2026 Graduate UX Developer, IT & Digital

About us

National Grid is at the heart of the UK energy network keeping people connected and society moving. We develop, own and maintain the physical infrastructure, such as pylons and cables needed to move the electricity generated from windfarms and power sources around the country. Every time a phone is plugged in, or a switch is turned on, we've played a part, connecting you to the electricity you need - and we're leading the transformation towards a greener future, dreaming bigger to bring a more affordable energy future to everyone.

But it's our people that provide our true superpower. They drive and sustain our growth, their unique differences only making us stronger. But it's no small feat and we need the best to join us in our mission. So, join us and power the future of energy. 

About The Role

As a Graduate UX/UI Designer, you’ll play a key role in shaping how users interact with our digital products across National Grid. You’ll work closely with product managers, developers, and fellow designers to bring ideas to life — designing interfaces that are not only visually appealing but also user-centred and inclusive.

This is a fantastic opportunity to grow your skills in a supportive, fast-paced environment where your creativity and curiosity will be valued. You’ll gain hands-on experience in user research, design systems, prototyping, and stakeholder engagement, all while contributing to projects that impact millions of users.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Designing and prototyping user interfaces for web and mobile applications
• Conducting user research, usability testing, and competitor analysis to inform design decisions
• Translating user needs and business goals into wireframes, mock-ups, and interactive prototypes
• Collaborating with developers to ensure accurate implementation of designs
• Supporting the creation and maintenance of design systems and style guides
• Evaluating and iterating on designs based on user and stakeholder feedback
• Applying UX principles to improve customer journeys and digital touchpoints
• Participating in organisational design reviews and contributing to software architecture discussions
• Creating high-quality graphics and layouts that align with brand guidelines
• Using standard tools and methods to support UX analysis, evaluation, and documentation
• Engaging with stakeholders to gather feedback and support change initiatives
• Staying up to date with the latest UX/UI trends, tools, and best practices

You’ll be part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement — helping us deliver exceptional digital experiences that meet the needs of our customers and support our journey toward a sustainable energy future.

Our Graduate Programme

As you'll be joining our 18-month graduate programme, you'll have a tailored development pathway to support you as you develop a wide range of leadership, business, and technical skills. You'll attend in-person and virtual development sessions throughout your programme to equip you with the essential skills required, as you begin your career at National Grid. We're committed to the personal development of our colleagues so as well as the support from your line manager as you navigate your new role, you'll also have access to 121 coaching and a mentor, from a previous cohort to help you transition from campus to corporate life.

All graduates complete the core development programme to develop key skills such as how to make an impact, giving feedback and presentation skills. Aligned to our IT & Digital pathway you’ll develop your IT technical skills including AGILE and Scrum. You’ll also gain important insights in engineering and electricity to help broaden your understanding of our business and industry.

We believe in the importance of getting as much on-the-job experience as possible and to do this, you will complete three 6-month placements, across the UK, designed to deepen your understanding of your speciality but to also broaden your knowledge of our business. At the end of your 18-month programme you’ll return to your initial placement area to kickstart your superpowered career.

What you'll need to apply

You'll need to achieve, or be working towards, a minimum 2:2 in User Experience (UX) Design, Human-Centred Design, Marketing, Psychology, or a closely related discipline . It doesn’t matter when you graduated or if you are currently working towards your qualification. We just need you to be eager to apply your knowledge in a real-world setting.

Location

 This role is based in Warwick and may offer flexible hybrid working, where possible.

What You'll Get In Return

We are proud to offer a graduate starting salary of £36,640
 

Not only will you receive a tailored development programme to progress a superpowered career at National Grid, we also offer some great rewards and benefits too: 

• £2,000 bonus, once joined and started on programme
• 26 days holiday
• £2,400 payment on successful completion of the programme
• Up to £200 per month accommodation allowance as you move around the business, and additional annual leave for when you move between placements plus assistance with moving personal belongings
• Other benefits include pension and share-option schemes, Flexible Benefits, close mentorship and regular feedback & volunteering opportunities. 

More Information

You can only apply for one graduate opportunity during this recruitment cycle. We kindly ask that you review all our graduate opportunities and apply for the one that aligns closest with your aspirations and interests.

We recruit on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close our vacancies once we have enough applications/based on volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as early as possible to ensure you obtain the place you want in the application process. 

Assessment centres will be held between November - April 2026

National Grid's Graduate & Student opportunities in the UK are open to all applicants who meet the eligibility criteria including an existing and valid right to work in the UK. As part of the application process this will need to be evidenced and verified before you can start the programme.

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.

Please be aware that it’s your responsibility to explore avenues of working in the UK, as we're not able to provide advice on this. For information about visas please visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas