Project Manager L6 Apprentice

Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 
Salary: £24,340 per annum (rising annually throughout the apprenticeship)
Contract Type: Fixed-Term, 48 months
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours 
Location: Hartree Centre, Sci-Tech Daresbury, Keckwick, Warrington, WA4 4AD
Closing Date: Sunday, 2nd February 2026
Interview Date: Feb 2026 / Mar 2026 
Start Date: September 2026 

Are you ready to start your career in project management? Join the Hartree Centre’s Programme Management Office as a Project Management Apprentice and help deliver projects that enable businesses to solve real-world challenges with the latest technologies. You’ll assist both internal and external stakeholders in delivering projects that create meaningful results across industry and academia.

You’ll learn first-hand how to oversee complex collaborative research projects, while assisting us in developing and advancing our methods following the UK Association for Project Management approach. Join us and engage with a team dedicated to continuous growth in a fast-paced, innovative atmosphere.

About an Apprenticeship at STFC

We’re looking for enthusiastic and motivated individuals ready to develop their skills through formal training and hands-on experience. As an apprentice, you’ll gain real-world experience, build technical and professional skills, and contribute to cutting-edge research and innovation in a dynamic, supportive environment.  

You’ll be fully supported throughout the programme with regular check-ins from a dedicated Apprenticeship Coordinator, structured training, practical experience, and mentorship from industry professionals. Plus, you’ll have access to workshops, a peer network, and career development support, helping you feel confident and prepared for new challenges.  

Why join the Hartree Centre at STFC?

The Hartree Centre’s goal is to equip UK industry with the necessary knowledge, skills, and compute capabilities to unlock advanced digital technologies’ full potential. As a part of UK Research and Innovation, it features some of the UK’s most sophisticated computing, data, and AI technologies. From SMEs starting out to multinational corporations, its experts collaborate with both industry and the research community. They address real challenges and speed up the deployment of high-performance technologies, driving major gains in efficiency, performance, and time to market.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B52ehNNGGA 

Qualifications gained

• Level 6 Project Manager (integrated degree) apprenticeship
• BSc (Hons) in Project Management  
• APM PMQ 
• Project manager (integrated degree) / Skills England 

What You’ll Learn

Throughout your apprenticeship, you will develop a deep understanding of multiple elements of project management, including:

Project Governance & Compliance 

• Understanding governance frameworks, roles, and responsibilities.
• Ensuring projects align with organisational strategy and legal requirements.

Planning & Scheduling

• Developing detailed project plans, schedules, and milestones.
• Applying change control and maintaining schedule integrity.

Risk & Issue Management

• Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks.
• Managing issues proactively to minimise impact on delivery.

Financial & Resource Management

• Preparing and monitoring budgets and cost forecasts.
• Managing resources effectively to optimise performance.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Building positive relationships with stakeholders.
• Communicating clearly and managing expectations throughout the project lifecycle.

Procurement & Contract Management

• Understanding procurement processes and supplier management.
• Managing contracts to ensure compliance and value for money.

Change & Benefits Realisation

• Managing organisational change and ensuring benefits are delivered.
• Aligning projects with long-term strategic objectives. 

Training provider

University of Cumbria: BSc (Hons) Project Manager Degree Apprenticeship - University of Cumbria

Delivery – Online (live sessions) and face-to-face over the Annual Summer School 

What You'll Be Doing - Day-to-day responsibilities

• Supporting the delivery of Hartree Centre projects, helping meet agreed goals and deadlines.  
• Assisting with planning tasks, tracking progress, and maintaining project documentation.  
• Following established guidelines, techniques, and tools for project management and planning, adapting the delivery methodology as appropriate to the situation  
• Working with team members and stakeholders to ensure clear communication and smooth project delivery.  
• Helping identify and manage risks, resolve issues, and raise them when needed.  
• Contributing to improving processes and learning best practices in project management. 

Entry Requirements

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

We are looking for the following:

• GCSEs in Maths and English (Grade 4/C or above) (S)  
• A minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points at A Level or an equivalent Level 3 qualification i.e., BTEC National Diploma (S)
• An awareness of basic health and safety (I)  
• Enthusiastic and motivated to learn, both in the workplace and through formal training (I)
• Demonstrates skills needed to work in a project delivery environment, such as problem solving, managing time well, working in a team, but also using own initiative to work independently (S &I)
• Understanding or knowledge of computing or scientific fields with good commercial awareness (I)
• Demonstrates good communication skills with a proactive demeanour to problem-solving, handling risks, and escalating issues that arise where appropriate (S&I)
• Is able to influence a range of stakeholders so that agreed project deliverables are achieved to deadlines (I) 

Important Information

• To complete the apprenticeship, you will need to evidence passes at 9-4 or A*-C in GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English. For those sitting their GSCEs in Summer 2026, we would need evidence of your predicted grades.
• You will need to have achieve, or predicted to achieve 96 UCAS points or equivalent by September 2026.
• When applying for an apprenticeship, there is a set residency eligibility criteria that must be met by the applicant. To check your eligibility please click here.
• The training provider will also ask you to complete an initial assessment during the application process. If you already have a qualification in this subject area or similar please include, as an attachment, your transcript outlining the grade/s achieved and modules covered.  By applying for this apprenticeship, you are giving permission for your details to be shared with the relevant training provider.

We will be in touch after the closing date, however, please reach out on apprenticerecruitment@ukri.org if you have any questions. 

Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received. 

Employee Benefits

• Your salary will increase annually as you progress through your apprenticeship, in line with policy.
• 30 days holiday (in addition to 10.5 bank holidays and privilege days).
• Flexible working hours.
• An excellent defined average salary pension scheme.
• Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.
• Cycle to work scheme.

For a list of our full benefits, please visit here.

As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y 

How to apply 

Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert. 

Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received.  

We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. 

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what's possible!