Science & Engineering Innovation Graduate Programme 2025

Functional area: Research and Development

Country: China

City: Qingdao

Company name: Edwards Ltd

Date of posting: Nov 6, 2024

Empowering people and enabling solutions for a more sustainable future
The world of vacuum and abatement is full of opportunities, and we can’t wait for you to explore it with us! We create some of the purest vacuum environments on earth for widescale use in industry and research. We take pride in our globally recognised position as the leading technology partner and supplier of vacuum and environmental solutions that support our customers productivity and environmental targets. Our caring culture and cutting-edge technology enable us to innovate for a sustainable future, and we believe that passionate people make it happen.

Our team will not be limited by conventional thinking to offer technology-driven solutions, and this requires a huge variety of skills and capabilities. Providing simple solutions to complex problems, it’s an exciting journey and you can play a key role! We’re actively developing sustainable solutions that enable a significant reduction in our customers' environmental footprint, while also driving down our own carbon footprint within the business through waste reduction and renewable energy projects.

One of our greatest strengths is the diversity of our workforce with people of all educational and cultural backgrounds working together. We believe that talent and diversity is the key to success and that everybody should feel valued and able to reach their full potential, both in their development and their contribution to the business. The Edwards Graduate Programme allows you to become a member of the world-class team that our customers turn to.

About our Graduate programme
Vacuum is one of the hidden secrets behind many of the products we rely on every day. Our products enable scientific research, food preservation and the manufacture of smart devices as well as preventing the release of hazardous gases into the environment. It’s a fast-moving market with new applications emerging all the time, so we’re looking for bright, innovative and curious people to work in our global research and development team.

You will undertake up to 4 main placements over two years to help you build a wider appreciation for how our Research & Development function operates. This will include 6-12 months in our Vacuum Technique Business Area headquarters in the UK. Here you’re empowered to explore opportunities and drive your professional development. As a graduate you’ll have access to all the training, learning and assistance you need to become a specialist within your area of expertise. You’ll work alongside some of the world’s top experts in vacuum and abatement technology on a broad range of exciting, real-world projects that will transform the way we live, work and communicate. After the two years you will move into a permanent role as a Development Engineer.

Day-to-day, as part of our team, you'll be:

• Growing skills and experience in a technical environment enabling you to gain valuable knowledge and influence and deliver important innovation projects to time and budget.
• Learning vacuum and abatement science and understanding our customers applications.
• Developing new innovative technologies and solutions for deployment in future products.
• Using advanced simulation tools to optimise product design and application solutions.
• Designing, testing and evaluating solutions and making suggestions for improvements.
• Writing technical reports and presenting results to team members and project sponsors.
• Experiencing working within a truly global multidisciplinary organisation.
• Gaining exposure to Intellectual Property, Engineering Processes and Finance disciplines.
• Actively involved in the Early Careers community and will also support the recruitment activities for our Early Careers programmes.

Location
You will be based in our world-class Qingdao manufacturing site (Product Company) for 3 months, followed by 6-12 months at our Vacuum Technique Headquarters in Burgess Hill, UK (full visa, travel & accommodation support provided). Following this you will return to Qingdao to put your learning intro practice whilst delivering on innovative projects for our business.

About you
Education

• As a minimum, a Batchelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Physics is required with proven academic success.
• A Masters Degree is desirable.

Your skills, knowledge, and behaviours

• Passion for working in a scientific/technical environment, with the ability to work with internal clients and stakeholders.
• Curiosity, creativity and commitment to push the forefront of technology.
• Ability to apply technical knowledge to analyse problems and develop innovative solutions.
• A keen interest in researching and developing solutions across a wide technology arena, utilising advances in engineering, science, software and digital technology.
• Fluent Chinese speaker.
• A good level of English language skills (minimum B2, preferably C1).
• Good communication skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a specialist team.
• Drive and desire for continuous professional development.
• Willing to spend up to 12 months working and learning in the UK.

You must have the unrestricted and continuous right to work in China without any restrictions to prevent you from gaining a UK work visa.

Benefits and rewards

• Annual discretionary bonus, 10 days holiday plus 7 days full paid sick leave days and bank holidays.
• Standard social insurance and company contribution of 10% housing fund with annual average salary.
• A robust career development plan, including online learning modules and on the job practical training.
• Early Careers Community forum and a global network.
• Mentoring programme.
• Health and wellbeing initiatives including football, badminton and wellbeing webinars.
• Diversity and inclusion initiatives, Employee Connection Group-run events, Neurodiversity and LGBTQ+ employee groups.
• Continuous support and coaching.

About Edwards
Edwards is a leading developer and manufacturer of sophisticated vacuum products, exhaust management systems and related value-added services. Edwards solutions are integral to manufacturing processes for semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells. They are also used within an increasingly diverse range of industrial processes including power, glass and other coating applications; steel and other metallurgy; pharmaceutical and chemical; and for scientific instruments in a wide range of R&D applications.
Edwards has over 4,000 employees worldwide engaged in the design, manufacture and support of high technology vacuum and exhaust management equipment. Edwards has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Europe, Asia and North America.