NATS is the UK’s leading Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP).  Every year we handle 2.6 million flights and keep 250 million passengers safe whilst in UK airspace.  We provide air traffic management services to 15 airports in the UK as well as providing these services around the world spanning Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. 

We are shaping the future of air traffic management through our focus on ‘advancing aviation and keeping the skies safe’ and we believe that the size and diversity of our business makes us an exciting choice for undergraduates considering their future careers.   

What will the Operational Safety and Assurance industrial placement scheme involve?  

Our company’s purpose is to advance aviation and keep the skies safe. It is people that create safety, so for us to fulfil our purpose, each of us must be safe in everything we do. This role is a very exciting opportunity for someone seeking real experience in the aviation sector.

The Operational Safety and Assurance teams focus on current air traffic management performance and investigations, development, and assurance of future methods, as well as compliance with regulation and standards. The team provide assurance to the business that the air traffic management service delivered by NATS is safe today and will remain so tomorrow.

The purpose of this programme is to support our Safety Performance, Safety Media and regulatory compliance work, delivering specific tasks in these three areas. Safety performance analysis is carried out to inform the business on its current operational safety and how we are performing against our safety targets. The role will directly support this function through regular analysis and reporting of operational data.

Our Safety Support Media team are the focal point for the management of recorded data from the Operational environment. The team produce copies, extracts, and replays of ATC recordings from the operational archive. Data is released to various internal departments and authorised external partners, to give direct evidence and support to formal safety investigations and for the purposes of safety improvement activity. To achieve this, you would be expected to work closely with our internal customers across Swanwick, Prestwick, Military, and external agencies (e.g., CAA and airline operators).

Our Regulatory Compliance team are responsible for liaising with all our regulators and ensuring that we are aware of and apply all our current and future regulatory obligations.

Due to the location of the equipment necessary to undertake these roles, the placements are based at our Swanwick Centre or Whiteley HQ (both in Hampshire).

Why choose NATS?  

By joining NATS not only will you be working for the UK’s leading ANSP, but you will also be working at the heart of our organisation, alongside other Graduates, Undergraduate Students and Professionals. You will gain valuable insight into our business and make a tangible contribution to our success.   

Your placement experience will be unique to you so you can build on the knowledge you have gained at university. We are committed to your personal and professional development and – with the support of our skilled advisors - will help you achieve your goals.

What are we looking for?  

This is a one year scheme available to undergraduate students who are keen to gain industry insight during their penultimate year of university.

We are looking for driven, proactive and committed individuals who will embrace the challenging targets that we have set ourselves over the next few years.  One thing is clear to us; we can only achieve these targets through our people. We will be leading the way technically, operationally, commercially and politically and you can help us shape the future.  

We are looking for individuals who share our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.  Someone who enjoys working on a range of activities in a dynamic and varied team. You should have attention to detail, be comfortable with interpreting numerical and textual data and have an interest in learning techniques to communicate operational trends to a mixed audience. Experience of Office 365, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, is advantageous.

You will also need to pass NATS pre-employment security clearance checks.

What’s in it for you? 

  • Competitive salary - £21,300 per annum 
  • 28 days of holiday entitlement with Bank Holidays on top   
  • Market-leading defined contribution pension scheme   

For more detail on our benefits package, please visit: https://www.nats.aero/careers/early-careers/

Please note that NATS reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. If you are interested, please submit your application as soon as possible.

Diversity and Inclusion at NATS 

We celebrate the diversity of our colleagues. We thrive because we are all brilliantly different yet united in our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe. For more information on our commitment to diversity and inclusion, please click here: https://www.nats.aero/careers/why-nats/

If you share our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe – we would like to hear from you whatever your age, race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, visible or invisible disability. Individuals that bring different perspectives, skills, life experiences and backgrounds help us be at the forefront of our industry.   

We want you to be able to perform at your best, so please email earlycareers@nats.co.uk if you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments.