Robotics & Automation Engineer in Salford

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious Robotics & Automation Engineer graduate to fast-track their career development as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate. The successful candidate will undertake a 36-month collaborative project between Heyside Plastics and The University of Salford. The project’s aim is to develop an integrated and automated production line that automates post-moulding processes, painting, cooling, stemming, and sorting at Heyside Plastics, enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, and improving worker safety. The project will apply advanced control systems and computer vision to transform manual operations into a scalable, sustainable, and high-performance manufacturing workflow.

Founded in 2011, Heyside Plastics is a family-run manufacturing business, specialising in recycled PVC products through injection and compression moulding. Its core revenue-generating activities include the manufacture and B2B sale of traffic management items made using recycled PVC sourced from electrical and flooring waste, with the company processing hundreds of tonnes per week of landfill-bound material. The business currently recycles a significant portion of the UK's plasticised PVC market.

The position will be based at the company premises in Oldham (OL2), however, the successful candidate should be able to travel to the University of Salford for meetings on a regular basis. In addition, they will gain experience in engaging with colleagues and stakeholders from across the entire organisation and beyond. This experience will uniquely position the candidate to have wide-ranging knowledge and experience. This post is a dynamic role that will address downstream automation to unlock further growth.

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme is one of the UK’s largest graduate recruitment schemes and is a three-way collaborative project between the Associate, Heyside Plastics, and the University of Salford. It provides an opportunity for the successful applicant to manage a challenging project central to the company’s strategic development and long-term growth.

What will you be doing?

This project presents several challenges, offering significant opportunities for technical and professional development whilst working on a strategically important project for Heyside Plastics.

• Technical: You will be responsible for designing and implementing a bespoke automated production line to automate complex post-moulding processes, painting, cooling, stemming, and sorting. This will require advanced knowledge of robotics, control systems, and vision-based automation.
• Resource & Project Management: You will lead a strategically important innovation project within a fast-paced SME.
• People & Change Management: You will need to navigate cultural and operational change, helping to shift the business from manual to digital processes. This multifaceted challenge will equip the Associate with rare, industry-relevant experience in applied robotics, manufacturing innovation, and strategic transformation.

Who are we looking for?

A graduate with a minimum MSc or MPhil in Robotics, Mechatronics, Control Engineering, or a related discipline and a postgraduate qualification (MSc/MRes) in Robotics, Automation, and Computer Vision. A PhD in the field is highly desirable but not essential to apply for this role. You will have demonstrable experience in designing and implementing robotic systems, ideally in industrial or manufacturing settings.

Additional added benefits: To facilitate professional development, the successful candidate will receive extensive practical and formal training, gain highly desirable specialist business skills, broaden knowledge and expertise within an industrially relevant project, and gain valuable experience from their industry and academic mentors. The KTP Associate will also benefit from a Personal Development Budget of £6,000 (over and above their salary).