Category: Undergraduate

Early Careers, Engineering, Hints and Tips, Home Page, Manufacturing Engineering, People, Undergraduate, United Kingdom, Who We Are

I have a future here at JLR

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Meet our incredible Ana. Find out what motivated her to join JLR and what inspired her to re-join the company after her graduation.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities.

I am an Electronic & Complex System undergrad and I am a part of the Semiconductor Resilience Team. Our team is responsible for the hardware, making sure the obsolete semiconductor components have a viable replacement. In addition, we make sure the schematics and a bill of materials (BOMs) are aligned.

Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are.

I am part of the Women In Engineering & Allies network, with the aim to include as many people as possible, in the gender diversity discussions and to promote a diverse and inclusive working environment within engineering and the wilder business. I am also a key member of the REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) network and the African and Caribbean Heritage Network community. I feel that my African and Caribbean heritage allows me to offer my unique experiences and knowledge to further support these networks.

Additionally, I am part of the DRIVEN project. It is a team of JLR employees ages between 16-25 who race an endurance single seater electric car at race circuits around the UK against 70+ competitors from various universities, schools and other engineering companies globally, such as Cummins, Renishaw and Rolls Royce, in the international Greenpower F24+ Racing Series.

I am also part of the ESAC (Electrical, Software and Controls) and the CAD (Computer-Aided Design) teams. We are working on improving the design of the new car that is going to be used for the races, for ESAC is to work on the Electronic Systems of the cars and CAD to provide support over the design of the car in 3D experience.

Q: What do you like about working here?

As a black woman in Engineering, I was a bit sceptical when I fist joined the company. I then quickly discovered I am actually working for a diverse and inclusive company, with a wide range of projects that are accessible to young men and women like myself. There are so many opportunities here at JLR, full of passionate and talented people. It is a really exciting time to be part of this company, with new House of Brands, electrification, autonomous driving, company’s commitment to drive sustainability – these are just some of the reasons I really enjoy working here.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal?

One of my career aspirations is to become a Chartered Engineer. Being an undergraduate, this dream has always felt so far away. My manager however made me aware of all the support I could get from the company and whom I could reach out to within our own department and team, which made it all achievable for me to gain those extra accreditation.

Further down the line, I would love to become an Engineering Manager, to manage complex programmes and help other people to achieve their dreams. I have been given the opportunity to meet and shadow other managers, understand and explore different management styles. This has inspired me more to become a manager one day. I am still due to finish my degree and I really look forward to re-joining JLR after my graduation.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition?

I am a part of the Semiconductor Resilience team.

After companies faced an enormous challenge with the Semiconductor shortage, it was crucial to our industry to make sure that whatever happens, we are prepared. That is the context of our team, making sure that we know exactly what semiconductor content goes into our vehicles, and if by any chance there is a shortage, we will know about it in our planning stages, well before our vehicle line starts production. Not only will we know about it, but we will be able to replace the components in question and make the necessary alterations to our systems, in case there is no immediate replacements.

By doing so, it makes us stand out from our competitors, because we are more prepared and can account for changes early on the processes, before losing potentially millions of pounds!

Q: Tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself.

I have done triathlon for almost 10 years (since I was 7);

I am from Portugal;

My very first car was a Renault Clio from 1998, very resilient.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process?

Be yourself, JLR appreciates authentic and honest individuals;

Showcase your strengths, be proud of what you have achieved.

Find out more about our Early Careers programmes, click here

Early Careers, Engineering, Featured, Hints and Tips, Home Page, People, Undergraduate, United Kingdom, Who We Are

At JLR, we are empowered to push for change and improve processes

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

“The Undergraduate Programme allows for the freedom to explore roles within Jaguar Land Rover, from shadowing for just a day to venturing on a placement and delving into a unique project over the course of several months.

This breadth of experience has allowed an unparalleled expansion of my knowledge of the internal workings of Jaguar Land Rover, enabling me to realise and develop my strengths, ultimately finding the best career path for me.”

To find out more about Jaguar Land Rover Undergraduate Placement Programmes for 2023, visit our careers website here.

Q: Which department are you in and what role is it you do?

My current role is in Systems Integration, Technology Development. The Team is responsible for integrating vehicles into a variety of test rigs, particularly in simulating various Vehicle Components and ECUs (Electronic Control Units) to ensure the car responds to mechanical input as expected on test rigs despite having certain components removed or locked for testing.

Q: What projects are you working on?

Our Team has been responsible for designing and delivering aspects of a next generation Battery Test Facility for testing of future Jaguar Land Rover vehicles, one of the first such facilities in the World, where full Battery Pack testing can take place in a controlled environment. I have been tasked with researching existing and future battery thermal management systems on vehicles such that a representative solution can be developed and implemented on new Test Rigs. Separate to this project, I have been working closely with our Simulation Cells Team, focusing on and learning about the control systems and data reporting/database management of our 6DoF (6 Degrees of Freedom) and 4DoF rigs which are used to test the durability of our vehicles, simulating many years of use in a matter of weeks.

Q: What is your journey to get to this point?

Throughout my education and subsequent career, I have been intrigued by solving problems. I have thus taken on many group and individual projects, from designing a Collapsible Canoe-Polo Goal in conjunction with industry, to most recently, a Smart Robotic Gripper with advanced sensing capabilities and object recognition functionality at the University of Nottingham. I have thoroughly enjoyed both the creative aspects and technical challenges involved in these engineering projects as well as experienced across a multitude of courses I have been on, made accessible by the award of an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship. These courses and projects involved managing timescales and team members, designing solutions to technical challenges and iterating on them to resolve flaws, as well as consulting with a number of customers. It is the love of this cyclical yet consistently varied process that drew me towards this career.

Q: What are your learning and development goals?

By the end of this year, I aim to have my EngTech (Engineering Technician, iMechE) qualification, then working towards the CEng (Chartered Engineer, iMechE) over the course of the Graduate Scheme at Jaguar Land Rover. I intend to complete placements in different Teams, fulfilling a variety of roles. For example, in October I am expecting to embark on a placement in ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), acting as a Scrum Product Owner within the AGILE framework, responsible for a project’s outcome and maximising value through managing and optimising tasks to be completed – similar to conventional ‘project management.’ I may also work in the role of a Scrum Master, responsible for maintaining efficient and unblocked workflow across a Team.

Q: What is important to you about your work at Jaguar Land Rover?

I find immense satisfaction in improving workflows and efficiencies across a project, thus contributing to the overall sustainability of Jaguar Land Rover whilst delivering value. At Jaguar Land Rover, we are empowered to push for change and improve processes where opportunities for improvement are realised. This freedom and responsibility to challenge established practices are a key part of my work at Jaguar Land Rover.

Q: What impact has Jaguar Land Rover had on your career?

The Early Careers schemes at Jaguar Land Rover allows the flexibility to explore different Teams and Sectors within the company, from shadowing for just a day to venturing on a placement and delving into a unique project over the course of months. This breath of experience has allowed for the expansion of my skillset, building of a network and the broadening of knowledge of the internal workings of Jaguar Land Rover, enabling me to realise and develop my strengths, ultimately following the best career path for me.

Q: How is your work having an impact on society/the environment/customer experience/needs of the business?

In addition to my primary role at Jaguar Land Rover, I have also taken on the responsibilities of ‘Early Careers Undergraduate Lead,’ working to organise lectures from industry figures, socials and tours of engineering facilities for Early Careers (EC) members across Jaguar Land Rover enabling the networking and development of Undergraduates, Apprentices and Graduates. I am also working towards improving many of the existing systems in place for EC Members: looking to minimise the disruption involved in re-enrolling and inducting employees re-joining the company after a year in industry or on summer placements, thus saving the company thousands of wasted man-hours; introducing networking opportunities such as ‘Coffee Roulette’ to encourage EC members to build contacts and spark interest in potential placement opportunities; increasing visibility and advertising of useful services offered within Jaguar Land Rover, such as the Professional Development Mentorship Scheme that pairs aspiring engineers with senior mentors to guide them through the process of obtaining certain qualifications and working towards Chartership.  

Q: Tell us something interesting about yourself?

I have achieved LAMDA Grade 8 (Gold Medal) awards in Public Speaking, Verse & Prose, and Acting. I have also achieved a DofE Gold Award and a number of water sports qualifications (from Scuba Diving to Kitesurfing). Moving on to planning and leading skills sessions for children aged 11-16, teaching the fundamentals of Kayaking and moving onto more advanced Canoe Polo manoeuvres. I recently also obtained my ‘STA Level 2 Award in Teaching Swimming’, teaching Beginner and Improver classes of both children and adults. This has developed my articulation and teaching skills, being able to adapt and tailor explanations to a wide range of audiences with different knowledge levels and needs.

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Tailor my career to meet my passions with Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Simeon joined Jaguar Land Rover as a Product Engineering undergraduate 5 months ago. Within a short period of time, he has already made a real difference by constantly challenging himself to take on more responsibilities and difficult tasks.

Simeon has also built strong working relationships with his manager, his teams, and the key stakeholders cross-functionally. Simeon would love to return to Jaguar Land Rover for the Graduate Scheme and continue to develop his career with us.

To find out more about our latest Undergraduate Placement Programme for 2023, visit our careers website (click here) for more information.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. 

I started in Systems and Software integration for the BEV Range Rover programme. The key responsibility of the role is ensuring features and functions progress effectively to meet key deliverables of the programme. My main contribution to the team has been running a workshop to cover the progress of all thermal related features. This workshop has allowed me to lead a large group of cross-functional engineers through the feature design and development process and created a platform for feature owners to discuss blockers and dependencies. The output from this workshop has allowed impediments to be raised when there are risks to the programme and therefore additional resource to be allocated where needed to ensure deadlines are met. I have gained skills such as creating detailed agendas, taking efficient meeting notes with accountable actions, and developed a strong network by working collaboratively with all key stakeholders. These are all far beyond what is taught at university but essential for the industry. I am currently on placement 4 days a week within the Vehicle Packaging team for the upcoming Jaguar. This team focuses on how the components and occupants of the vehicle fit together, as well as balancing the design vision for the vehicle with what the engineering team can deliver. The majority of my time has been spent on the concept development for future Jaguar models, which has involved lots of 3D CAD, working closely with the Human Factors and Vehicle Evaluation teams to create targets for critical dimensions based off competitor vehicles and ergonomics.

Q: What do you like about working here?

The main reason I am enjoying my time at Jaguar Land Rover is the level of responsibility that has been given to me as an undergraduate. If you can show you are willing to work hard and capable of taking on difficult tasks, there are opportunities to make a difference and gain the invaluable skills that accompany this. There are also many benefits you won’t see advertised in the job description such as Ride and Drive events, off-road driving experiences, Employee Learning Scheme, and the opportunity to take our vehicles home for the weekend as a reward. Not many other companies can offer this, and it really adds to the overall job satisfaction.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

Over the course of my career, I aspire to work with the latest and greatest technology within the automotive industry, especially as we make the shift from ICE to EV vehicles. Jaguar Land Rover can certainly provide this, so I am hoping to stay with the company for the Graduate Scheme and further. I have a great relationship with my management. They are constantly opening doors for me to progress in the direction I want so I am confident that when I return, I will be able to tailor my career to meet my passions.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

Vehicle Engineering for Range Rover is a huge team, and by working at the whole vehicle level, it gives a broad perspective on the sheer amount of engineering that goes into creating a vehicle. This stands out from the competition because it isn’t just any vehicle, Range Rover is a market leading, luxury SUV and the attention to detail with design, comfort, materials, dynamics, noise and more really shows. 

Q: Tell us some interesting facts about yourself.

Outside of my studies and job I enjoy sport and music. I have been a keen sportsman all my life, I have played county and university football and recently joined a Jaguar Land Rover football team with other undergrads and grads. I also DJ, and what started as a hobby in lockdown, led to me playing in clubs and house parties where I go to university in Leeds.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

Jaguar Land Rover is going through an exciting cultural change at the moment with the Reimagine and Refocus strategy. The company is keen to employ young, enthusiastic minds to help with this change, so my advice would be to learn the new company values and how your experiences can contribute to the success of Jaguar Land Rover’s new strategy and future success. 

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JLR stands out by providing undergraduates and graduates, like myself, with many opportunities.

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Charlotte joined Jaguar Land Rover as a Product Engineering undergraduate 5 months ago. She is also an integral part of the ECI (Early Careers Innovations) committee where she presents / organises many Early Careers events. Charlotte passionately talked about her life at Jaguar Land Rover as an undergraduate, and she is looking forward to developing her career with Jaguar Land Rover for many years to come.  

Find out more about Jaguar Land Rover’s Undergraduate Placement Programmes, click here for more information.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. 

I started as a software developer, mainly developing the front-end of the PIVI web apps. I spent 4 months in that role, and now I have just started the UX designer role, designing the Jaguar Land Rover mobile app. As I am on an industrial placement, I have the opportunity to rotate around different positions in the business every few months, to get a taste for all the roles which I’m interested in trying.

Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are. 

I am a part of the ECI (Early Careers Innovations) committee, where I present and organise guest speakers to present to the Early Careers employees, about current innovations occurring across various departments.

Q: What do you like about working here?

I like the opportunity I am given, as an undergraduate, to try out various departments which I am interested in, rather than just working in the same role for the whole placement. It allows me to try new things which I may have not considered before. I have been surprised at how much I enjoyed the roles which I didn’t initially sign up to.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

I aspire to progress in a technology-related role; I’m not entirely sure what job specifically yet, as I’m still trying out many roles in my placement. I am hoping to be offered a gradate job at the end of my industrial placement, and then be offered a permanent job with the company, post-grad.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

Jaguar Land Rover stands out by providing undergraduates/graduates, like myself, with many opportunities. They offer exciting business trips, where you can visit the different sites and explore your work in action in our vehicles. They also give you the opportunity to try out various roles in the company and allow you to find out which role you enjoy/suits you the best.

Q: Tell us some interesting facts about yourself.

  • I really enjoy hiking in the UK’s national parks; I completed the DofE Bronze, Silver and Gold awards.
  • Soon, I want to travel Europe and in particular explore Iceland and the Switzerland mountains.
  • My favourite season of the year is summer and I’m not a fan of winter.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

Find out a lot about the company and the current goals Jaguar Land Rover is working towards. Not only will it give you better knowledge of the company which you are hoping to work for, it may also give you a better idea of what areas of the business you’re more interested in working in. For example, when I was applying to the company, I realised that I was very interested in PIVI. I mentioned that I was particularly interested in this in the interview, and to my surprise, I was offered a job as a software developer in the PIVI team.

Design, Early Careers, People, Undergraduate

From day one, I have been taken seriously, as a valued member of the team.

mandalc

‘During my placement at Jaguar Land Rover, I am part of the Interior Surfacing team. My department works to perfect all the interior surfaces the customer can see, balancing both design intent with manufacturing feasibility. After 3 months of training on a CAD software new to me, I am now working on live programs, helping to develop and finalise the A-surface geometry of interior parts for production. The team are always happy to help me, creating a really supportive environment in which to learn and develop my skills.

As well as gaining invaluable experience within my department, this opportunity has also offered the development of many professional soft skills, including presenting, teamwork, and project management. Gaining these skills at Jaguar Land Rover so early in my career, gives me great confidence in progressing further.

Additionally, the undergraduate programme has provided endless occasions to network with likeminded people at all levels of the business. From socialising with fellow Interns to presenting my work to senior designer’s, Jaguar Land Rover’s people culture has given me the chance to interact with and learn from everyone I meet.

From day one, I have been taken seriously, as a valued member of the team, being actively encouraged to contribute to the design and development of Jaguar Land Rover’s cutting edge vehicles. Having gained so much already, I’m excited for what lies ahead.’

There are still opportunities to join us on our undergraduate programmes in design and engineering. Find out more here Undergraduates (jaguarlandrovercareers.com).