Manufacturing Development Engineer

Join Shellworks as a Manufacturing Development Engineer and help us pioneer the future of sustainable materials by developing new manufacturing processes to scale Vivomer.

At Shellworks, we’re on a mission to make plastic waste a thing of the past. We’re creating a new generation of materials - sustainable, high-performing, and designed to disappear. By reimagining how materials are made, we’re tackling one of the world’s most urgent environmental challenges. Vivomer is designed to work like traditional plastic in use, but behave very differently at end of life. Because it is made by bacteria found in nature, those same microbes can recognise it as food and break it back down into natural components like CO₂ and water. Just as importantly, it can be processed using existing manufacturing infrastructure, helping make the transition away from petroleum-based plastics more practical and scalable.

The nature of our work is frequently described as impossible, but if, like us, you’re driven by the challenge to prove that there is a better way to do things, join us. You will play a critical role in developing the future of materials, how products are created, and directly contribute to reducing plastic pollution.

As Manufacturing Development Engineer, you will unlock new ways of converting Vivomer into finished products. You will work on early-stage manufacturing routes, taking projects from initial concept through prototyping, partner trials, equipment specification, pilot validation and first production runs. Once a process is stable and understood, you will support the handover into our Continuous Manufacturing team for ongoing scale-up and delivery. This could include developing new moulding, extrusion, forming, assembly or hybrid manufacturing routes, depending on the product and technical challenge.

You will be expected to:

• Navigate technical ambiguity with confidence, taking ownership of projects where solutions are not obvious and the roadmap is uncertain.
• Act as a technical interface between Shellworks and co-manufacturers, ensuring innovative processes meet our standards for quality, cost, and scalability.
• Travel as needed to partner facilities, equipment suppliers, and trial sites to oversee, troubleshoot, and accelerate progress.

Our Ideal Candidate:

• You have several years’ experience with plastics and polymer processing, ideally across a range of techniques such as moulding, extrusion, forming, or assembly.
• You bring a mechanical engineering mindset with a strong grasp of process fundamentals, tooling, and machine design, coupled with the creativity and hands‑on ability to prototype and validate machines and methods.
• You’re motivated by solving ambiguous, technically uncertain problems and can turn a rough concept into a proven manufacturing route.
• You thrive in a high-autonomy, fast-moving start-up environment — spotting opportunities, building structure from scratch, and moving projects forward without waiting for instruction.
• You’re a self‑starter who learns quickly, whether it’s picking up a new process, getting to grips with a new machine, or navigating an unfamiliar regulatory landscape.
• You’re comfortable with travel and see it as a natural part of driving manufacturing innovation across geographies.
• Strong communication skills allow you to align internal and external stakeholders, even in challenging, highly technical discussions.

Benefits:

• 28 days holiday + statutory holidays
• Enhanced parental leave - 12 weeks maternity at full pay, 6 weeks paternity at full pay
• Heka wellbeing allowance to spend on what matters to you - gym, therapy, nutrition, learning, fertility and menopause support, and lots of other options!
• Virtual GP - same or next day appointments and private prescriptions delivered to you
• Cycle to work scheme - buy, subscribe to, or share a bike with savings of up to 42% via salary sacrifice
• Competitive salary + equity options
• Growth and development opportunities as we scale
• Regular socials + daily catered lunch at the office
• A tightly knit, passionate team making a real impact

Becoming a part of Shellworks means being part of a team that’s passionate about sustainability and innovation. Our world‑class team includes experts in materials science, engineering, and visionary entrepreneurs dedicated to creating a better future. Together, we’re redefining what’s possible in manufacturing.