assurance of future methods, as well as compliance with regulation and standards. The team provides assurance to the business that the air traffic management service delivered by NATS is safe today and will remain so tomorrow.
As a safety and risk graduate, you will form part of our safety team working to reduce the risk of safety accidents and incidents in civil aviation with a view to ensure public confidence in aviation transport. You will learn about the NATS safety management system with a focus on safety performance reporting, regulatory compliance as well our internal safety oversight. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team, a safety graduate will have opportunities to study relevant regulations, processes, generate safety performance analysis reports and help to develop safety reporting tools.
Typically, you will be involved in
- Supporting Safety & Assurance Managers / Lead Safety & Assurance Engineers
- Undertaking Systems Safety activities and assessments
- Contributing to the development of safety assurance cases
- Working in multidisciplinary project teams to identify and manage hazards and risks
- Monitoring of compliance against legislation and regulation
- Development of the NATS Safety Management System
- Production and analysis of safety performance reports
This is a three and half year programme gaining experience working on technical or operational projects alongside a part time MSc in Aviation Safety Management, Risk and Regulation Professional level 7 Apprenticeship. The successful candidates are expected to bring the theoretical knowledge gained on the apprenticeship to the wider team and support the validation of current practices and suggest improvements based upon latest academic thinking to the work of the department.
Why choose NATS?
You’ll be working at the heart of our organisation, alongside other graduates, undergraduate students and professionals. You’ll gain valuable insight into our business and make a tangible contribution to our success. We are committed to your personal and professional development and will help you achieve your goals.
What are we looking for?
We’re looking for driven, proactive and committed individuals who will embrace the challenging targets that we’ve set ourselves over the next few years. One thing is clear to us; we can only achieve these targets through our people. We’ll be leading the way technically, operationally, commercially, and politically and you can help us shape the future.
Desired skills:
You will have the ability to produce well documented, high quality technical work, and judge when work is of a sufficient standard. Effective communication and presentation skills to peers and managers. You will be a clear thinker, who can work within a team, communicate with other team members, and also work independently, where required, to a project timescale.
Desired qualifications:
You’ll need to have achieved a minimum of 2:2 in a numerate degree (which could be scientific, technical, aviation or business oriented) within the last 2 years or be on track to graduate in 2024.
You’ll also need to pass NATS pre-employment security clearance checks.
What’s in it for you?
- Competitive salary - £30,000 per annum
- 28 days of holiday entitlement plus Bank Holidays
- Market-leading defined contribution pension scheme
Diversity and Inclusion at NATS
We celebrate the diversity of our colleagues. We thrive because we are all brilliantly different yet united in our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.
If you share our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe – we would like to hear from you whatever your age, sex, race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, visible or invisible disability. Individuals that bring different perspectives, skills, life experiences and backgrounds help us be at the forefront of our industry.
We want you to be able to perform at your best, so please email earlycareers@nats.co.uk if you’d like to discuss any reasonable adjustments.
