Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 
Salary: £19,514 per annum (rising annually throughout the apprenticeship)
Contract Type: Fixed-Term, 24 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 an organised, enthusiastic individual looking to build a great foundation in business administration?

Do you want to gain real-world experience supporting world-leading science and technology projects?

Join the Hartree Centre, part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and take your first step towards an exciting and rewarding career.

As an apprentice, you’ll combine formal training with hands-on experience, developing the technical and professional skills that will set you up for success in any career path. 

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 Business Support team at the STFC?

At the Hartree Centre, we use supercomputing, data science and AI to tackle real-world problems. As a Business Administration Apprentice, you’ll join a small, friendly, and experienced Hartree Business Support team that keeps the Hartree Centre running efficiently. You’ll gain valuable insight into how large-scale research organisations operate — from managing meetings and events to supporting recruitment, travel, and project coordination.

You’ll also have the opportunity to shadow other departments within the Professional Services team ie; Project Management, Impact & Communications, Training, Business & Stakeholder Engagement to enhance your understanding of how everyone’s role compliments the smooth running of the Hartree Centre.  

Link to Hartree Centre intro video: Welcome to the Hartree Centre

Link to Hartree Centre’s LinkedIn page: STFC Hartree Centre | LinkedIn 

Qualifications Gained

Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship   

Business administrator  

What You’ll Learn

• Effective business administration and organisational techniques
• Professional communication and teamwork
• Using business software and digital tools confidently (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Problem-solving, time management, and prioritisation skills
• Understanding organisational policies and compliance requirements
• Event and meeting coordination
• Insight into how science and technology organisations operate 

Training Provider

Warrington and Vale Royal College: Business Apprenticeship | Warrington & Vale Royal College 

Delivery - Instructor-led virtual learning, online self-study and 10 days of in-person training in the college  

What You’ll Be Doing – Day-to-day responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day administrative support across the Hartree Centre, including procurement, travel bookings, diary management, and meeting coordination.
• Deliver secretariat services for internal meetings, including minute-taking and action tracking using Microsoft Word, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Maintain internal records such as staff databases and organisational charts.
• Support recruitment processes — track applicants, coordinate interviews, and help onboard new team members. 
• Organise internal and external company visits and events.
• Attend & support external events.  
• Prepare professional documentation such as emails, letters, reports, and presentations.
• Meet and greet a wide range of staff and external visitors, ensuring a professional and friendly welcome.
• Arrange national and international travel for staff. 

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)  
• An awareness of basic health and safety (I)
• Enthusiastic and motivated to learn, both in the workplace and through formal training (I)
• Confident using a computer, especially tools like Word, Excel, and Outlook (S&I)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills (S&I)
• Good at keeping things on track and getting tasks done on time (S&I)
• Attention to detail and a proactive approach (S&I)
• A team player who’s also confident working independently  (S&I)
• Willing to travel occasionally for training or work purposes (S&I)
• A genuine interest in science, technology, or engineering and the work of STFC (S&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.
• 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 [email protected] 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! 

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.  For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.