At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Join the Jacobs Graduate Development Program (GDP) and help shape better environments, communities and societies. Bring your passion, creativity and ambition — and together, we’ll create lasting change.

What You’ll Get

Our two‑year Graduate Development Program is designed to accelerate your growth as you begin your Jacobs career. Through blended learning, mentoring, progress reviews and networking, you’ll build capability across four key areas: human skills, consulting skills, championing our strategy, and developing your personal passions.

You’ll tailor your learning journey to your interests, career goals and technical strengths — creating a graduate experience that’s uniquely yours. Much of your development will come through real project work, supported by your manager and mentor to ensure you gain the experiences that matter most.

The Graduate Development Program isn’t just a steppingstone — it’s a launchpad. You’ll gain the tools, exposure and support to unlock your potential, working on meaningful projects and collaborating with industry leaders to deliver solutions to complex challenges.

About the opportunity

This is an entry-level opportunity to begin a career in inclusive design within an internationally recognised specialist team. You will contribute to a wide range of UK and international projects across the built environment, including buildings, workplaces, public realm, transport, infrastructure and major events, learning how research, technical guidance, design information and people’s lived experience can be brought together to create better places.

You will be supported to develop your understanding of how inclusive design is applied from early strategy and briefing through design, construction, handover and use. You will contribute to real projects from the outset, with responsibility increasing as your experience grows.

Our approach is people focused. We consider how people feel in an environment and how design can give them the best possible experience. We combine technical, engineering and social understanding, supported by research, data and evidence, to create solutions that are practical, project relevant and future proofed.

We go beyond access for disabled people to successfully meet the requirements of a diverse population. Informed by research, data, evidence, and end users experience, we deliver project relevant, future-proofed solutions taking into account and responding to end user requirements relating to age, gender, personal identity, disability, faith and cultural background. We aim to create environments that are:

• People focused, recognising that people use and experience the built environment differently and providing choice.
• Welcoming, working seamlessly for users, avoiding unnecessary segregation and promoting participation.
• Usable, enabling people to enter, use and leave environments safely and comfortably.
• Relevant, acknowledging diversity and ensuring that different end users are accommodated.
• Future proofed, responding to the expectations and requirements of current and future populations.

What you'll be doing

• Support inclusive design reviews at different stages of the project, working with drawings, specifications, reports, models and other design information.
• Help identify potential barriers to independent use, safety and dignity in use, and participation, assisting in developing recommendations.
• Assist with inclusive design surveys and supporting the production of high-quality outputs.
• Researching legislation, standards, guidance, emerging practice and evidence relevant to project briefs.
• Working as part of a team preparing of inclusive design strategies, statements, standards, technical notes, option appraisals, presentations and client reports.
• Contribute to stakeholder engagement, workshops and research activities, including clear capture and communication of different user requirements.
• Work with architects, engineers, planners, project managers and other specialists to help integrate inclusive design across disciplines.
• Participate in project meetings, communicate actions clearly and manage your own agreed tasks, time and deadlines with support.
• Build your understanding of quality assurance, project governance, health and safety, and responsible handling of information.
• Share learning with the team and contribute ideas that challenge the status quo and improve outcomes for end users.

What you'll bring

We are interested in the knowledge, skills and perspective you can bring, including experience gained through employment, education, volunteering or other relevant activities.

• A genuine interest in inclusive design and in how people experience the built environment.
• Curiosity about the built environment and motivation to develop technical knowledge.
• Ability to gather, assess and organise information, with attention to detail and a questioning mindset.
• Clear written and verbal communication, with the ability to explain information to different audiences.
• Ability to collaborate respectfully with people from different disciplines, backgrounds and perspectives.
• Ability to plan tasks, meet agreed deadlines and ask for support when needed.
• Confidence using common digital tools for documents, spreadsheets, presentations and online collaboration.

Useful, but not essential

• Experience reading plans, sections, elevations, specifications or other design information.
• Experience of research, data collection and analysis, surveys, consultation, report writing or presenting findings.
• Knowledge of equality, human factors, ergonomics, user experience or social research.
• Experience gained through a placement, internship, dissertation, design project, volunteering, community activity or paid work.

Developing familiarity with UK building regulations, British Standards, Relevant approved documents or other relevant standards and guidance.

Your development at Jacobs

You will learn through supported project delivery, structured feedback and collaboration with experienced inclusive design specialists and wider technical disciplines. Your development may include site experience, research, internal and external training, attendance at relevant industry events, and a pathway towards appropriate professional accreditation. As your capability grows, you will take ownership of defined tasks and project outputs and progress towards the Inclusive Design Consultant level.

Working with us

The role will involve collaboration with colleagues, clients, design teams and stakeholders. Depending on project requirements, it may include travel to client meetings, project sites and building surveys. Jacobs will discuss any workplace adjustments or support required for recruitment, travel, site work or day-to-day responsibilities.

The start date for this position is September 2027.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.