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Early Careers

When you join QinetiQ’s Early Careers Community, you’ll be working to solve some of the world’s most complex technological and scientific challenges from day one. From cyberspace to aerospace, maritime to land, a career at QinetiQ offers endless possibilities.

Early Careers

Are you ready to put your problem-solving skills to the test? Are you ready to get hands-on experience across a range of exciting and innovative projects? Are you ready to make an impact?

Our Graduates, Trainees and Apprentices are at the forefront of innovation, working with our customers on globally impactful projects. With innovation in the defence, technology and scientific spaces driving unimaginable change, there has never been a more exciting time to start your career with QinetiQ!

Backed by a global workforce of over 7,000 dedicated employees, when you join our Early Careers Community you’ll be collaborating with our teams and clients right from day one. With a dedicated career pathways framework and a focused professional development process, we are committed to supporting our Early Careers professionals to grow their skills and enhance their career opportunities.

Our award-winning Early Careers programs give graduates, apprentices and trainees access to a wide range of opportunities: from continuous coaching and formal mentoring to social networking with other members of the Early Careers cohorts, Leadership Team and wider business, we’re passionate about leveraging networks to progress your career.

Our structured learning calendars are tailored to upskill those within the early stages of their career, providing all the tools needed to contribute to building capability in niche, specialised areas.

We are looking for enthusiastic, talented people to join us, and are ready to support you to start a career journey and explore the endless possibilities a career with QinetiQ offers.

A career at QinetiQ - your fortune of opportunity

At QinetiQ, our graduates work alongside industry experts in a company that actively helps its people thrive and grow. The richness of QinetiQ's culture and commitment to ongoing development provides our graduates with an abundance of experiences to develop their skills and create a wealth of possibilities for their future. We call it your fortune of opportunity.

Our award-winning Graduate Development Program is one of the industry’s most immersive graduate experiences. From day one, our graduates have access to some of the industry’s foremost Subject Matter Experts, with the opportunity to contribute to some of Australia’s most inspiring innovations.

Throughout the duration of the 18-month program, our graduates are exposed to the full depth and breadth of the industry. The program is delivered in three phases, each phase designed to provide graduates with rich professional and personal development. We encourage our graduates to be led by their curiosity and take advantage of QinetiQ’s immense range of capabilities, tailoring their learning experience to match their evolving interests.

Your Graduate Journey

Our comprehensive Graduate Development Program consists of three core phases: Understanding My New Business, Understanding My Professional Self and Understanding My Business Impact. These are complemented by a variety of technical upskilling workshops to enhance your skillset.

Joining our Graduate Development Program will provide you with:
  • Interesting work on complex projects, solving real world problems;
  • Structured career development plans;
  • Mentoring and coaching support;
  • Professional development including access to a personal development fund of up to $3,500 per year;
  • Communities of practice to engage and network with peers, experts and leaders;
  • Access to a suite of online development courses including LinkedIn Learning; and
  • Regular networking, social and “give back” events.
We look for tertiary qualified graduates who demonstrate:
  • Extraordinary problem-solving skills and ability to think laterally;
  • Experience working within a team environment toward a common goal;
  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse clients and stakeholders; and
  • An open, resilient and adaptable mindset.

What type of graduates are we hiring?

Matrix, showing where graduates can fit into QinetiQ.

Applications for our 2025 Graduate Development Program are open between 1 March until 30 April 2024. Take a look at our open roles.

For more information about our Graduate Development Program or questions about our 2025 intake, please contact our Early Careers Team via email: EarlyCareers.Au@qinetiq.com.au.

As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Diversity & Inclusion, women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are encouraged to apply.

Our hands-on apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities encompass science, technology and business disciplines, with vacancies in both workshop and office environments.

As a QinetiQ trainee or apprentice, you’ll become a core part of our growing business, supporting our specialised capabilities with world-class, on-the-job training. That’s why we’re passionate about supporting you, with continuous support, guidance and skills development to progress your career. We are proud of the friendly, supportive atmosphere at our sites, as well as the hands-on learning and mentoring of our apprenticeships and traineeships.

We’re looking for apprentices and trainees who are passionate about growing their skillset and contributing to the Defence Industry. You’ll have the opportunity to tailor your apprenticeship or traineeship experience to match your specific interests, with a large number of exciting and innovative projects to work on. You’ll receive ongoing support from the business, flexible working arrangements and a high input into your work projects and schedules. In our trade streams, you’ll have the opportunity to design cutting edge solutions for tomorrow, then watch your design come to life.

As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Diversity & Inclusion, women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are encouraged to apply. For more information, contact our Early Careers team.

Discover our impressive range of award-winning benefits.

Apprenticeships and Traineeships