Join one of our STEM Returners programmes
Many skilled and experienced professionals take career breaks to care for family members, to travel or study, or for health or other personal reasons. With our STEM Returners programmes, we’re dedicated to supporting and empowering these individuals to regain skills and confidence as they return to the workplace. We promote an inclusive work environment where everyone is supported to be themselves and achieve their ambitions, so we’ve launched these programmes to encourage talented individuals to do just this.
What is a STEM Returners programme?
These programmes are designed to help you transition effectively back to your former STEM career. We have a range of specialisms available, depending on where your experience and interests lie. These are fully-paid opportunities, with technical and soft skills development schemes built in. The length may vary depending on the specific scheme, and all come with the opportunity to achieve a permanent role at the end.
Who can apply?
This programme particularly welcomes applications from female returners, supporting our aim to address the gender imbalance that’s widely recognised within STEM careers and within the defence sector. However, recognising that career breaks for parental care or personal reasons are not exclusive to women, we invite applicants of all genders to apply.
Please see the individual programme adverts for more information on the experience required to apply for each scheme.
Discover more about our programme
Our STEM Returners Programmes
We currently have no live programmes – please check back later.
Looking for more information?
Please read our STEM Returners – Applicant Toolkit for more information about DE&S and for support in updating your CV and preparing for an interview. Please feel free to contact the recruiter on the job advert if you have any further questions. Best of luck!
Our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace
“Diversity of thought and experience are proven to be directly linked with innovation and challenging the norm, so for DE&S and the SDA, embracing diversity and promoting inclusivity is not just ethically right, it’s vital for our success. That’s why we’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace that inspires, attracts and retains people from diverse backgrounds and reflects the society we live in. And that’s why we’re dedicated to increasing the pool of talented people we work alongside through this programme, whatever their gender, but particularly women who are under-represented in STEM.”
– [Mary – Engineering Deputy Head of Function]
Benefits and discounts
We truly believe that DE&S is a great place to work, and we offer a unique and tailored experience for our returners.
We want to ensure that every single employee feels appreciated and fairly rewarded and being part of the Civil Service allows us to offer a market-leading benefits package, including discounts on cinema tickets, meals out, sport and leisure and your weekly shop. We champion flexible and hybrid working – and have a subsidised nursery at our Bristol site too!
Discover all the ways we can help make life easier.
The Disability Confident scheme aims to help employers make the most of the opportunities provided by employing disabled people. It is voluntary and has been developed by employers and disabled people’s representatives.
DE&S is proud to be Disability Confident Committed.
