Engineering

What is engineering at Rolls-Royce?

We have over 8,000 engineers based in eight different countries, covering a wide range of engineering disciplines from aerodynamics and design to manufacturing and systems engineering.

If you’re thinking of becoming a world expert in a particular field or you’re ready to make your mark in a broad-based technology management role, you’ll find there’s one thing that drives us all: challenge. We really do push the frontiers of technology.

Engineering graduates work across all sectors of our business and through the whole product life cycle, from advanced design concepts through new product development to production and in-service monitoring. So whether you want to be someone who creates our intellectual capital or someone who grows and exploits it to provide our customers with the best products and services money can buy, we have the roles to make it possible.

You’ll need sound technical understanding, potential and drive, and the ability to apply your knowledge to new and challenging problems.


Fascinating Facts

• We employ over 8000 professional engineers worldwide in 21 different disciplines
• Engineers are employed in 18 sites in 8 countries
• We invested £747m in Research & Development last year.
• There are 54,000 Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines currently in service
• We prepared a record 330 applications for patent last year
• We have 27 University Technology Centres, our key research network, across the world
• In the last 2 years we recruited Italian, Dutch, German, Greek, Canadian, Chinese, French, Kenyan, Irish, American, Norwegian, Spanish, Indian, Mauritian, Lebanese and South African graduates onto our engineering programmes.

What Engineering graduates do

Our Engineering graduates work in a range of engineering disciplines, from design to development and test through to manufacture. Some roles are quite specialised, whilst others incorporate a variety of skills.

Examples of projects/attachments might include:

• Improving component design
• Working in a team on an advanced design concept for a new application
• Project managing the testing of a component on a development engine
• Researching a new manufacturing method and making recommendations for implementation
• Project managing the introduction of new tooling and fixtures into manufacture
• A design and make project with a group of other graduates
  Implementing a system for a global solution for Rolls-Royce Materials design engineering community and the supply chain

A range of formal training opportunities are available, including the Holistic Gas Turbine course, Process Development training, Rolls-Royce Production System training, Excellence through Programme Management and the Engineering Early Professional Development Programme (Certificate, Diploma and Masters).

Further qualifications might also include: MSc in Aerospace Design, Manufacture and Management, Technology Management (Aerospace) and Marine Technology. Learning and development activities extend well beyond the formal graduate training programme. The Engineering Professional Development Framework maps the development programmes and opportunities for engineers in Rolls-Royce within the wider context of corporate learning and development. The framework includes ongoing education, skills and competencies, career development and professional recognition.

When you apply to us for an engineering programme, we’ll ask you to choose your two main areas of interest within engineering. To help you make your decision, here is the list that you will asked to choose from, with a brief explanation of each.

Aero/Thermo/Fluid Dynamics

Activities in this area include:

• Analysing and predicting whole engine functional performance and
  operability
• Analysing and predicting, aerodynamic and thermodynamic behaviour
  (including noise, fire, ventilation and low observables)
• Designing, verifying, developing and certifying engine heat management
  systems, and air/oil systems for the whole engine/power-plant, by
  analysing and predicting their behaviour.

Component and System Design

This area includes:

• Producing design definitions by optimising design solutions within
  agreed engineering and business constraints.
  

Controls and Instrumentation Systems

This area includes:

• Defining and specifying engine and plant control systems and
  accessories and supporting their verification/validation on engines and
  powerplants
• Designing and specifying electronic measurement systems for data acquisition purposes.

Development

This area includes:

• Generating and executing experiments on power-plants, engines and rigs to deliver validated data in support of design verification and certification, through technical and programme risk management of the test vehicle programme.

Electrical

This area includes:

• Designing, specifying, verifying and supporting electrical engineering systems and their components where applicable, for electrical power generation, propulsion, conversion, distribution and associated equipment.
  
  

Manufacturing/Production/Service/Repair and Overhaul

This area includes:

• Defining and specifying the optimum manufacturing processes for hardware to meet business needs, working as an integral part of the component design process.
• Ensuring that parts and engines are delivered to engine build on time to specification and to cost.
• Providing technical support of the product in service by monitoring its operation, pre-empting and reacting to problems, and initiating corrective actions which meet customer expectations.

Materials

This area includes:

• Analysing and predicting materials behaviour, performing experiments on
  materials including defect investigation on run parts.

Stress/Mechanical Integrity

This area includes:

• Analysing, understanding and predicting mechanical behaviour and integrity of components, engines and powerplants (including deflections and vibration, stress and life, weight, safety, reliability and airworthiness issues).