Materials Science Manager

Vantis Software; Skelmersdale; On-site; GBP 59,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job description

The Materials Science Manager oversees the development and implementation of advanced material technologies to drive innovation and operational excellence. This role requires the provision of technical leadership across multiple business areas—including production, engineering, sales, operations, and purchasing—while managing and mentoring a team of materials science professionals.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Management

• Supervise, mentor, and manage the day-to-day activities of the Materials Science team.
• Develop team members' technical and professional skills through coaching and support.
• Set annual performance targets and ensure alignment with business objectives.

Technical Expertise

• Lead materials science initiatives to support engineering, production, and commercial projects.
• Drive the development and implementation of new material technologies to meet customer and business needs.
• Apply current materials science knowledge and analyse new data to inform business decisions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a key technical advisor across the business, communicating material science expertise and best practices.
• Build and maintain external networks with suppliers, customers, and industry partners to gain technical and commercial insights.
• Support continuous improvement projects, focusing on efficiency gains and waste reduction.
• Actively collaborate with wider Group technical teams on sharing of knowledge, best practice and cross-group development projects.

Strategic Initiatives

• Deliver on strategic objectives related to materials science and ensure adherence to company policies and regulations.
• Evaluate new materials and formulations for application-specific requirements.
• Conduct root cause analysis and material troubleshooting to address production challenges.

Main Duties

• Design and execute material qualification programs for customer-specific applications.
• Analyse experimental data to determine material properties and recommend improvements.
• Leverage tools such as Six Sigma for data analysis and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with suppliers, universities, and technology partners on materials development projects.
• Validate material suitability for manufacturing through experimentation and testing.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong leadership and team management skills, with experience mentoring technical staff.
• Technical expertise in polymer and composite systems, including mechanical property analysis.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to develop innovative technical solutions.
• Effective communicator across technical and managerial audiences, with experience delivering presentations.
• Customer-focused mindset, ensuring high satisfaction in technical and commercial interactions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymers, or a related field.
• Six Sigma/Lean training, preferred.

Experience Of

• At least 3 years of hands-on experience working with polymer, thermoset, thermoplastic, or rubber materials.
• Proven success in managing multiple projects simultaneously while delivering measurable results.
• Familiarity with relevant industry standards and materials regulations.

Pay & Benefits

• Annual salary of up to £70,000. DOE
• 24 days annual leave + Bank Holidays
• Company Bonus Scheme
• Life Assurance Scheme of 4x annual salary