Materials Capability Acquisition Engineer

Rolls-royce; Metropolitan Borough of Solihull; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Rolls-Royce in Solihull is seeking an experienced Materials Capability Acquisition Engineer to own complex materials characterisation work packages across the technology development lifecycle. You will lead a team of metallurgical experts, coordinate inputs, and manage milestones within budget, developing testing programs at external test houses to drive production readiness in advanced metallic materials.

The role requires chartered status preferred, strong communication, and a drive to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's or PhD in Engineering or equivalent.
• Proven leadership and ability to manage multiple projects to time and budget.
• Excellent communication and technical report writing skills.
• Sound understanding of metallurgy; nickel alloys knowledge is advantageous.
• Chartered status or working towards it is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead defined technical packages within Materials Capability Acquisition.
• Coordinate inputs from metallurgical experts to assemble high-quality reports for technical committees.
• Plan, develop and run metallic materials characterization testing programs at external test houses.
• Resolve problems through evaluative judgments and provide technical coaching.
• Promote continuous improvement and maintain external networks for technology delivery.
• Align work with Rolls-Royce business objectives and safety standards.

Skills

Technical leadership

Materials characterization

Project management

Metallurgy

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master's degree in Engineering

PhD in Engineering

Job description

You'll take ownership of delivering complex materials characterisation work packages through the full technology development lifecycle - leveraging/collaborating with expert contributors, coordinating technical inputs, and ensuring milestones are achieved on time and within budget. "This is a position offering opportunities for technical contribution and involvement in strategic initiatives, with scope for collaboration and moderate influence.

• Responsible for defined technical packages of work within Materials Capability Acquisition, providing leadership and delivery against program milestones within agreed costs, timescales and quality requirements.
• Manage the inputs from a team of metallurgical experts, to compile reports and project review packs to a high standard for review at technical committees, to the requirements of the technology development process.
• Plan, develop and run metallic materials characterisation testing programs at external test houses to de-risk and address knowledge gaps.
• Resolve problems through evaluative judgements.
• Become a point of contact within Materials Capability Acquisition and to share subject matter knowledge across the function.
• Acting as advisor / coach on matters where they are technically authoritative.
• Understand company business objectives and ensure that the work they do supports this; to act in accordance with both the company values and those associated with being a professional engineer.
• Actively promote, encourage and support the identification and implementation of continuous improvement both within and outside their immediate sphere and prompt action across the wider team.
• Maintain and develop an external network to deliver relevant technology and maintain awareness of competitive position and emerging technologies.
• Identify appropriate internal and / or external funding opportunities and exploit as appropriate. You will be a technically credible leader driving key development programmes and ensuring production readiness across advanced metallic materials, heat treatment processes, and joining technologies. This is a chance to influence cutting-edge engineering that will shape future aerospace capability.
• Bachelor's degree, Master's degree or PhD in Engineering or equivalent technical capability, based on practical knowledge and experience.
• Proven technical leadership and a team player, with ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, on time and to budget.
• Excellent communication, presentation and technical report writing skills.
• Sound understanding of metallurgy. Knowledge in the field of high temperature nickel alloys considered advantageous.
• Structured, goal-oriented, resilient work attitude and high motivation to solve challenges in a strong team.
• An ability to apply logical, analytical and innovative thinking on a range of technical problems.
• Knowledge and experience of product integrity / liability and certification frameworks.
• Membership in a relevant professional body and attained / working towards Chartered status is preferred. We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Materials Capability Acquisition Engineer to join our Materials Engineering Team in Solihull. This is an excellent opportunity for a technically skilled engineer to take on a key role in a major development programme, helping shape production readiness in advanced metallic materials, heat treatment processes, and joining technologies. You'll be at the forefront of innovation, turning cutting-edge materials capability into real-world manufacturing success.
• Why join Rolls-Royce? At Rolls-Royce we are proud to be a business that has truly helped to shape the modern world and are committed to always being a force for progress; powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere. By joining Rolls-Royce, you'll have the opportunity to work on world-class solutions, supported by a culture that believes individuality is our greatest strength, and all perspectives, experiences and backgrounds help us innovate and enable our high-performance culture. What you will be doing: As Rolls-Royce accelerates towards its Net Zero ambitions, developing the next generation of low-emission combustion technologies is a critical priority. This role sits at the heart of that journey.
• Work in a safety-first environment were doing the right thing and keeping it simple are core principles.
• Join a culture that values making a real difference through your work.
• Develop your career as a mid-career professional blending technical expertise with strong personal qualities.
• Thrive in a role that encourages integrity, accountability, resilience, and curiosity.
• Collaborate and build relationships in a team-focused environment while also working independently.
• Take initiative, lead, and make smart decisions with confidence and support.
• Grow through continuous learning, openness to improvement, and exposure to challenging opportunities.
• Our vision is to ensure that the excellence and ingenuity that shaped our history continues into our future. Our multi-year transformation programme aims to turn Rolls-Royce into a high-performing, competitive, resilient and growing company. Join us, and it can be your future vision too.

Rolls-Royce are committed to being a respectful, inclusive, and non-discriminatory workplace where individuality is valued, diverse perspectives fuel innovation, and everyone can thrive.