R&D Technician - Fabrication & Tooling
Location: Preston / Fulwood, Lancashire
Salary: Up to £40,000 DOE
Hours: Monday-Friday, 39.5 hours per week
Permanent | Days
We are recruiting for an experienced R&D Technician to join a well-established and highly successful manufacturing business based in the Preston area.
This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled Fabricator, Toolmaker, Sheet Metal Worker or Development Technician who enjoys solving engineering problems, working from drawings and turning new product concepts into practical prototypes, tooling, moulds and production-ready solutions.
This is a genuinely hands-on engineering position where you will work closely with the R&D and wider manufacturing teams, taking projects from initial concept through manufacture, modification, testing and final verification.
The Role
As R&D Technician, you will be responsible for the manufacture and development of bespoke tooling, moulds, jigs and formers used in new product development.
Your duties will include:
- Manufacturing and developing new tooling, moulds, jigs and formers
- Building components and tooling from detailed engineering drawings
- Carrying out sheet metal fabrication and developing complex shapes
- MIG and TIG welding to a high standard
- Bending, drilling, grinding and press brake work
- Modifying and improving new tooling during the development process
- Carrying out new tool verification and snagging
- Supporting design reviews and providing practical manufacturing input
- Advising design teams on Design for Manufacturability (DfM)
- Carrying out R&D moulding trials and verifying operating parameters
- Product verification, testing and problem solving
- Supporting pilot production runs and the transition of new products into manufacture
- Working with a range of materials including sheet metal, plastics, wood and composites
- Using measuring equipment including micrometers and calipers
- Providing advanced maintenance and technical support where required
- Working closely with R&D, engineering and production departments
- Sharing technical knowledge and supporting less experienced team members
- Ensuring work is completed in line with health, safety and quality requirements
What We're Looking For
We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with a strong practical background in fabrication, tooling, prototype manufacture or product development.
You will ideally have:
- A minimum of 10 years' hands-on experience within tool manufacture and/or fabrication
- Strong sheet metal fabrication skills
- Experience developing complex shapes and bespoke components
- Strong MIG and TIG welding skills
- Experience with bending, drilling, grinding and press brake setup
- The ability to confidently interpret and manufacture from detailed engineering drawings
- Excellent practical problem-solving skills
- Good 3D visualisation skills with the ability to understand how a finished component or tool needs to be manufactured
- Experience taking complex projects from concept through to manufacture and verification
- Experience working with different materials
- Good knowledge of dimensional inspection and measuring equipment
- Excellent attention to detail
- The ability to manage multiple projects and priorities
- Good communication skills and the confidence to work across different engineering departments
- A Level 3 NVQ / City & Guilds qualification in Fabrication & Welding Engineering, Sheet Metal or similar
- Full UK driving licence
- Experience within a manufacturing environment or knowledge of plastic moulding processes such as rotational or injection moulding would be advantageous but is not essential.
Salary & Benefits
Salary up to £40,000, depending on experience and capability.
Benefits include:
- 25 days annual leave plus 8 public holidays
- Additional holiday purchase scheme
- Company pension
- Healthcare scheme
- Death in service benefit
- Free on-site parking
- Tea and coffee provided
- Permanent, stable position
- Monday-Friday working hours
Working Hours
39.5 hours per week
Monday-Thursday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Some additional flexibility may occasionally be required depending on business and project demands.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
R&D Technician in Preston employer: Employment Solutions Ltd
Join a dynamic engineering and manufacturing environment where your role as a Driver / Stores Assistant will be both varied and rewarding. Enjoy the benefits of a four-day working week, competitive pay, and the potential for permanent employment after an initial 12-week period, all while being part of a supportive team that values reliability and hard work.
