For the Atlassian Williams Racing team, progress doesn’t just happen on the track. Behind the scenes, our teams are building careers that grow as fast as the sport itself.
But what does that look like?
We spoke to team members about how they’ve taken their careers to the next level, with new roles or promotions here at Williams.
Career growth in an
evolving F1 team
Williams is building for the future. We’re ambitious about future World Championship success, and our people are helping us to get there. This change opens doors to career progression in F1, allowing professionals to grow fast alongside the team.
Ciaran Perucca, Head of Operational Programme, joined during this exciting period of evolution:
“The opportunity of growth is what initially attracted me to Williams. A lot of people who have joined recently bought into the idea that the team is going to change. To be able to influence that from an early starting point is really exciting.”
“I’m on a different career path than I thought I would be on when I first joined, and I’m really excited for the challenge. There's a lot of change here and I’ve had plenty of trust from my boss. We’re all one team and in this together, you get great support to grow.”
How we support development and learning
Development is built into daily life at Williams. People are encouraged to share ideas, learn from one another, and take ownership of their growth. From mentoring to technical training, everyone has access to the tools and support they need to reach their full potential.
Through our partnership with Atlassian, we’ve strengthened how that development happens. Their innovative technology helps our teams to capture ideas and stay connected, making it easier for every person to contribute to our mission. It’s part of how we shape the future together.
Justin Vasiljevic, Design Engineer, has grown through that culture of learning:
“I joined Williams in January 2022 as my first job out of university. It’s been a great experience improving my technical engineering skills as well as communication and other skills. Formula 1 is a cool industry to work in and it’s a dream job out of university.”
“Williams is in a transformative period. We’re learning from each other and learning how to do things better. I think that’s really exciting. It’s a great place to grow. There are opportunities to improve as an individual on our journey to be back on top of the grid. If you want to push forward and contribute more, everyone's there to support you.”
How early career opportunities shape long-term careers
Those who join Williams through early careers pathways discover growth opportunities from day one. Our apprenticeships, placements, and graduate programmes are designed to provide real-world experience and long-term progression. Many of our senior team members began their journeys this way, developing skills while playing a part in the team’s progress.
George Patey, Senior Composite Design Engineer, started his career this way:
“I started full time at Williams through the very competitive apprenticeship programme. For the first two years, I rotated around the business before specialising in composites, mainly focused on manufacturing the chassis.”
“I then became a full-time composite technician before moving into the design department as a composite support engineer. Most recently, I’ve been promoted to senior design engineer, looking after a large section of chassis design. There is a well-proven design training programme in place, which involves mentoring and online training courses.”
Read more: What you can expect in our early careers programmes
Career growth in F1 engineering
Engineering has always been at the heart of our success, and we’ve got a proud history of developing skilled engineers. For George, that development has been fuelled by the team’s commitment to investing in its people.
“Over the last 12 years, I’ve seen people move up into management and into new departments. If you work hard and align with the values, the business will support your career development. Williams supported me to become a (hopefully good!) senior engineer. I want to keep growing, help shape the car’s design, and support others to improve too.”
Read more: How to become an F1 engineer
Growth within the race team
Learning happens fast trackside. The race-team environment is dynamic and demanding, offering constant opportunities to develop. Growth here means adapting quickly, learning under pressure, and working together toward every small performance gain that makes a difference on race day.
Ollie Mitchell, Race Team Spare Coordinator, grew into the role he'd always wanted:
“My dream has always been to work in the race team, and when an opportunity comes up to follow your dreams, you have to take the leap. When a chance to move into a spares coordinator role with the race team was available, I went for it. Williams is very open to growth and allowing people to explore different opportunities. There's real encouragement to help you find your place.”
Growth opportunities across departments
Career growth in Formula 1 doesn’t start and end with engineering. Professionals across operations, marketing, finance, HR, and more play vital roles in keeping the team competitive. Internal mobility is encouraged, giving people the freedom to explore new areas and bring fresh ideas into different parts of the business.
Laura Kirk, Licensing Executive, saw this firsthand:
“I joined Williams on a temporary contract within HR. I didn’t expect that it would lead to the role I’m currently in! I started to explore open vacancies within the business, and everyone involved was so supportive of the move. The process itself was really efficient.”
“There is so much opportunity for growth within Williams. As a business, we’re growing every day with new roles created all the time. I’ve found the culture to be very open to changing and doing things differently, which has been implemented by Team Principal James Vowles. As a team, we’re on an upward trajectory!”
For more examples of cross-team growth, check out our blog on making lateral career moves at Williams.
Find your place in the team
Every career at Williams has the potential for growth. Whether you’re designing, analysing, or supporting trackside, you’ll be trusted to grow and surrounded by people who share your drive. We’re a team built on a belief in what’s possible when people come together to shape the future. Here, growth is part of how we create the winning formula.
If you’re ready to make real impact in Formula 1, explore our latest job opportunities. To get alerted when our new openings are available, join our talent community.
