Job Description:
Our R&D Graduate Leadership Programme: The Mars R&D Leadership Experience is the perfect grounding for a career in R&D. You’ll manage projects, take on roles with local and international exposure, and make decisions with real consequences. The work will come thick and fast, preparing you for the challenges of tomorrow.
The R&D Programme comprises of three 12-month placements. You’ll spend at least 2 of those years in our R&D function, exploring and contributing to what goes on in a function that plays a critical role in the making and developing of our most loved products. There will also be a potential opportunity to spend your 2nd placement in either Procurement or Supply, giving you a unique opportunity to experience a breadth of roles in another side of our business.
What will you do?
- 3 x 12-month placements, with 2-3 placements in R&D and the potential opportunity for 1 year in either Procurement or Supply.
- Opportunities to manage your own projects, allowing you to develop every day.
- After the 3 years you will sign off into a role in our R&D function.
Who are we looking for?
- You’ll be passionate about being a future leader in R&D and be able to demonstrate leadership potential.
- A degree in any STEM subject. Graduating next summer or graduated within the last 2 years.
- Technically and digitally minded.
- Mobile within the UK. We will place you into your home site of either Slough or Birstall (Leeds), and you will be expected to sign off the scheme in this location - but you may need to relocate for 1 of your placement years.
What are the benefits?
- Starting salary of £33,000 and joining bonus of £2,000.
- Wide range of competitive benefits, including competitive pension and healthcare scheme, annual bonus and flexible working hours.
- We’ll give you access to inspiring mentors and coaches to help you grow.
- Join our global graduate community, create friends for life and join a global business.
What can you expect from Mars?
- Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
- Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
- Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
- An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
For more information, please visit careers.mars.com/UK/en/students-graduates
Skills Required
- Degree in any STEM subject
- Graduating next summer or graduated within the last two years
- Demonstrated leadership potential
- Technical and digital aptitude
- Mobile within the UK and willing to relocate for one placement year
Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
Mars Insights
What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
