2027 UK Graduate Consultancy Career Path: Net Zero Buildings
Before making an application, please browse all graduate opportunities available as we will only accept one application per candidate. Once you have made an application you will not be able to make changes to your selection or make a new application. The exception is if we open new vacancies in the new year.
To avoid missing out on your preferred role, we recommend applying as early as possible, as positions will close once filled.
Application process
- Online strengths-based assessment
- Application form
CVs and cover letters are not required as part of the application process. Candidates will be assessed through a single-stage strengths-based interview.
Start your career with a global, employee-owned consultancy where your work can make a real difference. At Mott MacDonald, you'll work alongside experts, contribute to meaningful projects, and have the support, learning opportunities, and experience needed to grow your career from day one.
Job Description
Help Shape a More Sustainable Future
At Mott MacDonald, we believe that the transition to a net zero future is one of the most important challenges and opportunities of our time. As a Graduate Net Zero Consultant, you'll play a part in helping organisations, communities, and governments reduce carbon emissions, improve energy performance, and create a more sustainable built environment for future generations.
Joining our established and innovative team means becoming part of a diverse network of specialists who are passionate about delivering practical solutions to complex environmental challenges. Together, we help clients turn ambitious climate commitments into meaningful action, creating positive outcomes for people, places, and the planet.
This is an opportunity to build a rewarding career while contributing to projects that have a lasting societal impact. From supporting public sector decarbonisation programmes to helping businesses achieve their sustainability ambitions, your work will help accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future.
The Opportunity
As a Graduate Net Zero Consultant, you'll work alongside experienced advisors, engineers, and sustainability specialists on a diverse portfolio of projects across public and private sector buildings.
You'll be encouraged to develop your technical expertise, broaden your understanding of the energy and sustainability landscape, and contribute fresh ideas that help shape innovative solutions. Through structured development, mentoring, and hands-on project experience, you'll gain the skills, confidence, and experience needed to grow into a trusted sustainability professional.
You'll support clients in understanding their carbon footprint, identifying opportunities for improvement, and developing strategies that deliver measurable environmental, social, and economic benefits.
What You'll Do
As part of our collaborative and multidisciplinary team, you'll help clients navigate their journey to net zero by supporting a wide range of technical and strategic projects.
Your responsibilities may include:
- Supporting the development of energy strategies and decarbonisation pathways for buildings projects
- Assisting with energy audits and site assessments to identify opportunities for improved efficiency and carbon reduction.
- Evaluating low and zero-carbon technologies, including heat pumps, heat networks, solar PV, renewable energy systems, and emerging technologies.
- Undertaking operational and embodied carbon assessments for new and existing developments.
- Supporting whole-life carbon and lifecycle assessments to better understand and reduce environmental impacts across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
- Assisting in the preparation of technical reports, energy studies, feasibility assessments, and client presentations.
- Supporting clients in setting ambitious yet achievable net zero goals and developing practical action plans to deliver them.
- Contributing to sustainability certification assessments and frameworks, including BREEAM and other recognised standards.
- Analysing technical and financial data to help clients make informed investment decisions.
- Working collaboratively with engineers, planners, economists, asset managers, and sustainability specialists to deliver integrated solutions.
Why This Role Matters
Organisations across the world are seeking practical ways to reduce carbon emissions, improve resilience, and respond to climate change. The decisions made today will shape the environmental legacy we leave for future generations.
As a Graduate Net Zero Consultant, you'll help:
- Accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Improve the sustainability and resilience of the built environment.
- Support responsible investment and long-term environmental stewardship.
- Deliver positive outcomes for communities, organisations, and the wider society.
- Help clients make evidence-based decisions that balance environmental, social, and economic priorities.
Your work will contribute directly to projects that support climate action and create lasting value for future generations.
What We're Looking For
We're seeking graduates who are passionate about sustainability, motivated by solving complex challenges, and inspired by the opportunity to make a meaningful difference.
Candidate Specification
At Mott MacDonald, we’re looking for curious, motivated graduates who want to make a real difference. Join our purpose-driven teams where your ideas matter, your growth is supported, and your work enhances the world we live in.
To be eligible for this opportunity, you will have less than 12 months’ relevant experience (excluding placements) and have a bachelors degree (obtained no earlier than 2025) or expected to achieve one of the following degree disciplines:
- Energy Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Building Services Engineering
- Sustainability and Environmental Management
- Renewable Energy
- Environmental Science
- Geography
- Physics
- Climate Change and Sustainability
- Or a related discipline
In your application, you should aim to demonstrate your genuine interest in both the opportunity and in joining Mott MacDonald. You can do this by highlighting any relevant experience or interests - such as modules you've studied, previous work experience, or any research you've undertaken about our company, values, and projects.
We personally review every completed application form we receive as this part of our selection process is entirely human led – we do not use AI tools at this stage and kindly ask you not to either. We want you to answer each application question with authenticity so we can get to know the real you. Joining us as a graduate is your opportunity to shape your own story.
We are looking for graduates with the following strengths:
- Proactively takes initiative to complete tasks efficiently and independently.
- Communicates effectively and clearly with clients and colleagues.
- Delivers high quality written work with strong attention to detail and clarity.
- Demonstrates a structured and analytical approach to problem solving.
UK Immigration
Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024.
Our ethos is to develop, train and retain our graduates and therefore we are looking for a long-term relationship with our graduates. For this reason, we cannot accept applications from candidates who would be working under the Graduate visa route or other time-limited visas, (irrespective of visa duration), due to their temporary nature and the requirement for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route in future.
We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.
AI Usage
At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people-first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.
Accessibility
We want you to feel supported and able to perform at your best throughout our recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing with us more accessible, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help.
About your development
A graduate position should be more than just a job. We know this and so do you. That’s why with our graduate roles we aim to give you the experience and technical knowledge you need to progress your career. From the moment you join us, you’ll receive the training you need. You will be assigned a mentor, who will guide you to meet the objectives of your professional training needs. You will join our three-year early careers soft skills development programme – Accelerating your Future, which is designed to give you the skills and tools necessary for a long-lasting successful career here at Mott MacDonald.
Our social side
Being part of Mott MacDonald means more than just work; there’s a huge range of fun and exciting things that you can get involved in.
From the moment you join us, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your social and professional network, whether it’s meeting other graduates or joining forces with other members of staff from around the company at our annual sports day. Each of our offices have a sports and social committee which will give you the chance to be part of a variety of sports, social and charity events. We’re committed to promoting a strong culture of social responsibility and encourage our staff to play active roles in the local community.
It's worth noting that sports and social committees tend to vary from office to office, so as well as getting involved in what’s already on offer, don’t be afraid to suggest new events or initiatives that you think could be a great addition. It doesn’t stop there. From your first day, you’ll have access to Perks at Work, giving you discounts on cinema tickets, travel, utilities and much more, helping you make the most of our employee benefits.
Agile working
At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.
We offer some fantastic benefits including:
Financial wellbeing
- Biannual salary reviews: We believe hard work should be recognised and rewarded. To support your development and progression, you'll be eligible for salary reviews twice a year during your first three years with us, subject to successfully completing your probation period.
- We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
- Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
- Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
- Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
- As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.
Employee Ownership
- Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
- Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
- As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution.
- Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
- For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.
Health and wellbeing
- Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
- Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
- Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
- A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
- Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.
Lifestyle
- 33 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
- 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
- Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
- Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.
Enhanced family and carers leave
- Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
- Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
- Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
- We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.
Learning and development
- Primary annual professional institution subscription.
- A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.
Networks, communities, and social outcomes
- Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
- We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.
- Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.