BAE Systems
Builds naval ships, combat aircraft and submarine systems.
Barrow-in-Furness, Govan & Scotstoun, Warton, Samlesbury, Brough, Portsmouth, Filton
Employer directory
Who hires in UK defence
We track vacancies across the whole UK defence and nuclear enterprise — the platform primes, the electronics and sensor houses, the test, training and support providers, and the nuclear enterprise. The 44 organisations below are the ones people search for most, but the board is not limited to them: Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers, fabricators, consultancies and technical recruiters are imported daily too.
Platform primes & major manufacturers
The companies that design and build the ships, submarines, aircraft, vehicles and propulsion systems.
Babcock International
Specialises in naval marine engineering and equipment support.
Devonport, Rosyth, HMNB Clyde, Bristol
Rolls-Royce
Designs and manufactures aero-engines and nuclear propulsion systems for military ships and submarines.
Derby & Raynesway, Bristol, Barnoldswick
Rolls-Royce SMR
Developing factory-built small modular reactors for UK power generation.
Derby, Warrington, Sheffield
MBDA
Designs and produces complex weapons and missile systems.
Stevenage, Bolton, Bristol
Cammell Laird
Shipbuilding, ship repair and heavy fabrication for defence and marine customers.
Birkenhead
Harland & Wolff
Shipbuilding and fabrication supporting Royal Navy support-ship programmes.
Belfast, Appledore, Methil
Defence electronics, avionics & sensors
Radar, sonar, combat systems, secure comms and the software and electronics engineering behind them.
Leonardo UK
Avionics, radar, electronic warfare and helicopter systems.
Edinburgh, Luton, Basildon, Yeovil, Bristol
Thales UK
Sensors, sonar, secure defence electronics and above-water systems.
Crawley, Glasgow, Belfast, Templecombe, Reading
Raytheon UK
Mission systems, effectors and aircraft modification programmes.
Harlow, Glenrothes, Broughton
Lockheed Martin UK
Combat systems integration, training systems and space programmes.
Havant, Ampthill, Whiteley
General Dynamics UK
Armoured vehicles, mission systems and tactical communications.
Merthyr Tydfil, Oakdale, Hastings
Ultra / Chemring
Sonobuoys, countermeasures, energetics and specialist sub-systems.
Greenford, Cheltenham, Salisbury, Ardeer
Thales Underwater Systems
Sonar, torpedo and underwater warfare systems for submarines and warships.
Templecombe, Cheadle Heath
Thales Air Defence
Short-range air defence missiles and launchers.
Belfast
Thales Optronics
Optronic sights, periscopes and electro-optical sensors.
Glasgow
Leonardo Electronics (Selex)
Radar, electronic warfare and airborne mission systems.
Edinburgh, Luton, Basildon, Southampton
Hensoldt UK
Optronics, periscopes and sensor systems for naval and land platforms.
Enfield
Cobham
Air-to-air refuelling, antennas, comms and specialist aerospace equipment.
Wimborne, Bournemouth, Leatherhead
SciSys / CGI Space & Defence
Space, defence and mission-critical software engineering.
Chippenham, Bristol, Leatherhead
Telespazio VEGA UK
Space systems engineering, satellite operations and consultancy.
Luton, Harwell
Land systems, aerospace equipment & ordnance
Vehicles, guns and ammunition, aerostructures, protection equipment and the components inside UK platforms.
Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL)
Armoured vehicle design, manufacture and support, including Challenger 3 and Boxer.
Telford, Washington, Bristol
BAE Systems Land UK / Royal Ordnance
Munitions, propellants and artillery ammunition manufacture.
Glascoed, Radway Green, Washington, Bishopton
Meggitt (Parker Meggitt)
Braking systems, sensors, fire protection and composite aerospace components.
Coventry, Shepshed, Loughborough, Basingstoke
Short Brothers (Spirit AeroSystems Belfast)
Aerostructures, missile launchers and composite assemblies.
Belfast
Avon Protection
Respiratory protection and CBRN equipment for military users.
Melksham, Hampton
JCB Defence
Militarised construction and material-handling vehicles.
Rocester, Uttoxeter
Ultra Electronics
Specialist electronic sub-systems for maritime, C2 and energy applications.
Greenford, Cheltenham, Rugeley, Loudwater
Chemring Group
Countermeasures, energetics and sensors, including explosive ordnance detection.
Salisbury, Ardeer, Fareham, Bridgwater
Technology, R&D and support services
Test and evaluation, research, training, logistics and the people who keep military sites running.
QinetiQ
Provides critical test and evaluation, research and technical advice.
Farnborough, Boscombe Down, MOD Shoeburyness, Malvern, Portsdown
Serco
Delivers large-scale support, logistics and training for military sites.
HMNB Clyde, Devonport, Portsmouth, RAF stations UK-wide
KBR
Engineering, programme delivery and defence support services.
Bristol, Leatherhead, Aldermaston
Dstl
The MOD's science and technology laboratory.
Porton Down, Portsdown West, Fort Halstead
Ministry of Defence & DE&S
Equipment acquisition, support and civil service defence roles.
Abbey Wood Bristol, Corsham, Whitehall, bases UK-wide
BMT Group
Naval architecture, marine design and defence engineering consultancy.
Bath, Bristol, Fareham, Plymouth
Babcock DSG / Defence Support Group
Vehicle and equipment maintenance, repair and overhaul for the British Army.
Donnington, Bovington, Ashchurch
Devonport Royal Dockyard (DML)
Submarine refit, deep maintenance and warship support.
Devonport, Plymouth
Morson / Guidant / Matchtech
Technical recruiters staffing most major UK defence programmes.
UK-wide
Nuclear enterprise & decommissioning
Warhead, fuel, waste and decommissioning work — the most heavily cleared end of the sector.
AWE
Maintains the UK's nuclear warhead stockpile.
Aldermaston, Burghfield
Sellafield Ltd
Civil nuclear work on the edge of defence: Europe's most complex decommissioning and waste mission, handling materials that support the UK deterrent and submarine programmes.
Sellafield, Warrington, Risley
Nuclear Waste Services
Low-level waste disposal and geological disposal programme delivery.
Drigg, Harwell, Warrington
Westinghouse UK
Nuclear fuel manufacture and reactor services.
Springfields Preston, Warrington
Cavendish Nuclear
Nuclear engineering, decommissioning and defence infrastructure.
Bristol, Warrington, Whitehaven
Jacobs, Amentum, Wood & Nuvia
Tier 1 engineering and project delivery partners across defence and nuclear.
UK-wide
Not seeing your employer?
This list covers the largest UK defence organisations, not every company on the board. If you hire for defence, nuclear or advanced manufacturing work anywhere in the UK, you can post vacancies directly — or tell us about a careers feed to import.