What it does: World leading innovator highly regarded for engineering and developing high performance, intelligent technologies that help improve peoples’ lives. Dyson solves the problems that others choose to ignore and invests in the engineers of the future
Staff stats: Over 9,000 staff globally. 250 staff based in Australia
The good bits: A supportive work culture, access to a passionate and highly skilled local and global team, discounts on Dyson products
The not so good bits: Organisational growing pains arising from rapid growth
Hiring grads with degrees in: Property & Built Environment; Sciences; Teaching, Education & Human Welfare; Engineering, Maths, IT & Computer Sciences; Finance, Accounting, Economics & Business Administration; Health & Medical Sciences; Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences; Law & Legal Studies
The Dyson story
In 1978, James Dyson, an English engineer and inventor, became frustrated with his vacuum cleaner’s diminishing performance. Taking it apart, he discovered its bag was clogging with dust, causing suction to drop. Five years and 5,127 prototypes later, James Dyson invented the world’s first bagless vacuum cleaner. Manufacturers and distributors had shown little interest in his powerful and cutting-edge design, so James founded an eponymous company to sell the vacuum cleaner he’d invented. The rest, they say, is history.
Following its cyclonic vacuum technology breakthrough, Dyson quickly established a benchmark of engineering excellence and expanded into new product categories. Over the last 25 years, intelligent machines such as Dyson fans, heaters, air purifiers and humidifiers, Dyson cord-free vacuum cleaners, the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, Dyson lighting products and the Dyson Airblade hand dryers have been launched in 75 markets globally.
Today, James Dyson remains Chief Engineer and Chairman and the company has evolved into a global technology enterprise. Dyson employs over 9,000 people globally and sells a range of exceptionally designed and engineered products in more than 75 countries. The company holds 8,000 patents worldwide and is focused on combining hardware, software and algorithms to make intelligent machines which understand their environment and how to improve it.
Dyson is continuing its £2.5bn (AU$4 billion) investment programme in future technology to develop next generation products in the fields of robotics, battery cells, vision systems and artificial intelligence. Dyson employs 3,500 engineers and scientists around the world and invests £7 million each week in R&D.
The culture
Dyson is committed to creating the best possible working environment for all Dyson people, and in turn, Dyson people are incredibly passionate and loyal.
Dyson’s R&D labs have employed more than three times the female engineers than is the average level for the UK. Through the not-for-profit James Dyson Foundation and working with various government bodies, James Dyson has also invested considerable resources to encourage and inspire more young women to consider careers in engineering.
Social contribution
Founded in 2002, the James Dyson Foundation supports design, technology and engineering educational work internationally. To date, the charity has donated £60m to charitable causes, including £12m to Imperial College London to create the Dyson School of Design Engineering. Each year the Foundation runs the James Dyson Award, an international design and engineering award that celebrates, encourages, and inspires the next generation of design engineers. The brief is broad – ‘design something that solves a problem’ – and the award is open to product design, industrial design, and engineering university students. We’re looking for designers who think differently to create products that work better – the winner takes away £30,000 to further develop their project.
Dyson will build on the work of the James Dyson Foundation and offer a high quality engineering education to aspiring engineers. The Institute Dyson will invest £15million over the next five years to tackle head-on the dearth of skilled engineers in the UK. It will open in September 2017, teaching engineering undergraduate degrees alongside real-world jobs at Dyson’s Research and Development campus in Wiltshire. It will offer the brightest aspiring engineers an alternative to a traditional university degree.
Drawing on Dyson’s existing university collaborations and in-house engineering expertise, it will offer aspiring engineering undergraduates a degree education while working with world-class practitioners on real products. In return the undergraduates will come away from higher education debt-free, having earned a salary throughout. They will enter the profession as fully fledged, battle-hardened engineers who will have learned alongside world experts.
The recruitment process
Standards and expectations are high - and Dyson don't believe in hand-holding. But if you can think differently, and you aren't afraid to make mistakes, they’ll help you realise your potential. To be considered for Dyson’s grad programs you’ll need to be in good academic standing.
Dyson applies the same streamlining to its recruitment process as it does to its products. If you’re interested in one of its grad or internship programs, you submit your CV, Cover Letter and latest transcript online and answer a few screening questions. If you’re judged to be a good fit, you’re then invited to complete two online aptitude tests. The next stage may include an “interactive online assessment” involving “video-based questions. At the final ‘selection day’ stage you’ll be invited to a Dyson office to tour the facilities, meet key people and learn more about the grad program you’ve applied for. You’ll also gain access to a Facebook group where you can connect with others who will be doing Dyson’s grad programs.
Remuneration
Salaries are around the industry average. Leave provisions are generous. Staff can buy Dyson products at discounted prices.
Career prospects
At Dyson, graduates and interns are dropped in at the deep end. They learn by doing – not watching. It's an approach that routinely brings the very best out of the brightest new talent, turning them from new starters to major achievers in months. Not years.
Every year, Dyson employees are given the opportunity to apply for the company’s Pioneers emerging talent programme designed to stretch, challenge and shape the careers of our future international leaders. There are also a wide range of training programs available to employees providing access to industry-leading learning and skills training.
Dyson likes to “get the most out our people” and make sure they “get the most out of Dyson”. In short, if you’re the ambitious, self-reliant, resilient and innovative type, you’ll love the culture. And with a vibrant culture, the latest technologies and a relaxed dress code reflecting its creative engineering spirit, it’s an exciting team environment geared towards fuelling and realising ambition.
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Opportunities at Dyson
Dyson ANZ hire Graduates in Sales, Marketing and Finance to participate in our 2 year Graduate Program focused on helping them to develop their commercial knowledge and globally mindset. Graduates may have an opportunity to travel overseas and to work in another Dyson market as part of the program.
Dyson ANZ also offer internships for a 12 week period over summer working in Sales, Marketing and Finance. Interns have the opportunity to take on a real role within the team and to complete a project which they will present back to the business at the end of the program.