Material and Process Laboratory Technician

TN United Kingdom; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm seeks a Laboratory Technician to join their Materials team in Stevenage. This role involves assessing various materials and providing technical guidance on material selection and usage across projects. You will support compliance with regulations and lead investigations on material failures. The position offers a competitive hourly rate and the opportunity to work within a collaborative, international team. If you have a strong background in materials chemistry and laboratory experience, this is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge projects in the defense sector.

Qualifications

• Experience in a manufacturing laboratory setting with materials assessment.
• Familiarity with international standards for materials and components.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive assessments of metals, paints, and composites.
• Prepare reports and interpret engineering drawings and specifications.

Skills

Manufacturing laboratory experience

Assessment of materials and components

Knowledge of non-metallic material production

Experience with XRF, FTIR, SEM, EDX

Education

Background in materials chemistry

Tools

Word

Excel

Access

Job description

Material and Process Laboratory Technician, Stevenage

Client: Yolk Recruitment Ltd

Location: Stevenage

Job Category: Other

EU work permit required: Yes

Job Reference: 0730b2ae037c

Job Views: 3

Posted: 08.05.2025

Expiry Date: 22.06.2025

Job Description:

MERITUS Talent is working with one of Europe's leading weapons systems manufacturers to recruit a Laboratory Technician for their Materials team. This is a contract role paying £40 per hour Inside IR35.

The Materials & Process Laboratory Technician position is based in Stevenage, fully onsite, with optional compressed workweeks.

The Materials team is a federated UK/France/Italy integrated team within Mechanical Engineering, sharing common processes and collaborating with other materials teams across the business. They operate extensive test facilities and possess specialized knowledge in various materials used throughout the organization.

The team supports all business areas concerning materials and processes, with expertise in metallic, non-metallic, composite, and other materials science fields.

The team’s activities include:

• Providing technical guidance and approval on material selection, characterization, and usage across projects
• Offering materials and process consultancy to the government and MoD
• Representing the company on international, government, MoD, trade bodies, strategic steering bodies, and standard committees
• Supporting compliance with REACH and RoHS regulations
• Leading failure investigations and forensic engineering analyses
• Guiding the use and control of hazardous materials
• Providing solutions for obsolescence issues
• Assessing and validating supplier and subcontractor processes and manufactured parts
• Supporting in-country (offset) design and manufacturing activities
• Conducting quality assessments of purchased items

Responsibilities:

The role involves comprehensive assessment of various materials, including metals, paints, adhesives, composites, and related processes. Familiarity with general laboratory equipment is essential; experience with XRF, FTIR, SEM, and EDX is advantageous but not mandatory. A strong background in materials chemistry is preferred.

Responsibilities include preparing reports, interpreting engineering drawings and specifications, and utilizing IT systems such as Word, Excel, and Access. The technician will support failure investigations, materials selection, supply chain support, first article inspection reports, material inspection, and characterization activities. Additionally, the role involves generating or assessing compliance data related to REACH, RoHS, and environmental considerations in engineering designs.

Skillset/Experience Required:

• Manufacturing laboratory experience
• Assessment of materials and components according to international standards, including DEF STANs
• Experience supporting the selection, procurement, and manufacturing of engineering parts or components
• Knowledge of non-metallic material production and processing, including paints and adhesives