Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Roles in Irlam

Tenmat Group is seeking graduates from Materials Science, Fire Engineering or other relevant Engineering backgrounds to join a structured development programme spanning technical, commercial and operational functions. The role is intended to develop Technical Specialists and future business leaders with a strong understanding of Tenmat Group’s passive fire protection materials and products, customers, manufacturing environment and markets.

Graduates will complete a series of planned rotations across the business, gaining practical experience in business development, technical sales and specification, research and development, fire testing, manufacturing and engineering support. Tenmat Group is a market leading, UK headquartered, internationally focused manufacturer of passive fire protection products and materials, developing and manufacturing high-performance products for safety-critical applications for the built environment.

The group includes Tenmat Ltd, Tenmat Inc, Brandguard Vents Inc and PFC Corofil Ltd, offering a comprehensive portfolio of passive fire protection products and materials such as cavity barriers, service penetration products and wildfire protection vent systems. Operating across the UK, Europe and North America, Tenmat Group supports customers from collaborative product development technical specification, fire testing, manufacture and site support.

The group operates in a rapidly growing global fire safety market, driven by tighter regulation and increased focus on building safety, as well as emerging demand for wildfire protection solutions, including ember-resistant vents widely adopted in regions such as California.

• Develop a broad understanding of Tenmat Group’s businesses and range of passive fire protection materials and products.
• Develop a deeper understanding of how Tenmat Group’s products are used in applications and the importance of the fire test evidence behind each product and how it relates to the application in the built environment.
• Build the technical and commercial capability needed to support customers, internal stakeholders and new product development activity.
• Contribute meaningfully during each rotation through project work, analysis, reporting and day-to-day departmental support.
• Identify long-term career direction through exposure to a range of functions and responsibilities.
• Develop a good understanding of the requirements of the passive fire protection industry in the built environment.
• Develop an understanding of UK/EU/US construction regulations and legislation relevant to Tenmat Group products and their applications.
• Develop a broad understanding of the competitive landscape within the passive fire protection industry and the technical and commercial benefits of Tenmat Group products.
• Assist with delivery of CPD presentations, quotations and order entry and CRM / pipeline updates.
• Work with colleagues to satisfy customer requirements for accurate and reliable technical specifications, led by the introduction of Building Safety Regulator’s approval gateway requirements.
• Assist with the development of new passive fire protection materials and solutions, from identified market opportunities, through design and testing to production trial and market launch.
• Plan and conduct laboratory or pilot-scale work, analyse results and produce technical reports.
• Support product improvement, raw material evaluation and problem-solving activity linked to manufacturing or customer needs.
• Contribute to technical documentation, data capture and continuous improvement initiatives.

Fire Testing

• Assist with the preparation and construction of fire test specimens and the witnessing of in-house and third-party fire tests.
• Assist with the recording of product specimen information data collection and the interpretation of results.
• Generate technical reports from in-house fire testing maintaining accurate test records and data to support live development projects.
• Develop a good understanding of relevant fire test standards, compliance requirements and practical testing considerations.

Manufacturing & Engineering Support

• Assist with providing support to the engineering and manufacturing teams to improve safety, quality, efficiency and output.
• Assist with process investigations, trials, design changes, documentation and implementation of improvements.
• Support root-cause analysis of manufacturing issues and help evaluate corrective actions.
• Work with operations colleagues on projects linked to equipment, processes, ie. waste reduction and continuous improvement.

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree (2:1 or above) in Materials Science, Fire Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or equivalent qualification in a closely related science or engineering discipline.

• Strong technical focus and curiosity, with a willingness to work across both laboratory / manufacturing and customer-facing environments.
• Ability to analyse data, solve problems logically and communicate conclusions clearly.
• IT literacy, including standard Microsoft Office applications; CAD, testing or data-analysis experience would be advantageous.
• Self-motivated, organised and keen to take ownership of tasks and projects.
• Commercially aware, with an interest in how technical decisions support customer outcomes and business performance.
• Collaborative, professional and confident in building relationships across departments.
• Focused on continuous improvement and personal development.

Hands-on experience in a manufacturing business serving technically demanding and safety-critical applications. Mentoring and on-the-job learning from experienced technical, commercial and operational colleagues. The opportunity to secure a long-term role in the function that best fits the graduate and the business.