Lab Manager/ Test Engineer

Key Selection Recruitment Limited; Crank; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Key Selection Recruitment Limited seeks a Lab Manager/Test Engineer in Merseyside, primarily site-based with UK travel to customer sites. You will run customer training, manage lab risk assessments, and ensure compliance with EN ISO standards.

The role involves coaching KAMs during technical sales, planning on-site trials, collecting measurements, and producing concise reports with commercial recommendations.

Qualifications

• Experience managing a lab and running tests.
• Ability to plan and execute on-site trials.
• Knowledge of lab safety standards and risk assessments.

Responsibilities

• Run customer training in the lab, set-up parameters and issue certificates.
• Coach KAMs on site during technical sales and trials.
• Plan and execute on-site trials with KAMs; collect measurements and report.
• Diagnose failure modes and implement fixes.
• Enforce lab and field HS standards and housekeeping.
• Ensure sampling plans, acceptance criteria and traceability.

Skills

Lab management

Test engineering

On-site trials

H&S compliance

Technical training

Job description

Position: Lab Manager/ Test Engineer

Location: Merseyside

Salary: £50k- £55k (Negotiable depending on experience)

The Company: A growing supplier of high-performance abrasives, welding consumables and associated products.

Products:

• Welding consumables: MIG/MAG (solid & metal-cored), FCAW, TIG rods, MMA electrodes (e.g., 6013/7018/309/316), torches/liners/tips/nozzles, anti-spatter, shielding gases, storage/handling (low-hydrogen control).
• Abrasives: bonded (cutting/grinding) and coated/non-woven (sanding), plus blasting media; selection by material, finish, and duty cycle.

The Role:

• This role is predominately site based but UK travel to customer sites will be involved (PPE and training-lab equipment provided)
• Run customer training in the lab (set-up, parameters, SFM/RPM, pressure, PPE); issue attendance records/certificates; maintain lab SSOW and risk assessments.
• Coach KAMs on site during technical sales and trials.
• Scope, plan and execute on-site trials with KAMs; collect measurements (amps/volts, WFS, time, wear rate, finish, cost) and issue reports with a clear commercial recommendation.
• Diagnose typical failure modes (porosity, LOF, undercut, cracking, spatter; glazing/chatter/premature wear) and implement fixes.
• Capture Voice of Customer and brief the MD on range gaps and spec improvements.
• Enforce lab and field H&S standards, PPE and housekeeping; log and close out near-misses; champion safe use and storage (especially low-hydrogen).
• Ensure guidance aligns with relevant standards (e.g., EN ISO 14341/2560; EN 12413/13743) and Company safety policy.
• Set sampling plans, acceptance criteria and traceability for incoming stock; quarantine and raise CAPA with suppliers.
• Maintain TDS/SDS library; approve labels/instructions and change control.
• Produce concise non-conformance reports and supplier scorecards.
• Build a rolling sales enablement curriculum (selection charts, cheat-sheets, cost-per-cut/deposition calculators, objection handling).
• Run customer training in the lab (set-up, parameters, SFM/RPM, pressure, PPE); issue attendance records/certificates; maintain lab SSOW and risk assessments.
• Coach KAMs on site during technical sales and trials.
• Build a rolling sales enablement curriculum (selection charts, cheat-sheets, cost-per-cut/deposition calculators, objection handling).
• Approve product training content, lab schedules and trial methods; accept/reject incoming batches against agreed criteria; raise supplier CAPA; recommend product switches/spec changes to the MD