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2026 Graduate Programme - Rail Engineering Services
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Job Description
What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.
We are looking for graduates for our Rail Engineering Services team, who have a flexible approach and an appetite to learn in a leading Engineering and Professional Advisory services consultancy. We want you to enjoy working in a collaborative environment where you can apply your skills working for a diverse range of clients and projects.
We are recruiting for Graduates in the following teams and locations:
- Rail Civil Infrastructure – Leeds, London or Manchester, Belfast
- Information Management – Birmingham, London or Manchester, Belfast
- Project Management – Birmingham, London or Manchester
A Little Bit More About Your Role and the Team...
Working as a Graduate in the Rail Engineering Services team will mean providing support to multi-disciplinary railway projects. Working across teams, our Graduates need to understand the nature of railway systems, their interactions with other infrastructure and the impact of design decisions on project costs and outcomes.
The safe and reliable running of our railways is only possible due to the support of a wide range of supporting technology and civil infrastructure; signalling enables our train movements, while overhead line powers their movements; and telecoms allows effective operation and monitoring of the infrastructure. All rail systems infrastructure is supported by lineside and ancillary civil infrastructures highlighting its importance to any linear railway engineering programmes.
Projects
Our Teams Work On Some Of The Most Prestigious Projects In The UK, And You Will Be Helping Deliver Projects Such As:
- HS2 (all phases)
- East West Rail
- Old Oak Common
- Curzon Street Station
- Euston Station
- Northern Powerhouse Rail
Our Rail Teams Include:
Rail Civils Infrastructure (RCI)
Our Civils Infrastructure team delivers lineside and ancillary works across a wide range of railway assets, including station platforms, signal structures, OLE gantries and stanchions, telecom supports, retaining walls, culverts, access points and walkways, level crossings, cable routeworks, and UTXs.
Graduates have the opportunity to work on large scale and small projects across all design stages from conceptual design to as-built drawings and hand-back. Due to the variety of the schemes and interdisciplinary integration we work on, it accelerates learning and career development.
Day-to-day Activities Could Include:
- Apply engineering principles to assess railway systems and support new designs across track, signalling systems, power supply assessments, telecoms, and rolling stock integration.
- Assisting senior engineers and project managers with background research, technical documentation, and data analysis.
- Supporting the seamless interaction between subsystems, ensuring signalling, electrification, telecoms etc operate safely and efficiently as a cohesive network.
- Capturing, analysing, and tracing client requirements, and helping translate them into practical engineering solutions.
- Participating in hazard identification workshops, risk assessments, and development of safety cases.
- Liaising with clients, contractors, and multidisciplinary teams to align technical and project aspects.
- Supporting the preparation and review of technical deliverables.
- Staying up to date with industry trends, technological advancements, and regulatory changes that impact railway systems and consultancy practices.
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Degree Required: MEng Civil Engineering
Information Management
Our Digital Services team drives Building Information Modelling (BIM), information management, and digital innovation across Transport & Infrastructure. We transform traditional practices into smart, efficient, and sustainable solutions.
As a Graduate in this team you will work alongside Digital Leaders, Engineers, Information Managers, and BIM Consultants on some of the most exciting projects. This is your chance to learn from experts, gain hands-on experience, and build a strong foundation for your career.
Day-to-day Activities Could Include:
- Support project teams with BIM Digital Advisory and strategy.
- Coordinate and review BIM models for accuracy.
- Work with ISO19650 standards and common data environments (e.g., BIM360 Docs).
- Help implement workflows for digital collaboration.
- Explore BIM software solutions and improve delivery efficiency.
- Produce engineering models and drawings.
- Act as a BIM Coordinator, resolving design issues.
- Collaborate with UK and international teams.
Degree Required: MEng Mechanical or Civil Engineering, MEng/MSc in Computing, MSC in BIM for Smart Engineering (or related fields)
Project Management
Our Project Management team leads all our Rail projects both large and small across all design and delivery stages. Graduates in our team will be involved in the planning of projects, monitoring progress against the schedule, managing risks, supporting engagement with the Client and other stakeholders, developing forecasts, tracking costs, and supporting the management of contracts.
There are opportunities to be involved in diverse multi-disciplinary teams at the early stages of projects when project delivery plans are being formed and options are being assessed, through to involvement in the latter stages where rail infrastructure is being designed and delivered. Due to the variety of the schemes and interdisciplinary integration we deliver, the scheme offers an opportunity to accelerate your learning and career development.
Day-to-day Activities Could Include:
- Manage budgets, forecasts, and cost control, ensuring financial discipline throughout the project lifecycle.
- Support the project team to deliver the scope, on time and within budget, while meeting quality standards.
- Develop and maintain the project plan, including scope, schedule, cost, and risk.
- Ensure alignment with client expectations and internal delivery frameworks.
Degree Required: Master's in engineering or relevant business or management degree
You will join an enthusiastic and supportive team, providing you with a challenging and fulfilling career. In this team, you will be dealing with internal and external stakeholders, collaborating with colleagues and adapting to dynamic project environments.
Graduate Development Programme
Our two-year Graduate Development programme is designed to support personal and professional development and growth through an engaging blended learning experience. The programmes include core business and professional skills training, career development workshops and resources, valuable networking opportunities, mentoring for professional registration, and a breadth of on-the-job experience.
Our teams are dedicated to supporting your career growth from the very beginning. Many employees have started as graduates and successfully advanced within the company. We encourage you to achieve chartered status with relevant professional bodies such as the IET and IMechE ensuring your development is a priority. You will be fully supported through enrolment in a professional institution’s training agreement, guiding you towards chartered or incorporated status.
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What We Will Be Looking For You To Demonstrate
You’ll have graduated with at least a 2:1 in a master’s degree in a relevant subject for the role you are applying for.
Candidates must complete the application form in full answering all specific questions. This requirement applies to all candidates, inclusive of their background. Successful completion of this stage is mandatory. Candidates who pass this initial stage, will then be required to complete an online skill enabler assessment. Both the application form and the skill enabler assessment are essential parts of the early career’s recruitment process. You'll be looking to start work in September 2026. You’ll have a passion or knowledge of computing and information processing. You’ll have a desire for the built environment and infrastructure. You'll have an enthusiasm for creativity and a drive to solve problems. You’ll want to inspire us, sharing new ideas you have.
Don’t quite meet all the criteria? Should you have the right qualifications for our roles, apply and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities we have available for our Graduate programme.
Imagine a Better Future for You and a Better Future for Us All
Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.
With us, you can. Apply today.
About Us
We are one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Our 72,800 passionate people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion. With over 9,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, we are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower.
What’s in It for You?
Work-life Balance
At WSP, we understand that work is just one aspect of your life. It’s important to make time for you, your family, friends, interests, and your community.
Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.
Inclusivity & Belonging
We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences. We enable rewarding careers by encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work so that our work represents the fullest spectrum of society. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP. Our employee resource groups bring together employees and allies with different backgrounds to promote our culture of inclusivity.
Health & Wellbeing
We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.
Our Virtual GP service gives you access to an NHS or Irish Medical Council GP at a time and place that suits you – giving you peace of mind and quick access to medical advice when you need it most. We also provide reasonable workplace adjustments for those in need. Additionally, you can benefit from the Gymflex scheme, which offers up
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