Material Scientist in Widnes

Alkegen brings together two of the world's leading specialty materials companies to create one new, innovation-driven leader focused on battery technologies, filtration media, and specialty insulation and sealing materials. Through global reach and breakthrough inventions, we are delivering products that enable the world to breathe easier, live greener, and go further than ever before. With over 60 manufacturing facilities and a global workforce of over 9,000 of the industry's most experienced talent, including insulation and filtration experts, Alkegen is uniquely positioned to help customers impact the environment in meaningful ways.

The Materials Scientist will play a critical role in ensuring the operational efficiency, stability, and material consistency of polycrystalline wool manufacturing operations. The role is focused on understanding, controlling, and optimising materials from incoming raw chemicals through formulation, processing, and successful passage through the manufacturing line. A key aspect of the role is developing strong technical relationships with raw material suppliers to gain deep insight into material chemistry, variability, and control strategies, with the objective of improving process robustness, product quality, and yield.

This position reports to the Senior Plant Manager and works frequently and closely with all of the Plant Management team to meet the needs of the organization in terms of product technical quality and stability. The position will be based mainly at the Widnes manufacturing site, UK, with regular remote support and travel when required to the sister plant in Buffalo, USA, comprising approximately 10% of the role.

Major Job Functions and Tasks

• Develop a deep understanding of all incoming raw materials, including chemical composition, impurities, physical properties, and supplier specific variations.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with key raw material suppliers.
• Act as the technical interface between the company and suppliers on material chemistry, consistency, change management, and innovation.
• Work with suppliers to understand process windows, production routes, and sources of variability.
• Support supplier audits, technical reviews, and joint improvement initiatives.
• Establish and maintain robust material specifications, acceptance criteria, and incoming quality controls.
• Optimise formulations and recipes to balance performance and cost monitoring plant batch production.
• Lead investigations into raw material changes and their impact on process behaviour and final product performance.
• Provide day to day technical support to manufacturing operations to ensure stable, repeatable production of polycrystalline wool through chemical batch process and continuous fibre formation.
• Analyse and troubleshoot process variability across the full material lifecycle: incoming raw materials, recipes, batching, fibre formation, and downstream processing.
• Identify and implement improvements to operational efficiency, yield, waste reduction, and process capability.
• Work closely with production, engineering, and quality teams to resolve material and process related issues.
• Capture and document material and process knowledge to support standardisation and best practice.
• Develop technical guidelines, control plans, and troubleshooting tools for use by operations teams.
• Support training and capability development within manufacturing and technical teams.
• Provide combined onsite and remote technical support to the Buffalo, USA manufacturing facility (20% of time).
• Ensure alignment of material control strategies, specifications, and best practices between UK and US operations.
• Support cross site consistency, benchmarking, and knowledge transfer.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Needed

• Degree (BSc minimum, MSc or PhD preferred) in Materials Science, Ceramic Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Strong grounding in inorganic materials, ceramics, fibres, or high temperature materials.
• Experience working in a manufacturing or industrial materials environment.
• Proven hands on experience supporting production, troubleshooting processes, and improving operational stability.
• Experience working with chemical raw materials, formulations, and process recipes.
• Prior exposure to supplier technical management or external technical collaboration is highly desirable.
• Strong analytical and problem solving capabilities with a practical, manufacturing focused mindset.
• Ability to link material chemistry and properties to process behaviour and product performance.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of working effectively with operators, engineers, suppliers, and management.
• Comfortable working on the factory floor as well as in laboratory and office environments.
• Organised, methodical, and data driven approach to process control and improvement.

Travel & Working Pattern

Based primarily at the UK manufacturing site. Regular international travel to Buffalo, USA, comprising approximately 20% of the role (inclusive of remote support).

Competencies

• Coaching, mentoring and communication - Ability to act as a coach to all levels in the organization.
• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skilfully; develops alternative solutions.
• Project Management - Develops project plans; coordinates projects; communicates changes and progress; completes projects on time and budget.
• Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback.
• Change Management - Develops workable implementation plans; communicates changes effectively; builds commitment and overcomes resistance.
• Innovation - Displays original thinking and creativity; meets challenges with resourcefulness; generates suggestions for improving work.
• Drive - Must exhibit drive to execute effectively and should be an individual capable of career development.

At Alkegen, we strive every day to help people - ALL PEOPLE - breathe easier, live greener and go further than ever before. We believe that diversity and inclusion is central to this mission and to our impact. Our diverse and inclusive culture drives our growth & innovation, and we nurture it by actively embracing our differences and using our varied perspectives to solve the complex challenges facing our changing and diverse world.