Based in Aberdeen or Livingston
Programme Length: 18 months
Join us, and help be the energy behind the change.
National Gas is the backbone of Britain's energy system. We're responsible for securing the UK's energy, whilst leading the way to a net-zero future.
As the operator of Britain's national gas transmission network, we repair and maintain gas pipelines, safely and reliably delivering gas to power stations, industries and 23 million homes.
Our skilled teams work to keep the gas flowing to our customers, generating power and helping to keep everyone connected.
At the same time, we're pioneering new solutions like hydrogen transmission to help decarbonise energy, so our infrastructure continues to power the country as it transitions to net-zero.
As a graduate joining National Gas, it's an inspiring environment where you know your work will directly contribute to keeping the nation's energy secure today, whilst building a more sustainable, net-zero energy system for tomorrow.
About The Role
As a Project Planning Graduate, you'll join teams delivering some of the UK's most complex and important energy infrastructure projects. You'll learn how major projects are planned, monitored and delivered, from early development through to construction and completion. This isn't a role where you'll be sat in the back office – you'll be out working alongside project supervisors on the ground and supporting Project Managers.
Working alongside experienced Planners and Project Managers, you'll help build and maintain project programmes, track progress, understand risks, and support teams to deliver safely, on time and within budget. This means you'll need to be able to adapt to challenges that arise quickly, and be comfortable to challenges things that aren't working well for a project. This means an ability to work well with a variety of stakeholders is essential, as it will be a core part of the role building and maintain relationships. You'll also need to develop technical knowledge to support you managing our engineering projects.
During this 18-month programme, you'll complete a 6 month broadening placement in an area outside of your immediate team. This is so that you can be exposed to different, yet relevant experiences and skillsets that will set you up for your career.
As part of the role, you'll be supported to:
All aspects of the project planning lifecyle
Help develop and maintain project programmes for pipeline and infrastructure projects
Support the tracking of progress, milestones and key delivery dates
Learn how planners identify critical paths, risks and potential delays
Work with project teams and contractors to understand how work is progressing
Support monthly reporting and performance reviews
Use planning and scheduling tools to help keep projects on track
Visit sites (where appropriate) to see how plans translate into delivery on the ground
Contribute ideas to improve planning processes and ways of working
With the contacts you'll make and the skills you'll learn in these areas, you'll be able to make an informed decision alongside your direct colleagues as to which area of the business you'd like to continue your career in.
About You
For you to thrive as an Project Planning Graduate, you'll need to be proactive, have strong communication skills, and an ability to work well with different people. You'll need to be comfortable working with numbers and spreadsheets, so confidence working with Excel is essential. You'll need to be curious, organised and keen to learn. It will be a good fit for you if you enjoy working with plans, data and solving problems.
If you're someone from a technical background (engineering), you'll be interested in what it takes to deliver projects and pull them all together. You don't need previous planning experience, just the motivation to develop. This means an openness to feedback and a willingness to ask questions is essential.
We celebrate the different experiences our colleagues bring to our organisation and strongly encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply.
What You'll Need
You'll need a degree in a relevant area. It could be anything related to:
Mechanical Engineering
Business/Business Planning
Project Management
A cover letter is essential to help us understand why you're a great fit for the role. Be sure to include any other relevant experience or university modules.
Studies suggest that women tend to apply only if they meet 100% of the criteria. If you resonate with our mission, the role excites you and your skills align, we encourage you to apply.
The Essentials
This is an 18-month fixed-term graduate programme. You must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the programme.
This position is subject to National Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions - this typically requires you to have been a UK resident for the past 5 years. This means that your eligibility for may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK )
The sites you'll be visiting span across the UK, so you'll need to be comfortable with travel and overnight stays regularly. This also means that you'll need to hold a full driving licence and be comfortable driving between sites.
What You Can Expect From Us
You'll receive a range of benefits that reward your great work.
Starting annual salary of £34,646, with annual performance-based increases
A generous holiday allowance of 26 days plus statutory bank holidays, with the option to buy and sell additional days (capped at 5 days)
2 paid days each financial year to volunteer for a worthwhile cause
A generous pension scheme with a double-match contribution – if you contribute 6%, we'll contribute 12%, helping you build a strong financial future
Professional development and career progression
Employee assistance programme offering free confidential professional counselling 24 hours per day
At National Gas, we pride ourselves on a supportive and collaborative work environment. We understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and support our employees in achieving it. We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone can perform at their best, where every team member feels valued and supported.
You'll be mentored by experienced professionals and have opportunities to work on impactful projects. We ensure that you gain hands-on experience, with opportunities for career advancement and professional development.
We encourage all graduates to take ownership of their journey. You'll strive to grow and develop, taking advantage of all that National Gas has to offer.
The 'nice to knows'
As part of our Hybrid working approach, your time will be split between office days (you can be based out of the Aberdeen or Livingston Office), visiting sites and working from home.
You'll start in a large cohort of other graduates and apprentices, where you'll attend an in-person induction in early September 2026, fostering strong workplace relationships that will build the foundation of your future networks.
Your next steps…
You'll be offered additional support and guidance throughout the application process by our Early Careers team. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a human, every step of the way.
You're only able to apply for one of our graduate schemes, so please consider this carefully. When reviewing your application, if we feel you might be a good fit for something else, we'll be sure to let you know.
If your online application is successful, you'll be invited to complete a virtual solo-interview. The final stage is then an in-person interview in April 2026. Support is available towards travel costs if required.
Applications close on Sunday 8th March. Each year, we receive a large volume of applications, which could result in an early closure of the advert, so we'd encourage you to apply early.
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At National Gas we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives. If you require reasonable adjustments to complete the application process, please contact us