Associate Materials Solutions Lead

Merritt Recruitment; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

"Very likely" benefits not listed

Job summary

Merritt Recruitment is seeking a Technical Sales Support for a growing materials business near Cambridge. This role blends materials science with developing customer-focused solutions and supporting the sales team with technical input.

You will translate customer requirements into deliverable materials solutions and collaborate with internal teams to drive successful projects across industries.

Qualifications

• A degree or equivalent technical qualification in materials science, engineering, chemistry or related discipline.
• Strong knowledge of materials and their properties across polymers, metals, ceramics, composites.
• Experience applying technical knowledge to real-world customer or engineering requirements.
• Ability to explain complex technical problems to both technical and non-technical colleagues.
• Experience working with technical, engineering, manufacturing, research or commercial teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good communication and the confidence to speak with customers and suppliers.
• Proactive approach to managing multiple technical opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Understand and interpret customers' technical and material requirements.
• Translate requirements into practical and deliverable materials solutions.
• Provide technical expertise to support customer opportunities with the sales team.
• Identify the right solution with technical, sourcing and quality specialists.
• Investigate materials, specifications and requirements to determine options.
• Support complex customer projects from enquiry to solution.
• Build relationships with customers, suppliers and colleagues.

Skills

Materials science knowledge

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Customer collaboration

Technical communication

Education

Degree in materials science or related discipline

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

About the role

We are working with a growing specialist materials business to recruit a Technical Sales Support to join its Materials Solutions team near Cambridge

This is a highly technical role, working at the point where materials science, engineering and customer requirements come together.

You will be responsible for understanding complex customer requirements, identifying the most appropriate materials or technical solution and working closely with the internal sales, account management, technical and sourcing teams to develop the right solution.

This isn't a traditional sales or business development position. The commercial relationship is managed by the company's established sales and account management teams. Instead, you will provide the technical expertise behind complex customer opportunities, helping the sales team understand what can be delivered and how.

The role would suit someone with a strong background in materials science, polymers, engineering, chemistry or a related technical discipline, who enjoys solving problems and working with customers and colleagues to develop practical solutions.

What you will be doing

• Understand and interpret customers' technical and material requirements.
• Translate customer requirements into practical and deliverable materials solutions.
• Work closely with the sales and account management teams, providing technical expertise to support customer opportunities.
• Work alongside technical, sourcing and quality specialists to identify the right solution.
• Investigate materials, specifications and technical requirements to determine the most appropriate options.
• Support complex and technically challenging customer projects from initial enquiry through to solution.
• Liaise with suppliers and technical partners where required to understand capabilities and develop solutions.
• Occasionally visit suppliers where a face-to-face technical discussion or assessment is required.
• Provide technical input into proposals and customer discussions.
• Help identify opportunities to improve processes, capabilities and ways of working within the Materials Solutions team.
• Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers and colleagues.
• Support the development of less experienced members of the team.

You will ideally have:

• A degree, or equivalent technical qualification, in materials science, engineering, chemistry or a related discipline.
• Strong knowledge of materials and their properties, with experience in areas such as polymers, metals, ceramics, composites or similar.
• Experience of applying technical knowledge to real-world customer or engineering requirements.
• The ability to understand a complex technical problem and explain the solution clearly to both technical and non-technical colleagues.
• Experience working collaboratively with technical, engineering, manufacturing, research or commercial teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good communication skills and the confidence to speak with customers, suppliers and internal teams.
• A proactive approach and the ability to manage multiple technical opportunities.

A technical qualification in materials science, polymers, engineering, chemistry or a related discipline would be advantageous, particularly for candidates with a strong research or specialist technical materials background.

Experience of supplier sourcing or working with a CRM such as Salesforce would also be beneficial but is not essential.

Why join?

This is an opportunity to join an established and growing advanced materials business with a global customer base and a strong reputation for technical expertise.

The company works across a wide range of industries, including Aerospace, medical research, energy, electronics and other specialist engineering and technology sectors.

You'll have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of technically interesting projects, develop your knowledge across different materials and work alongside experienced technical and commercial specialists.

Must have the unrestricted right to work in the UK