Why LNER? 

We go beyond. For everyone. Our vision is to be the most loved, progressive and responsible way to travel for generations to come. Now we're looking for the people who can deliver this, every day. 

Since we took over on the East Coast mainline, we've been changing the face of rail travel. Our new Azuma train has brought faster journey times, more space and greater reliability. Our exciting plans to embrace new ideas, experiences, backgrounds and ambitions make this the ideal time to join. 

Bringing passion. Being bold. Always caring. Owning it. They're the values that make us LNER. 
 

Are you on board? 

Are you passionate about solving complex problems and driving real-world change? We're looking for an organised and proactive Innovation Associate to support the delivery of cutting-edge innovation projects across the DFTO group. In this role, you'll work closely with the Lead Research and Innovation Manager and Innovation Leads to coordinate events, engage stakeholders, and identify opportunities that spark meaningful innovation. 

Bringing a blend of project management skills and a collaborative mindset, you'll thrive in a fast-paced environment where agile and iterative development is key. Whether it's managing multiple workstreams, facilitating cross-functional collaboration, or translating technical ideas into actionable outcomes, your ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and take initiative will be essential to our success. 

Please note we are looking for 2 x 6 month fixed term contracts. 

Within this role you'll also be involved in; 

• Collaborating with a wide range of internal teams and external partners to help deliver impactful innovation projects through the Future Labs programme. 
• Acting as a key connector between innovation leads, subject matter experts, and external innovation partners to ensure seamless and effective project delivery. 
• Working alongside the Lead Research and Innovation Manager to shape and support the strategic direction of innovation across DFTO. 
• Applying Agile methodologies to support the iterative development, testing, and delivery of new ideas and solutions. 
• Helping to foster collaboration across DFTO by coordinating innovation activities and sharing best practices. 
• Supporting the organisation and delivery of engaging innovation events throughout the year. 
• Keeping up to date with emerging technologies and industry trends to help identify new opportunities for innovation. 
• Contributing to the successful adoption of innovation outcomes into everyday operations and services, turning great ideas into real-world impact. 

What you'll need:    

• Strong stakeholder management skills – You're confident engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, from technical experts to business leaders, and can clearly communicate complex ideas in a way that highlights their value and impact. 
• Excellent collaboration abilities – You thrive in team environments and enjoy working across disciplines, building positive relationships that help drive projects forward. 
• Familiarity with Agile ways of working – You understand the principles of Agile frameworks like Scrum or Kanban and ideally have experience working within agile teams to deliver projects in a fast-paced, iterative environment. 
• Industry experience (desirable) – Experience within the rail sector, transport, or other operationally focused and regulated industries is a plus, particularly if you've worked on innovation, transformation, or digital projects. 

What you'll get:  

• Free travel on LNER + 75% off other companies' tickets (for you & dependents)  
• Discounted international train tickets (after one year's service)  
• 50% discount on LNER tickets for friends & family  
• Generous pension scheme  
• Annual cycle to work schemes  
• Discount, savings and cashback scheme from top retailers  
• Health & wellbeing schemes and discounts  
• Host of training opportunities to help further your career  
• Rewards & awards to recognise when you shine  

What we believe:          

To be the most loved, progressive and responsible train operating company, we must make a meaningful difference – always doing what's right for our customers, our people, the communities and destinations we serve, the future of the industry we lead and the environment we cherish.  

We know that our people are the beating heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive, engaged culture that supports everyone at every stage of their journey – and ensures that when you're at LNER, you can always be you. No wonder most people never want to leave!  

Diversity and inclusion  
We are passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive workforce, representative of the communities we serve, and are creating ways to inspire diverse talent to join LNER.  

Developing our people  
We are focused on creating a learning culture, to support our people to be the best they can be at work by providing them with the tools and resources to navigate their development and career journey.  

Health & wellbeing  
To create a culture where our people can perform at their best, the physical health and mental wellbeing of our people is of paramount importance to us.  

What next?          

Start your journey here - Apply now!  

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check 

If you are successful in your application and are new to the business, we will undertake a basic DBS check as part of our pre-employment checks. This only happens once we have conditionally offered you the job.  Here we check for any unspent convictions and conditional cautions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. If there is evidence of an unspent conviction or conditional caution, the details of these are reviewed internally by a cross functional panel on a case by case basis before a final offer of employment is issued. This however may result in any offer being withdrawn. Further information on how we collect and use this data is available on our privacy notice. 

Medical screening 

We're a safety conscious business so for all roles you'll need to pass a medical screening and a drugs and alcohol test before we send you an unconditional job offer. For our safety critical roles, you'll also need to have a safety critical medical. Our friendly, in-house Health and Wellbeing team will book a time and place to suit you. The sooner, the better, so please be flexible with your availability. Once your medical gets the thumbs up, we'll finalise any last details and look forward to you joining our team.