National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
Talent Acquisition Specialist - Early Careers (12 month Fixed-Term Contract)
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About the Role
At NPL, we set the standards by which the world is measured. Our work underpins solutions to global challenges – from tackling climate change and advancing medical breakthroughs to enabling next-generation communications technology.
We are looking for a Talent Acquisition Specialist to join our team. This is a 12 month fixed-term contract based at NPL, Teddington, with hybrid working. Typically, you will be expected to be on-site 1-2 days per week, with greater on-site presence required during peak early-career activities such as assessment centre periods. Occasional travel to regional locations to support assessment centres may also be required.
The Talent Acquisition team are critical to NPL’s future success. You’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right locations, delivering our vision.
As a Talent Acquisition Specialist – Early Careers, you will lead the attraction, assessment, and hiring of emerging talent in graduate and apprenticeship programmes. This is a split role, and given the cyclical nature of early-careers recruitment, you will also partner with the business to deliver day-to-day hiring across technical and functional roles, ensuring a varied and dynamic workload.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the end-to-end graduate and apprenticeship recruitment lifecycle, from campaign design and attraction strategy through to assessment, selection, offer management, and post-offer candidate engagement.
- Manage high-volume recruitment processes across multiple hiring campaigns, ensuring a seamless and engaging candidate experience.
- Design and execute attraction campaigns, including university engagement, careers fairs, digital campaigns, and employer branding initiatives.
- Deliver assessment and selection activities, including screening, psychometric assessments, interviews, and assessment centres.
- Support with general recruitment activity during off-peak periods, hiring across a range of technical and functional roles, and partnering with hiring managers to deliver high-quality hires.
- Provide expert advice to stakeholders on both early careers and experienced hiring approaches.
- Build relationships with external partners, including universities, training providers, and early-careers networks.
- Leverage data and market insights to continuously improve hiring outcomes, attraction strategies, and diversity pipelines.
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About You
To be successful in this role, you should possess the following skills, experience, and qualifications:
Essential
- Proven experience delivering end-to-end recruitment, preferably including early careers (graduates/apprenticeships).
- Experience working in an in-house recruitment environment, with strong stakeholder management skills.
- Experience managing both campaign-based (high-volume) and core hiring processes across technical to functional roles, with the ability to seamlessly switch between the two.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced environments.
- Confidence in engaging early-careers talent with a focus on delivering a positive, supportive, and inclusive candidate experience.
- Experience using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and maintaining high-quality data.
- A collaborative, flexible approach with strong relationship-building skills.
Additional Information
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- Nationality, residency, and security requirements apply for roles at NPL. You will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.
- Applications will be accepted and reviewed iteratively, so the closing date may be brought forward at any time. We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible.
About NPL
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering, and technology to support prosperity and quality of life across the UK. Read more about working here.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
NPL and the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) are committed to diversity and equality of opportunity. Applications from all backgrounds are welcome, with particular encouragement for:
- Women
- Disabled candidates
- Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) candidates
Under the Disability Confident Scheme, all disabled candidates meeting the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.
NPL fosters an environment where everyone feels empowered, valued, and complementary due to their unique merits. Our inclusive culture ensures colleagues feel supported and welcomed. More about our approach to Diversity & Inclusion is available online.
Employee Well-being and Culture
NPL values employee health and well-being, embedding flexibility, social activities, and recognition within our culture. Our core values drive everything we do, shaping interactions and fostering development. Reasonable adjustments are always considered for our recruitment process – please contact us if you would like to discuss.
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