About bp
bp is a global company that offers a world of opportunities for professionals as well as those starting out in their career. We’re guided by our purpose and ambition to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner, and help the world get there too.
What does this mean for you? It means you can expect purposeful work, world-class training and the flexibility to realize your full potential. Not to mention the chance to join a company committed to delivering more sustainable energy for all. Ready to crack on? Your perfect job match awaits.
Your Early Careers Program
This role is part of our One Engineering early careers programme, designed to create a pipeline of diverse professional engineers who are high-performers, have broad discipline experience, a transferable skills-set, leading through the energy transition, and solving the most complex problems of today and of the future. Early career discipline engineers will build their experience through challenging development assignments, develop a toolkit of transferable skills for the future, and have a dedicated network of support to help them succeed.
Early Careers Experience at bp
The programme lasts ~3 years, comprising work experience, training, and specialist support. It is likely you will carry out several different roles / rotations to expose you to different aspects of Process and Process Safety Engineering (P&PSE), with sufficient breadth to assist your eventual chartership with the Institution of Chemical Engineers.
These rotations will be complemented by a technical development pathway, which outlines the technical competencies you are working towards. Alongside this you’ll also complete our Ignite training modules which will support you to build your interpersonal skills.
Throughout the program you’ll have a dedicated support network to provide guidance on the program and advice on career development. You’ll also be a key part of the bp early careers community, with events, socials and the opportunity to network with other early careers from across bp.
Role and Responsibilities
The energy industry has a challenge: demand for energy is growing, but we urgently need to reduce the carbon emissions resulting from energy use. Process & Process Safety Engineering (P&PSE) is at the heart of the energy industry, supporting oil and gas production, processing and conversion to create fuels and chemicals, and serving the energy transition in areas such as hydrogen, carbon capture, and green fuels.
P&PSE is involved throughout the lifecycle of major energy projects, from establishing the business case and concept for a new development, through optimisation, design, engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations. We also support developing the innovations that will ensure our future success. And most importantly, we must understand and mitigate the process safety risks arising from our operations.
The precise nature of your role will be defined by the needs of the business, but your duties and responsibilities will include:
- Apply your chemical engineering skills to solve real-world problems in technology development, projects, or operations
- Care passionately about the safety of our facilities, and develop the skills needed to constantly seek inherently safer solutions
- Recognise the risks in the work you are doing and constantly seek ways to mitigate
- Recognise the environmental impact of the facilities you are working on, and constantly seek ways to reduce
- Build relationships both within bp and with our external partners
Requirements
To apply for this role, you will need:
- to be in your final year of study and be on track for a 2:1, or have completed your degree with a 2:1
- a master’s degree in Chemical, Process or Biochemical Engineering, or a bachelor’s degree in one of these core subjects supplemented by a post-graduate qualification in a relevant topic such as Advanced Chemical Engineering, Process Safety, Petroleum Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or studies related to sustainability or low carbon energy
You are also expected to have strong spoken and written English language skills, including business and technical English. Language skills will be assessed throughout the recruitment process.
Location
You will be based in our main UK hub – Sunbury. Location will depend on business needs and is likely to change for each year on the Early Careers development programme as you move between roles – with potential for a rotation offshore in the UK or our overseas assets.
In the longer term, P&PS engineers can develop into many roles. Some prefer to stay in engineering and may become subject matter experts or advisers, some prefer to work on projects and may become project managers, some prefer operations and may become facilities managers. But there is no limit; several of our recent CEOs started their careers as P&PS engineers!
bp Sunbury – ICBT (International Centre for Business & Technology), Chertsey Road, Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex, TW16 7LN
Start Date: 8th September 2025
Other Information:
Please note the following when applying:
- You can only apply to one bp early careers opportunity globally per academic year – within this time, we will only process the first application you make. You will be withdrawn from any subsequent applications.
- Exploration Days are a key part of the assessment process and will be in person – bp will cover reasonable travel and accommodation costs, in line with the travel policy which will be shared with you. Please ensure you will be available to attend in person.
- Unless you apply to a role with a location explicitly stated, role locations are not guaranteed – where not stated, you will be placed in a location based on business need.
- Accommodation – once confirmed,where you need or decide to move closer to your location, you are responsible for organising and funding this accommodation.
Reward:
Starting Salary: £39,100
Sign on Bonus: £3,000 (One off payment, subject to tax and national insurance)
Wellbeing Allowance: Claim up to £1,500 each calendar year (subject to tax and national insurance) for products and services that contribute to physical, mental, financial and social wellbeing
Flexible Benefits: In addition to your base salary, you’ll receive a flexible allowance (currently 20% of your base salary) that you can take as cash or use to buy a range of extra benefits, such as a pension, critical illness, dental care, personal accident and travel insurance, and our cycle to work scheme.
Private Medical Insurance: We’ll pay for private healthcare, and you only pay an income tax charge.
bp Share Plans: You can choose to take part in our share plan and buy bp shares every month.
Adjustments
We are keen to make our recruitment process accessible to all. If you require any adjustments, to any stage of the recruitment process, please mention this in the allocated section on your initial application form. Someone will then be in touch to discuss or confirm the adjustments as appropriate for you. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss adjustments before applying, please get in touch:
T: +44 1635 584149
E: enquiry@bpgraduates.co.uk
Legal Disclaimer:
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/ accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.
T: +44 1635 584149
E: enquiry@bpgraduates.co.uk
If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.
Travel Requirement
No travel is expected with this role
Relocation Assistance:
This role is not eligible for relocation
Remote Type:
This position is a hybrid of office/remote working
Skills:
Legal Disclaimer:
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.
If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.
