AECOM
Industrial Placement Student - Highways Engineering - Nottingham (2027 start)

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Company Description
Work with Us. Change the World.
At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.
There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.
We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.
Job Description
We’re looking for talented and motivated students to join our Highways & Streets Civil Engineering team on an Industrial Placement. You’ll gain hands-on experience, contribute to live projects and develop the technical and professional skills needed to kick-start your career.
As part of AECOM’s Transportation business, you’ll work alongside experienced highways engineers, transport planners and technical specialists to develop solutions that improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of transport networks.
Our work covers a broad range of civil engineering projects, with a particular focus on local highway infrastructure. This varies from local junction and public-realm improvements to major infrastructure and nationally significant projects. We also support the development of sustainable transport solutions that help create safer, more accessible and better-connected communities. You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to multidisciplinary projects for local authorities, National Highways, developers and other public and private sector clients.
What you’ll do
Your placement will provide exposure to a variety of highways engineering activities, which may include:
- Supporting experienced engineers and technical specialists to develop practical solutions that meet client and project requirements.
- Assisting with the design and assessment of junctions, roundabouts, urban roads, and active travel schemes.
- Contributing to feasibility studies, scheme appraisals, highway impact assessments, and transport assessments.
- Developing your digital skills by working alongside AECOM’s digital leaders based in the Nottingham office.
- Collaborating with specialists from across the Nottingham office, including ecologists, pavement engineers, drone surveys, site-survey teams and several others.
- Collecting, analysing, and interpreting traffic-flow, speed, journey-time, and other transport data to inform engineering decisions.
- Supporting the development and assessment of traffic-management and highway-improvement schemes.
- Developing skills in computer-aided design, including the production of 2D drawings and 3D models for current civil engineering projects.
- Supporting active travel and sustainable transport schemes that consider the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users, and general traffic.
- Assisting with the preparation of technical reports, drawings, calculations, presentations, and other project documentation.
- Developing an understanding of highway and street engineering principles, including relevant design standards, guidance, legislation, and industry good practice.
- Attending site visits and surveys to understand existing conditions and collect information to support project development.
- Working collaboratively with highway engineers, traffic engineers, transport planners, technicians, and other disciplines to deliver high-quality solutions for clients.
- Participating in project meetings and learning how technical information and recommendations are communicated to clients and stakeholders.
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I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
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Qualifications
We’re looking for students who can demonstrate the following:
- Currently studying towards a degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation/Traffic Engineering, Highway Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Genuine interest in highways engineering, and the development of efficient, sustainable, and safe transport networks.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and numerical skills, with the ability to interpret and evaluate technical information and data.
- Good understanding of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Strong attention to detail, with good research, technical writing, and report-writing skills.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical information clearly.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, while demonstrating initiative when working independently.
- A self-motivated and enthusiastic approach, with a willingness to learn new software, tools, and technical methodologies.
- Commitment to continuous learning and professional development throughout the placement.
- A practical, adaptable, and solutions-focused approach to technical challenges.
Additional Information
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible since CVs will be reviewed, and candidates selected for an advanced offer start.
Please include a covering letter with your application and provide all predicted and/or obtained academic grades.
You must have permanent right to work in the UK as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.
At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.


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About AECOM
AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.
Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity
You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.
You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.
AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.
Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.
We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [email protected] if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
- State/Province: Derbyshire
- Business Group: DCS
- Legal Entity: AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Limited
- Business Line: Transportation
- Work Location Model: Hybrid
- Operating Group: International
- Primary Location: UK - Chesterfield
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