Graduate - Environment

Graduate Environment

Salary: £26,500

Location: Manchester, Birmingham, Bedford, Guildford, Bristol, Nottingham, Telford, Warrington, Penrith, Preston

Programme start date: September 2025

Where Next?

Start your professional journey with National Highways and help us shape a more sustainable future.

Join our three-year Environment Graduate Programme and contribute to protecting and enhancing the built, natural, and historic environments around our road network.

By combining your passion for the environment with hands-on experience, you’ll help us create a greener, more sustainable future.

What You’ll Be Doing

Throughout the programme, you’ll work on exciting, impactful projects that enhance local communities and the environment. Guided by our experienced team, you’ll be involved in a variety of tasks that will build on your environmental expertise, including:

• Providing technical advice to our major schemes and operations teams
• Contributing to the development of our environmental policy
• Reviewing proposals for environmental improvements
• Conducting environmental research and development projects
• Engaging with stakeholders, including environmental bodies and supply chain partners
  
  

You’ll also have the chance to apply your skills across a wide range of environmental disciplines, such as:

• Environmental assessment and design
• Cultural heritage/archaeology
• Ecology
• Noise and air quality management
• Water and carbon management
• Landscape and planning
  
  

Beyond the programme, you’ll have opportunities to continue your career journey with us and play a vital role in caring for the environments and communities surrounding our strategic road network for years to come.

What You’ll Get In Return

With our support, you’ll enjoy the chance to own your development to get the best out of your time on the programme.

So, If You're Looking To Grow Your Career In a Large, Evolving Organisation And Ready To Invest In Your Development, All Our Graduate Programmes Offer

• A mix of workshops, on-job-training and ‘hands on’ experience
• A dedicated line manager and mentoring from experienced colleagues to provide encouragement, direction and career planning support
• Flexible working arrangements
• Peer networking and support through our Early Talent community
• A permanent contract from day one
  
  

As well as a competitive salary and plenty of career development support, you’ll also enjoy a fantastic employee benefits package which includes a generous pension scheme, life assurance, annual leave starting at 26 days (rising to 31 days with service) and retailers discounts and cashback.

What You’ll Need To Succeed

If you have the passion and dedication to succeed, you’ll be a great match for our programme. To be successful, you’ll have

• An enthusiastic, collaborative approach to working with others
• The ability to communicate in different formats with a variety of stakeholders
• Excellent co-ordination skills
• The ability to plan and prioritise effectively to meet deadlines
• A focus on quality and integrity in everything you do
  
  

You must also meet these essential qualification requirements by the programme start date:

• An undergraduate degree (2:2 or above) in environmental assessment, environmental design, or related subjects aligned with our key areas of work, such as cultural heritage, ecology, noise, air quality, water or carbon management, landscape, or planning
  
  

Assessment centres will take place in January and February.

To be eligible for a place on the programme, you must be available to attend the 4-day induction, 8th -11th September

All offers for our graduate programmes are subject to satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks, including Right to Work, reference, and DBS criminal record checks.

Due to the salary level of this role, we cannot offer sponsorship for the position for individuals that don't have the Right to Work in the UK. Successful candidates will require Right to Work for the duration of the programme.

About Us

Our strategic road network is vital to connecting the country, carrying a third of all traffic and two-thirds of freight. Every single day, National Highways get millions of people to where they need to be as efficiently and safely as possible along more than 4,500 miles of motorways and major A roads. We bring people together, keep businesses moving and help communities to stay connected.

We’re constantly innovating to stay ahead of the curve in building and operating our roads, investing in both the right projects and the brightest talent to help shape our future. And that's where you come in!

Why You Should Join Us

At National Highways, we believe in building a connected country. We’re passionate about creating an inclusive, collaborative culture where all our people feel empowered, valued and enjoy greater wellbeing to achieve this.

If you share our values of safety, passion, teamwork, ownership, and integrity, you’ll thrive as part of our team.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you’re excited about shaping a more sustainable future and want to be part of a growing, evolving organisation, apply today and start your journey with us! Don’t miss out submit your application early as we may close applications before the advertised closing date if we receive a high volume of interest.