Graduate Scientist

Are you interested in a career in scientific research?

At NPL, we are looking for graduates with a real passion for tackling some of the biggest challenges in industry, energy, the environment, and healthcare to join our Science groups. We pledge that NPL will be a place to create a positive impact for the world and your career.

As a Scientist on the two-year NPL Graduate Programme you will join one of our departments – which all push the boundaries of what is possible. You’ll be matched based on your background and interest. Within your department you’ll rotate across 2 or 3 technical areas to gain broad experience of our scientific work and explore different specialisms. These rotations are designed to help you build strong technical foundations and transition into a permanent Scientist role at the end of the programme.

You will be hands‑on with projects that enable you to develop your technical experience. Alongside this, the programme will support your development with soft skills training.

You will be contributing and responding to the national challenges of:

• Prosperity: delivering measurement solutions to maximise innovation and prosperity in advanced manufacturing
• Security and resilience: managing the risks to our national security and resilience infrastructure
• Environment: science‑directed measurement solutions for environment climate action and a sustainable future
• Health: supporting healthcare, life science and the bio economy

You will be based at our Teddington site and will be working on laboratory and/or data-based projects through practical and theory‑based learning. Once you have completed the two-year programme you will join us as a permanent Scientist. The focus is on helping you to become a capable technical expert and we will provide the space and support so you can be the best version of yourself, as well as the tools to navigate the different demands of our work.

Graduate placements are expected to be available across a range of scientific departments le final allocations will be confirmed closer to the start date, you may have the opportunity to work in the following areas: (to find out more information please click on the department name):

• Time and Frequency
• Data Science
• Quantum Technologies
• Electromagnetic & Electrochemical Technologies
• Chemical and Biological Sciences
• Medical, Marine and Nuclear
• Atmospheric and Environmental Science
• Thermal and Radiometric Metrology
• Materials and Mechanical Metrology

As a Graduate Scientist at NPL, you will have the chance to collaborate with a variety of teams, primarily to support your scientific work and to help you establish networks. You’ll be expected to use logical thinking skills for designing and following a work plan, along with developing technical documents as well as scientific publications. You’ll have the opportunity to get involved with analysing complex data sets such as (e.g., satellite imagery or instrument readings) which may lead to developing and creating new software tools.

A key part of the role will be ensuring you are adhering to our Health & Safety and Quality systems which will help you produce accurate and repeatable results. You will also gain additional skills to support you in the role through our core professional skills development programme.

You will also be involved in supporting our community benefit activities – this may be going to local schools, supporting Outreach or helping at large NPL events. We will provide you with the opportunity to be part of a caring and daring community that truly values you and your contribution.

• Submit your CV with application form
• Complete Online Assessment
• First stage telephone interview
• If you’re selected, you’ll attend an assessment centre, which will be held at our Teddington site in April 2026
• If successful, we look forward to welcoming you in September 2026!

To be successful in the Graduate Scientist role, you will have the following skills and qualifications:
Have achieved or be on target to achieve a degree, or equivalent in Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Engineering, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Acoustical Engineering or relevant field.…