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Our Engineers focus on the assets that form the foundation of our transport system. Mechanical engineers are at the heart of the design and innovation that helps 30 million customer journeys around London, every single day. The emphasis of our graduate scheme is on developing ‘world-class’ mechanical engineers who seek to become the senior engineers, subject matter experts and leaders of the future. You will find solutions to meaningful problems, driving the most recognised and innovative transport network in the world.
The Role
As a graduate, your two-year development programme will be made up of up to eight placement rotations. Our aim is to equip you with the range of skills and experience you need for your successful career. It will also support your route to Chartered Engineer with the IMechE and your selection of a first role within the TfL Engineering Directorate. We understand that everyone’s career is different, so every graduate’s journey is unique. Here’s an idea of what yours could look like;
Year 1
Placement 1 - Rolling Stock Engineering – 3 months
You will be placed within either major projects or operational, understanding 3D design, maintenance optimisation, fault finding and manufacturing solutions
Placement 2 – Track Engineering – 3 months
You will be trialling new technologies, carrying out risk simulations, track inspections and reviewing new track layout designs. Here you can gain experience working on track at night and learn about the assets in front of you.
Placement 3 – Lifts and Escalators Engineering – 3 months
Understanding safety standards, implementing technology updates and reviewing system designs. You may be expected to work night shifts.
Placement 4 – Operational Engineering – 3 months
Based at a depot, you will experience route-cause analysis, maintenance inspections and implementing designs generated from rolling stock. You may be expected to work night shifts.
Year 2
Placement 5 - Station Systems Engineering – 3 months
Understanding station power-saving, CFD simulations of station wind speeds, station cooling systems, carrying out passenger flow simulations and layout planning for operation equipment.
Placement 6 - Asset management – 3 months
Responsibilities will include reviewing asset strategies, monitoring the life-expectancy of assets, managing maintenance schedules for older assets and designing implementation schedules for new assets.
Placement 7 – Major Projects – 3 months
As a more strategic placement, you will experience stakeholder management and the commercial aspects to Engineering. This placement is pan-TfL, so your placement could be on anything from cycle superhighways, bridges and structures to deep tube upgrades.
Placement 8 – Building Services Engineering – 3 months
As a more practical placement you will be focused on mostly small station upgrades. This could include implementing and maintaining step-free access and planning for bus accommodation.
On our graduate scheme, you get the opportunity to lead on selecting your placements and training based on your own technical interests and areas you want to learn about. Your mentor, as a senior engineer within the business will be able to give you plenty of advice on how to gain experience across the widest possible range of technologies, tools and teams. Approximately half way through the 2-year scheme, we hope graduates have experienced enough of the TfL Engineering directorate to understand which asset area they would prefer to roll-off into. Further support is available following roll-off up until chartership through continued support provided by IMechE accredited mentors.
Requirements
Everything we do as an organisation is to ensure that our evolving city remains future proof for millions of Londoners. Our talented graduates form a vital part of that vision, so it’s important that we find the best people to help us do this. We’re looking for people who;
- Use technical knowledge to develop solutions to best deliver to the customer
- Have a minimum of a 2:1 degree in Mechanical Engineering accredited by IMechE
- Contribute to the team vision with an active and accountable approach
- Communicate effectively both technical and non-technical matters
- Put safety and reliability first in all decision making
TfL constantly balances the demands and expectations of Londoners and our visitors with the costs and constraints of the oldest underground railway in the world. TfL has to find innovative solutions to deliver this, whilst maintaining passenger safety and railway reliability. TfL Engineers deliver technical knowledge and skills to support this balancing act to improve our network whilst keeping London moving.
If you are excited by challenges, customer-focused solutions, pre-servicing our high safety and reliability standards whilst influencing the future of London, then this is the career path for you.
What you can expect from us
Our mechanical engineers have the chance to create a huge impact. A career with us can be very varied with opportunities across the whole of TfL Engineering for you to enjoy. In five years, you should expect to have achieved chartered status with the IMechE and to have created opportunities to be an engineer working in all areas of the business. This can be from performance engineering, using simulation software, to providing technical support to our operating businesses and responsible for making key technical decisions. In ten years, you could be responsible for the performance of an engineering team and setting the engineering approach informing strategic decisions on designs and processes.
Whilst on the scheme, we’ll support your technical development through a wide range of on-the-job practical experiences and placements. We’ll also support your professional development through a combination of classroom-led training courses, online training courses, mentoring opportunities and structured networking opportunities with scheme alumni. You will receive one-to-one support throughout the programme from your scheme sponsor and your Line Manager. You’ll also be connected to a ‘buddy’ who will be a second year of the scheme.
We also have an established Graduate and Apprentice Committee and Alumni group, who organise informative events to enhance your understanding of the organisation and provide opportunities to develop your career. They also provide valuable support for the wellbeing of current graduates.
