Material Scientist

Jobtailor; Widnes; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Widnes, United Kingdom, seeks a Materials Scientist to lead raw material diagnostics, supplier collaboration, and process optimization for polycrystalline wool production. You will link material chemistry to process behaviour and support both UK and US operations.

You will troubleshoot variability, maintain material specifications, and drive continuous improvements with manufacturing and quality teams, including on-site and remote technical support across sites.

Qualifications

• Degree (BSc minimum, MSc or PhD preferred) in Materials Science, Ceramic Engineering, or related discipline
• Strong grounding in inorganic materials, ceramics, fibres, or high-temperature materials
• Experience working in a manufacturing or industrial materials environment
• Proven hands-on experience supporting production, troubleshooting processes, and improving operational stability
• Experience working with chemical raw materials, formulations, and process recipes
• Prior exposure to supplier technical management or external technical collaboration is highly desirable
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a practical, manufacturing-focused mindset
• Ability to link material chemistry and properties to process behaviour and product performance
• Excellent communication skills, capable of working effectively with operators, engineers, suppliers, and management
• Willingness to travel regularly to Buffalo, USA
• Comfortable working on factory floor as well as in lab/office environments

Responsibilities

• Develop a deep understanding of incoming raw materials and supplier variations
• Act as the technical interface between the company and suppliers on material chemistry
• Support supplier audits, technical reviews, and improvement initiatives
• Establish and maintain material specifications and quality controls
• Lead investigations into raw material changes and their impact on process
• Provide day-to-day technical support to manufacturing operations
• Analyse process variability across materials, recipes, batching, fibre formation, and downstream processing
• Implement improvements to operational efficiency, yield, waste reduction, and process capability
• Document material and process knowledge to support standardisation and best practices
• Travel to Buffalo, USA for on-site support

Skills

Analytical Thinking

Problem Solving

Communication

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science

Job description

• Develop a deep understanding of incoming raw materials, including chemical composition, impurities, physical properties, and supplier-specific variations
• Build collaborative relationships with key raw material suppliers
• Act as the technical interface between the company and suppliers on material chemistry, consistency, change management, and innovation
• Support supplier audits, technical reviews, and joint improvement initiatives
• Establish and maintain material specifications, acceptance criteria, and incoming quality controls
• Optimise formulations and recipes while monitoring plant batch production
• Lead investigations into raw material changes and their impact on process behaviour and final product performance
• Provide day-to-day technical support to manufacturing operations for stable, repeatable polycrystalline wool production
• Analyse and troubleshoot process variability across raw materials, recipes, batching, fibre formation, and downstream processing
• Implement improvements to operational efficiency, yield, waste reduction, and process capability
• Collaborate with production, engineering, and quality teams to resolve material and process issues
• Document material and process knowledge to support standardisation and best practices
• Develop technical guidelines, control plans, and troubleshooting tools
• Support training and capability development within manufacturing and technical teams
• Provide onsite and remote technical support to the Buffalo manufacturing facility
• Ensure alignment of material control strategies, specifications, and best practices between UK and US operations
• Support cross-site consistency, benchmarking, and knowledge transfer

Requirements

• Degree (BSc minimum, MSc or PhD preferred) in Materials Science, Ceramic Engineering, or a related discipline
• Strong grounding in inorganic materials, ceramics, fibres, or high-temperature materials
• Experience working in a manufacturing or industrial materials environment
• Proven hands-on experience supporting production, troubleshooting processes, and improving operational stability
• Experience working with chemical raw materials, formulations, and process recipes
• Prior exposure to supplier technical management or external technical collaboration is highly desirable
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a practical, manufacturing-focused mindset
• Ability to link material chemistry and properties to process behaviour and product performance
• Excellent communication skills, capable of working effectively with operators, engineers, suppliers, and management
• Comfortable working on the factory floor as well as in laboratory and office environments
• Organised, methodical, and data driven approach to process control and improvement
• Ability to travel regularly to Buffalo, USA
• Ability to provide onsite and remote technical support across UK and US operations

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in materials science and engineering, with a focus on inorganic materials and process optimization. Capable of providing technical support and improving operational efficiency in manufacturing environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Materials Science Degree
• Inorganic Materials Expertise
• Process Troubleshooting
• Supplier Technical Management
• Analytical Problem-Solving

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Chemical Composition Analysis
• Formulation Optimization
• Quality Control
• Batch Production Monitoring
• Technical Documentation
• Process Capability Improvement
• Material Specifications Development
• Technical Support
• Process Variability Analysis
• Change Management

Soft Skills

• Excellent Communication
• Organised Approach
• Collaborative Relationship Building
• Methodical Problem-Solving
• Data-Driven Decision Making

Industry Keywords

• Ceramic Engineering
• High-Temperature Materials
• Manufacturing Environment
• Polycrystalline Wool Production
• Supplier Audits
• Technical Reviews
• Operational Efficiency
• Knowledge Transfer
• Cross-Site Consistency
• Process Control