Network Rail
Year in Industry Student – Architect
Location: Bristol, GB
Department Name: Engineering Design – Architecture and Buildings Geotech and Drainage
About Network Rail
Every project we’re involved in matters to millions. You’ll experience a wide-reaching remit and understand how we contribute to major engineering projects whilst developing a skill set that will complement the knowledge you’ve gained from your studies. Whether you’re playing a part in delivering improvements to existing infrastructure, or rejuvenating and servicing our current infrastructure, this placement offers plenty of scope to apply your theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges. You’ll work with the team that plays a leading role in driving innovation in the Railway Industry, working with cutting-edge technology and widening your knowledge of where technology goes next. You’ll also play a role in improving our safety standards, reducing journey times, and coming up with innovative solutions to the most important issues of our time. This placement will offer plenty of scope to apply your theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges. You’ll also be supported at every step by colleagues, mentors, and fellow students. If making an impact on something bigger and gaining real-world experience matters to you. You matter to us.
Salary: £22,932
Fixed Contract Dates: September 2026 – August 2027
Brief Description
What you’ll be doing:
Joining the Architecture team at Network Rail offers the chance to influence public transport architecture – right from the earliest stages of design. Our work shapes the everyday journeys of millions, working on buildings that interact directly with passengers and on those that contribute to the day to day running of the railway. For more than 150 years, the railway has been a key feature of towns and cities across the UK. That legacy encourages careful consideration of existing assets and carefully placed design for new buildings. In all our work, considering the communities they serve is vital, and our designs must be modern, accessible, and sustainable.
As part of our team, you’ll be working primarily at the early‑stages of design. The role includes:
- Developing project briefs in collaboration with clients and stakeholders.
- Carrying out feasibility studies that inform investment and long‑term planning.
- Supporting multi‑disciplinary design teams to create integrated, people‑focused proposals.
- Contributing to a wide range of projects, from nationally significant stations to small‑scale interventions that address design challenges that are often complex.
- Exploring interventions within stations and within operational buildings, including depots, signalling centres and offices, that keep the railway running every day.
This is architecture with real‑world impact. You’ll need to balance designs that have the functionality required of public infrastructure, with the human experience of the spaces we create, whilst ensuring our network is accessible, intuitive, and welcoming for all. Based in one of our major design offices, you’ll experience our wide-reaching remit and see how we contribute to major engineering projects. There’ll be plenty of opportunity to flex the theoretical knowledge you’ve already gained on your university course.
About the role
Who you are matters:
You’ll need to be in your penultimate year at university, and on track to achieve a degree in Architecture (or a similar, relevant degree) – either a bachelors (RIBA Part 1), or Masters (RIBA Part 2), with at least a 2:2 classification. Flexibility to occasionally travel to attend training opportunities or projects at various locations in the UK is also required. We’re looking for someone with an interest in public buildings/ transportation architecture ideally, and someone who can combine pragmatic thinking with just the right amount of design flair. You should be resourceful, hardworking and comfortable managing your own time. We would also like to see great communication skills and an ability to integrate both with a small team of architectural professionals and into a wider engineering design environment.
What you’ll get out of it
We’re passionate about developing the next generation of talent that will come into our industry, and that means we’ll ensure you’re surrounded by supportive colleagues and receive coaching from senior staff. We invest in our placement students because we believe they hold the potential to become the future of our business. Over the 12-months, you’ll get a rounded experience of what it takes to be an architectural engineer on our railways. Impress us, and we’ll consider you for next year’s graduate scheme. We matter to millions. You could too.
Additional Information
Closing date: 23rd April. On occasions, we may need to close the advert early based upon application volumes. Late applications may not be accepted.
Next Steps: Assessments will be held in early-mid June, depending on business requirements.
Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our Safety Vision. All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.
