Materials Scientist: Process Optimization & Suppliers

alkegen; Widnes; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Alkegen is seeking a Materials Scientist to ensure operational efficiency, stability, and material consistency in polycrystalline wool manufacturing. You will develop deep knowledge of raw materials, manage supplier relationships, and optimise formulations to improve yield and product quality.

Based at the Widnes site with some travel to the Buffalo, USA facility, the role involves close collaboration with production, engineering, and quality teams to implement robust material specifications and

Qualifications

• Degree (BSc minimum; MSc/PhD preferred) in Materials Science or related field.
• Strong grounding in inorganic materials, ceramics, fibres, or high-temperature materials.
• Experience working in a manufacturing or industrial materials environment.
• Proven hands-on experience with materials processing and quality control.

Responsibilities

• Develop deep understanding of incoming raw materials, their composition and supplier variations.
• Build relationships with key raw material suppliers.
• Interface between company and suppliers on material chemistry, changes, and innovation.
• Work with suppliers to understand process windows, production routes, and sources of variability.
• Support supplier audits, technical reviews, and joint improvement initiatives.
• Establish and maintain material specifications, acceptance criteria, and incoming quality controls.
• Optimize formulations and recipes to balance performance and cost in 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 to ensure stable production of polycrystalline wool.
• Analyse and troubleshoot process variability across the material lifecycle.
• Identify and implement improvements to operational efficiency, yield, waste reduction, and process capability.
• Work closely with production, engineering, and quality teams to resolve material and process issues.
• Capture and document material and process knowledge to support standardisation and best practice.
• Develop technical guidelines, control plans, and troubleshooting tools for operations.
• Support training and capability development within manufacturing and technical teams.
• Provide onsite and remote support to the Buffalo facility (~20% of time).
• Ensure alignment of material control strategies between UK and US operations.
• Support cross-site consistency, benchmarking, and knowledge transfer.

Skills

Materials science knowledge

Manufacturing environment experience

Education

BSc in Materials Science (or related)

Job description

Alkegen is seeking a Materials Scientist to ensure operational efficiency, stability, and material consistency in polycrystalline wool manufacturing. You will develop deep knowledge of raw materials, manage supplier relationships, and optimise formulations to improve yield and product quality.

Based at the Widnes site with some travel to the Buffalo, USA facility, the role involves close collaboration with production, engineering, and quality teams to implement robust material specifications and