Composite Engineer in Cambridge

The Polymer and Composites Services Section within the Materials Performance and Integrity Technology Group is expanding due to order growth and the increasing use of non-metallic materials in established and emerging industrial applications. Over recent years, the team has delivered significant and sustained growth and is seeking a talented Project Engineer to join this fast-moving technical environment, helping to underpin technical excellence and support an expanding market share.

The successful candidate will work across the non-metallic materials portfolio, supporting technical delivery in coatings, polymers and composites. This will include involvement in applied research, industrial consultancy, materials testing, characterisation, failure assessment, technology development and client-facing project work. The role will suit a materials engineer, polymer engineer, surface engineer, composite engineer or mechanical engineer with strong technical foundations and the ability to work across more than one non-metallics discipline.

The successful candidate will strengthen the core skills of an exciting and innovative team by taking on responsibilities including project management, preparation and negotiation of contract proposals, laboratory experiments, testing and characterisation activities, data interpretation, and preparation of high-quality technical reports.

Main duties and responsibilities include:

• Planning and conducting experiments, trials and test programmes to suit customer and project requirements.
• Developing appropriate testing, characterisation and evaluation methods for polymers, coatings and composite materials.
• Supporting work on composite materials and structures, including composite pipes, connectors, manufacturing, testing, mechanical performance and failure assessment.
• Supporting work on coatings and surface technologies, including coating application, surface characterisation, physical testing and performance assessment.
• Applying polymer science and engineering knowledge to the testing, characterisation and evaluation of polymeric and reinforced thermoplastic materials.
• Delivering technical projects efficiently to meet client, health, safety, quality, scope, schedule and budget requirements.
• Preparing technical reports, proposals, presentations and recommendations for industrial clients and internal stakeholders.
• Supporting commercialisation and proposal development efforts by working with project leaders, customers and suppliers.
• Working with the wider team to understand and develop business opportunities for internally developed technologies and services.
• Responding to enquiries from TWI Industrial Members and contributing to the development, negotiation and management of client projects.
• Building effective working relationships with clients, suppliers, universities, research institutes and internal technical teams.
• Contributing to continuous improvement of technical capability, laboratory methods, project delivery and knowledge sharing within the non-metallics area.

Required skills/expertise:

• Undergraduate degree or higher qualification in materials science, materials engineering, polymer science, polymer engineering, chemistry, surface engineering, composite engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering or a related discipline.
• Technical knowledge and practical experience in at least one of the following areas: polymers, composites, coatings, surface technologies, materials characterisation, mechanical testing or materials performance evaluation.
• Ability to plan and conduct experiments, organise material testing, interpret results and produce clear technical outputs.
• Experience in project planning, coordination or management.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong customer interaction skills, or a clear willingness to develop this capability.
• Flexibility to work independently and as part of a highly collaborative technical team.
• Good team-working skills, initiative, self-motivation and the ability to take responsibility for delivery.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Breadth across two or more of the following areas: coatings, polymers and composites.
• Experience in industrial consultancy, applied R&D, public-funded projects, collaborative research or client-facing technical delivery.
• Knowledge of composite pipes, connectors, composite manufacturing, composite testing or structure-property relationships.
• Knowledge of polymer processing, reinforced thermoplastics, plastics testing, polymer/composite welding or mechanical testing of thermoplastic joints.
• Knowledge of coatings selection, application, formulation, physical testing, surface characterisation or environmental performance evaluation.
• Experience with mechanical, thermal, rheological, optical, environmental, physical or chemical characterisation techniques.
• Experience contributing to technical proposals, funding applications, client meetings or business development activities.
• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field, such as polymer science, materials science, surface engineering, composite materials, chemistry or mechanical engineering.
• Working towards, or holding, Incorporated or Chartered status linked to membership of a relevant professional institute.
• Intrinsically high level of motivation, good work ethic and a desire to develop technical expertise across the wider non-metallics portfolio.
• The ability to conduct themselves in line with TWI’s values of teamwork, innovation, taking responsibility, customer focus, adaptability and inclusion.

This position may require travel within the UK and abroad depending on project and business needs.

TWI Ltd is committed to treating all employees fairly and to being an inclusive employer. Our aim is to create a work environment where our employees can reach their full potential. We put Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the heart of our people practices to attract, develop and retain the best talent.