Graduate Regulatory Engineer

Are you interested in the regulations and standards that shape the future of the automotive industry?

Do you want to apply your engineering skills to emerging vehicle technologies, technical legislation and regulatory compliance?

Would you like to support the development and interpretation of national and international vehicle requirements?

Do you want a tailored graduate programme that supports your professional development and progression towards professional status?

If you are looking for the next step in your career and professional development, our Graduate Scheme could be for you.

About Us

Our work is focused on improving vehicle safety and environmental protection by providing robust testing and certification to national and internationally recognised standards. We are a part of the Department of Transport as the designated UK Vehicle Type Approval Authority. With more than 40 years’ experience, we have become one of the largest and well-respected approval bodies around. This position has been built on a reputation for technical expertise and quality, which is at the heart of everything we do, and what you could be a part of.

Want to know more? Hear from Lucy-Adele Fone, Graduate Scheme Programme Lead, and explore our Candidate Pack and Role Profile attached.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Vehicle Certification Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Please note that this vacancy is being advertised alongside two other similar roles 484802 and 484321 within VCA. Applicants are welcome to apply to all three positions. Please note that the sift and interview approach for all three campaigns is identical, as a result, if successful at sift candidates will be invited to attend one interview, which will be used to assess their suitability across all roles applied to. Candidates may therefore be considered for one or more of the vacancies, with appointment decisions made on merit following assessment against the advertised criteria.

Joining the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) and wider Department for Transport (DfT) as a permanent member of staff will open the door to a wide range of development opportunities. Collaborating with industry partners, government departments and international stakeholders, you will help shape the regulations and standards that support safe, secure and environmentally sustainable transport.

As a Graduate Regulatory Engineer, you will spend your first two years developing a broad understanding of vehicle regulation, certification and compliance through a combination of on-the-job experience, structured learning and technical placements. You will undertake rotations across VCA and may have opportunities to gain experience with organisations such as the Department for Transport, the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.

Extensive travel within the UK and overseas is an essential part of the scheme, with potential opportunities to work alongside VCA's international offices in Japan and North America.

Following your initial training period, you will progress into a substantive Higher Executive Officer role within VCA's Automated Vehicle Technologies (AVT) Group. The team works with government, industry and international partners to develop and support legislation covering areas such as Automated Driving Systems, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Cyber Security and Software Updates.

As your technical expertise develops, you will contribute to the review of emerging technologies, interpretation of regulations, assessment of compliance and approval of new vehicle systems, helping to shape the future of transport before these technologies reach everyday use.

Throughout the scheme, you will receive support from a dedicated mentor and professional network, with encouragement to work towards Incorporated or Chartered Engineer status through the IMechE MPDS or IET Career Manager frameworks.

Your main duties will include but will not be limited to:

• Work towards CEng or IEng by engaging with the IMechE MPDS or IET Career Manager frameworks
• Produce quarterly and annual development reports and ensure these are approved and submitted on time
• Maintain disciplined record-keeping, tracking objectives, evidence, and progress
• Develop and support expert technical knowledge in vehicle systems, components, and associated technology
• Follow agency procedures and quality requirements
• Work to support and update GB national regulations to ensure vehicles stay safe, secure and environmentally friendly throughout their lifetime
• Engagement with mentor and line Manager by attending regular meetings to review your goals, report progress, and set development goals. Actively seek feedback from mentor, line manager and subject matter experts
• Objective setting and self-management
• Support technical compliance review activities undertaken by the Automated Vehicle Technologies Group
• Support regulatory development and interpretation activities for both GB and International legislation technical legislation

To learn more about how VCA is supporting the development of connected and automated vehicles and helping shape the future of transport, visit Connected and Automated Vehicles - Vehicle Certification Agency.

Educated to degree level, or equivalent, in an IMechE or IET accredited degree (Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering), or any engineering discipline closely linked to those, including degrees with a focus on technologies relevant to automotive technology. Equivalent qualifications from a mutually recognised accreditation body will also be considered.

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and Personal Statement

Stage 2: Interview and Written Assessment

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following elements:

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (750-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• How have you applied your engineering knowledge (can be from any part of your life including work, studies, or interests)?
• An example of how you have used your experience of analysing data or information and reporting on findings.
• What is your approach to working individually and as a team?

The sift will take place week commencing Monday 16th November 2026.

Stage 2: Interview & Written Assessment

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours - Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Working Together
• Technical – Government Science and Engineering Career Framework
• Building and applying knowledge (Applying Technical Knowledge)
• Building and applying knowledge (Developing / maintaining expertise)

The interviews will take place from Thursday 3rd December 2026.

This interview will be conducted in-person at the VCA Midlands Centre, Nuneaton. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further Information

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for.

Appointments for this position will be made in order of merit. If you are successful in the selection process but there are no further available posts for the advertised role, you may be contacted to discuss an offer for a lower graded role (with similar experience and responsibility requirements).

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

• Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
• Threats or acts of violence
• Illegal activity or substance misuse
• Sexually explicit material
• Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle - it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.