Process Metallurgist in London

Are you an experienced Process Metallurgist with a strong background in heat treatment and manufacturing? We are supporting a leading engineering organisation in the search for a Process Metallurgist to join their Technical Quality team, supporting complex, high-specification products within a highly regulated defence manufacturing environment. This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of heat treatment processes, drive continuous improvement, and provide technical expertise across manufacturing operations, ensuring compliance with industry standards while supporting quality, productivity, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain, and optimise heat treatment processes, programs, and work instructions to ensure consistent, compliant manufacturing.
• Provide technical support to production teams on furnace operation, process control, and metallurgical requirements.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce scrap, rework, cycle times, and improve furnace utilisation and process capability.
• Conduct metallurgical investigations and root cause analysis to resolve heat treatment and process-related issues.
• Maintain heat treatment documentation, calibration records, and technical evidence to support internal and external audits.
• Support supplier and subcontractor oversight, ensuring outsourced heat treatment activities meet quality and contractual requirements.
• Deliver technical guidance and training to operators and manufacturing teams.
• Monitor process performance through KPI analysis and support corrective and preventative actions where required.

Candidate Requirements:

• Previous experience as a Process Metallurgist, Metallurgical Engineer, Heat Treatment Engineer, or similar within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of heat treatment processes, furnace operations, quenching, thermal processing, and metallurgical principles.
• Experience working within recognised quality management systems such as ISO 9001, AS9100, CQI-9, or AMS2750.
• Experience conducting root cause investigations using methodologies such as 8D, 5 Why, or Ishikawa.
• Ability to interpret technical specifications, engineering requirements, and manufacturing standards.
• Experience producing technical reports and analysing manufacturing or process performance data.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate across engineering, production, quality, and supply chain teams.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience within defence, aerospace, heavy engineering, marine, steel, or other highly regulated manufacturing sectors.
• Knowledge of pyrometry, temperature uniformity surveys, furnace calibration, and heat treatment compliance standards.
• Experience auditing manufacturing or supplier processes and overseeing subcontracted heat treatment activities.
• Degree or HNC/HND in Metallurgy, Materials Science, Materials Engineering, or a related discipline.

Benefits / Wider Package:

• 33 days annual leave including bank holidays
• Competitive pension package with up to 13% combined contribution and immediate enrolment
• Free onsite parking and access to employee fitness facilities
• Flexible working arrangements with adaptable start and finish times around core business hours

Additional Information:

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be able to satisfy any applicable security or background screening requirements associated with the role. Due to the nature of the position, there may be a requirement to work rotating double-day shifts as part of the operational needs of the business.