Paid • 10-week internships • Derby, Bristol, Solihull, Glasgow • Rolling review + early deadlines
United Kingdom • Undergraduate (STEM) • Pathway to 12-month internship & graduate programmes
The Rolls-Royce Engineering & Technology Summer Internship is a 10-week, paid experience that drops you into live projects in areas like Aerospace, Manufacturing, Software, Digital, Electrical/Electronics, Data, Cyber and more. You’ll join teams across Derby, Bristol, Solihull and Glasgow, with structured training, mentoring and real deliverables. This end-to-end guide covers salary, locations, eligibility, timeline, and a step-by-step application strategy — plus CV templates, interview prep, and conversion tips to leverage your internship into a longer placement or grad offer.
Quick snapshot
What it is
- 10-week, paid summer internship immersed in live engineering & technology work.
- Structured induction + on-the-job training + a clearly scoped project.
- Rolling review (apply early) and divisional matching by skills & interest.
Who it suits
- Undergraduates in STEM (Aero, Mech, Elec/Elec, CompSci, Software, Data, Materials, Manufacturing, Systems, Cyber).
- People who can learn quickly, communicate crisply and deliver measurable outcomes in 10 weeks.
- Those aiming for a 12-month internship or graduate programme afterwards.
Global variants: Rolls-Royce also runs 12-week summer internships in the USA and an International Engineering Summer Intern stream based in the UK for international candidates; details differ by region. Confirm the specifics on the regional page you’ll apply through.
Salary, value & benefits
Pay & duration (UK 2026)
- Duration: ~10 weeks (June–Aug).
- Salary: advertised around £23,600/year pro-rata for the 10-week programme (check your vacancy for the exact figure).
- Hybrid work: office + on-site engineering environments depending on team.
What you’ll gain
- Mentoring, technical upskilling and exposure to complex systems.
- A deliverable you can showcase (tool, analysis, test plan, prototype, KPI uplift).
- Fast-track visibility for 12-month internships and graduate programmes.
Some adverts list relocation support; check the specific posting for allowances and location flexibility.
Locations & work pattern
UK placements run across core hubs: Derby (Aerospace HQ), Bristol (Defence & Engineering), Solihull (Controls/Operations) and Glasgow (Submarines/Manufacturing & Tech). Roles are typically hybrid, with on-site time for lab, test-cell, manufacturing or integration work, and remote time for design, analysis and documentation.
Derby
Large engineering footprint; test facilities; design & manufacture exposure.
Bristol
Systems engineering, defence and aero projects; supplier integration.
Solihull & Glasgow
Controls/software/ops (Solihull) and advanced manufacturing & submarines (Glasgow).
Streams & typical work
Design & Analysis
CAD FEA Materials Thermo/Fluids Stress
Support models, drawings and trade studies; contribute to design reviews and verification reports.
Software & Data
Python C/C++ MATLAB SQL Cloud
Prototypes and tools; dashboards; simulation runners; test automation; data pipelines.
Manufacturing & Test
DFM/DFA CMM SPC Additive Quality
Work instructions; process mapping; root cause; yield & cycle-time improvements; safety & compliance.
Eligibility (who should apply)
Core criteria
- Undergraduate in a relevant STEM discipline (or joint honours with strong STEM content).
- Available full time for ~10 weeks in summer 2026.
- Right to work for the UK internship site (visa/permit conditions apply).
Signals that help
- Project outcomes: prototypes, code, analysis, lab testing, competitions, publications.
- Team delivery: evidence you can plan, communicate and close tasks to a deadline.
- Curiosity + safety mindset: willingness to learn & follow high-integrity processes.
Important: Meeting minimums doesn’t guarantee a place. Teams select based on skills, project fit and business need.
Timeline & deadlines (2026 intake)
| Stage | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Applications open | Autumn 2025 (rolling) | Submit early; some adverts list a mid-November closing date for June 2026 starts. |
| Screening & invites | Within 1–3 weeks of applying | Check email/portal; complete any online tasks quickly. |
| Interviews/assessments | Oct–Dec 2025 | Video interview + technical/competency questions; some teams set short tasks. |
| Offers & onboarding | Nov 2025 – Feb 2026 | Confirm location, dates, pay, right-to-work; plan accommodation if relocating. |
| Start date | June 2026 (typical) | 10-week block → final presentation & handover in August. |
Rolling review: high-volume roles may close before the stated deadline once enough candidates are shortlisted. Apply as soon as your CV is ready.
How to apply (step-by-step)
- Pick two streams where your skills fit best (e.g., Data & Software; Design & Manufacturing). Depth beats scattergun.
- Build a results-first CV (2 pages): 3–5 impact bullets at the top — action → tool → outcome (+metric). Include GitHub/portfolio links.
- Write tailored answers (120–180 words each): “Why this stream/location?”, “A project you delivered”, “How you prioritise safety/quality”.
- Gather documents (see checklist) and submit early. Save a PDF of your answers; keep filenames tidy (e.g., Firstname_Lastname_CV.pdf).
- Prepare for assessments: see the Tech & Soft-skill Prep section below for a one-week crash plan.
- Follow-up: if you haven’t heard after 2–3 weeks, update your profile and (if allowed) add a fresh outcome to your CV/portfolio.
Template — “Why Design & Analysis at Rolls-Royce?” (150–180 words)
“I like turning ambiguous problems into testable designs. In a team project I owned a fan blade bracket, iterated CAD in Fusion 360, ran basic stress checks in MATLAB, and cut mass by 9% while meeting deflection targets. I enjoy reviews and tidy drawings, and I’m comfortable with version control and structured notes. I want to learn RR’s methods for requirements flow-down, verification, and safety sign-off, and contribute to drawings, models and test plans that others can reuse. I’ll bring reliable execution, clear documentation and a habit of measuring outcomes.”
Template — “Why Software & Data?” (150–180 words)
“I’m applying for Software & Data because I like building tools that remove toil. I shipped a Python script that deduped 200k log lines and cut testing time by 45% in a student lab. I’m comfortable with Git, simple SQL, and matplotlib, and I’m learning pytest. I want to learn how RR engineers design for safety and reliability, write clear tests, and monitor systems in production. I’ll bring curiosity, fast iterations and documented code that teammates can build on.”
Documents checklist
Application stage
- CV (PDF, 2 pages; outcome-first bullets).
- Short answers (120–180 words each) tailored to stream/location.
- Transcript (unofficial is often fine at screening).
- Right-to-work docs (passport/BRP; visa if applicable).
If requested later
- Portfolio/GitHub or project write-ups (1 page per project: problem → method → result).
- References (names/emails are usually enough at first pass).
- Task submission (short analysis, coding exercise, or slide deck).
Assessments & interviews (what to expect)
Screening
- Application review and divisional matching; potential online questions.
- Short video/phone interview on motivation and problem-solving.
- Right-to-work and availability checks.
Technical/competency interview
- Walkthrough of your project: requirements, constraints, method, testing, result.
- Basics in your domain (e.g., FEA assumptions; Python data structures; SPC & quality).
- Behavioural: teamwork, learning fast, safety, communication, dealing with setbacks.
Tip: Some teams decide from the first interview alone — make your initial answers and examples strong and specific.
Tech & soft-skill prep (1-week crash plan)
Technical refresh
- Design/FEA: free-body diagrams, constraints, mesh basics, material limits, verification vs. validation.
- Software/Data: Python lists/dicts, file I/O, simple tests, SQL SELECT/JOINs, plotting, logging, version control.
- Manufacturing/Quality: SPC charts, Pareto, 5-Whys, FMEA basics, process capability.
Communication & delivery
- Draft 5 STAR stories: teamwork, learning fast, stakeholder handling, problem-solving, resilience.
- Practice a 60-second pitch: degree → one project → your contribution → metric.
- Prepare one visual: a before/after chart or screenshot that proves your impact.
Safety: expect questions on safe systems of work, testing and approvals. Show that you know when to escalate and how to document assumptions.
Convert your internship to a 12-month/grad role
Deliverable & visibility
- Agree one primary deliverable with your manager (tool, analysis, spec, test plan).
- Run a weekly loop: Monday goals → mid-week check-in → Friday results with one number.
- Create a 1-page handover: context → what changed → outcomes → next steps.
Relationships & feedback
- Meet your buddy/mentor weekly; book one associate/lead coffee each week.
- Ask “What does great look like here?” and mirror those habits.
- Schedule an end-of-internship review to discuss return pathways.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Scatter-applying to many streams with no skill match.
- Listing modules only; add outcomes and tools to your bullets.
- Ignoring right-to-work or location constraints.
- Waiting for the final deadline when roles are reviewed on a rolling basis.
FAQs
How long is the UK summer placement?
Typically 10 weeks in summer 2026; check your vacancy for exact dates.
What’s the pay?
Recent UK adverts list around £23,600/year pro-rata for 10-week summer interns; confirm the figure on your job posting.
Where are the roles?
Derby, Bristol, Solihull and Glasgow are common hubs; availability varies by team and year.
Is there a US or international option?
Yes — US summer internships are often ~12 weeks; there’s also an International Engineering Summer Intern stream based in the UK. Details differ by region.
How do I stand out?
Quantify outcomes on your CV; tailor answers to one or two streams; prepare 5 STAR stories; and apply early before high-volume roles close.
© 2025 riflum.shop • Programme details vary by region and year. Always verify the latest information on Rolls-Royce’s official early careers pages before you apply.