Defence Jobs in United Kingdom

Defence spending is set to reach £73.5 billion by 2028/29, with the government committed to 2.5 % of GDP by 2027 and over £4 billion earmarked specifically for autonomous systems. That budget trajectory has pulled engineering and software talent into a sector that a few years ago struggled to compete with commercial tech salaries. The companies hiring on DefenceJobs tend to be the ones building the products that the primes and MOD are buying, from AI targeting and sensor fusion to satellite payloads and underwater robotics.

Most roles require UK work authorisation. The Skilled Worker visa is the typical route for non-UK nationals, with sponsorship from the employer. Security clearance follows the UK system with two main levels relevant to defence tech: Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV). Some positions are restricted to British nationals only, particularly those involving signals intelligence or classified MOD programmes. The employer initiates the clearance process and candidates do not generally need existing clearance to apply, though a period of UK residency history is usually required for both SC and DV.