Year in Industry- Data Scientist – Aldermaston

Data Scientist Year in Industry Programme 2026

Starting salary £23,500 + plus benefits and welcome bonus | Office based in Aldermaston, nr Reading, Berkshire.

PLEASE NOTE WE CAN ONLY ACCEPT ONE APPLICATION PER CANDIDATE PER YEAR. ANY DUPLICATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE WITHDRAWN.

We are offering a rewarding and exciting one-year placement as an Undergraduate Data Scientist at AWE – a role where you will make a genuine contribution to keeping the UK safe and secure.

About AWE

We’re a team of remarkable people, united by one extraordinary mission: keeping the UK safe and secure. The UK’s independent nuclear deterrent has existed for 75 years to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, helping to guarantee our safety, and that of our NATO allies.  

Our work is critical. We’re delivering Astraea, the next warhead for the UK’s nuclear deterrent and pushing the boundaries of nuclear science and technology. But that’s just part of the story. 

We support the UK government in a range of vital areas – from counter-terrorism to global nuclear test monitoring to building a world-class community of experts in nuclear science. This is work that protects lives and strengthens national security.

At AWE, you’ll find more than just a job. You’ll find purpose, growth, and a community like no other. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your career to the next level, this is your chance to learn from the best, develop your skills, and be part of something truly unique.

Be extraordinary at AWE.

www.awe.co.uk

Entry Requirements

We are interested in applications from candidates working towards a degree in:

• Computer Science, Forensics, Physics, Chemistry, Maths

• Before starting with the business, you will need to be able to provide evidence that you have attained a minimum of a 2:2 in your degree so far by August 2026.

• You must be able to Join AWE in August 2026. We recruit on a rolling basis which means as soon as our positions have been filled, we will close.

• Be graduating in 2028 or 2029 and taking a placement year as part of your degree from summer 2026 to summer 2027.

What to Expect on the Programme

Nuclear Threat Reduction (NTR) supports the Government on a variety of national security issues related to radiological and nuclear materials. The work varies from fundamental and novel research to applied development of technology demonstrators. We support the Ministry of Defence providing technical advice on detection of nuclear and radiological material, nuclear forensics and international treaty monitoring and verification. All of these mission areas involve the collection and analysis of large, complex datasets often spanning a number of scientific techniques.

This project aims to investigate the use of data science techniques to contribute to the analysis and understanding of the data that is gathered in support of the NTR mission. Joining the team as an undergraduate student, you will gain experience and knowledge of working within a multidisciplinary team of scientists applying data science techniques across a range of datasets.

Benefits:

• £23,500 salary

• Holiday entitlement of 270 hours of leave annually including bank holidays

• Excellent work/life balance and a vibrant and welcoming grad social scene

• 9-day working fortnight – so every other Friday off

• A salary-sacrifice benefit scheme

• A welcome payment

• Potential to secure a Graduate role for when you finish university, subject to availability

• Access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending across retail, hospitality and leisure

• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme

• Access to our Occupational Health Services

The Application Process

We want you to shine in your application process which is designed to be fair and transparent. So we’ve kept it simple with a three step process.

Online application: Apply for one pathway; take your time to explore the options and choose the one that best matches your interests and goals.

Online test: If successful, you will be invited to complete our online assessment stage. These include online testing against numerical, verbal, logical and cognitive reasoning tests. Don’t be intimidated: practice assessments will be available so you will be fully equipped with the knowledge of what to expect.

Virtual assessment: Those successful at testing will be invited to our virtual assessment centres. These run throughout November into January 2026 – we’ll confirm the exact dates in an email. We run pre-assessment centre webinars to guide you on what to expect.

You must be able to Join AWE in August 2026. Applications close on Friday 24th October, but will close earlier if we receive enough applications. So apply sooner rather than later!

Candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. Please note that you must be a British National to apply for a role with us.