Materials Technician

Balfour Beatty; Aberdeen City; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Smart working with up to 40% remote

25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)

Pension

Share incentive plan

Volunteering leave

Job summary

Balfour Beatty Regional runs a UKAS accredited laboratory and is recruiting for a materials tester to support on-site and laboratory testing of concrete and soils. You will sample, prepare, test and report results to meet contract requirements, while maintaining safety standards and calibration routines.

The role offers hybrid working with strong emphasis on zero harm and sustainability. Applicants should have UKAS lab experience, CSCS card, a full UK driving licence and willingness to work

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a UKAS-accredited laboratory.
• Experience with construction materials, especially soils and concrete.
• Strong health and safety focus within a laboratory environment, including risk assessments and method statements.
• Ability to operate within a budget and advise on materials contracts.
• Valid CSCS card and full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Sampling materials for approval/compliance testing to UKAS standards.
• Sample preparation (quartering, riffling and crushing).
• In-situ testing including DCP, plate load, sand replacement and LWD.
• Laboratory testing: moisture, density, particle size, concrete strength, soil classification.
• Carry out concrete slump tests and cube testing for compliance.
• Maintain equipment calibrations and keep the laboratory clean.

Skills

UKAS laboratory experience

Soil testing knowledge

Concrete testing knowledge

Lab safety focus

Microsoft Excel

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

About the role

Balfour Beatty is a leading national infrastructure and construction company with more than a century of heritage in Scotland, delivering key projects that strengthen communities and improve national connectivity.

The Netherton Hub is a major new energy infrastructure development located near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, forming a key part of SSEN Transmission’s multi‑billion‑pound Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) programme and its wider Pathway to 2030 upgrade of the Scottish transmission network.

Designed to strengthen the UK’s ability to transport renewable electricity from the north of Scotland to high‑demand centres nationwide, the hub will incorporate a new High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) converter station, a 400 kV substation, a 132 kV substation, and associated operational facilities. Once complete, it will enable efficient long‑distance transmission of offshore and onshore renewable energy, supporting both UK and Scottish Government net‑zero targets while delivering significant economic benefits, job creation, and local supply‑chain opportunities.

By joining the ASTI Netherton Hub project, candidates will gain hands‑on experience delivering one of the UK’s most significant energy programmes, developing advanced personal and professional skills, benefiting from long‑term career progression within a national framework, and playing a direct role in strengthening Scotland’s renewable‑powered future

What you'll be doing

Balfour Beatty Regional runs a UKAS accredited laboratory to the highest technical and quality standards, every member of staff is expected to be highly professional, conscientious and hardworking, main duties are as follows but other tasks or duties may be required.

• Sampling materials for Approval / Compliance testing to UKAS standards
• Sample preparation (quartering, riffling and crushing)
• In-situ testing: Dynamic cone penetrometer, Plate load, Sand replacement, Light Weight Deflectometer, Nuclear density testing and Pavement quality testing
• Laboratory testing: Moisture contents, moisture condition values, particle size distribution (wet and dry), density and compressive strength of concrete, soil classifications
• Carryout concrete slump tests and making/testing/crushing cubes for compliance.
• Laboratory environmental checks and balance checks
• Calibration of equipment
• Keeping laboratory clean and tidy including equipment
• Understanding standards, test methods and specifications
• As civil engineering involves many different materials, understand their properties, uses and restrictions are vital in making the right decisions during construction and ensuring we get it right first time.
• Ensure a relentless focus on Zero Harm
• Support the delivery of Sustainability activities
• Maintain and supervise safe methods of work for the materials team on site and in the laboratory
• Undertake inspection and testing on site and in the laboratory as required by the contract, identifying and reporting areas of risk and opportunity immediately
• Comply with the site quality system for the materials testing laboratory.
• Record and report defects through the contract non conformance procedure
• Deliver results by deadlines as required by the contract and project teams
• Maintain equipment calibrations and notify the lab manager of any defects requiring attention.
• Identifying, recording and reporting of Best Practice to project and offsite
• Assist undertaking audits of Laboratory Quality System on the project, and other contracts as required by agreed rotas and ensure that identified findings are closed out

Who we're looking for

Essential qualities / experience:

• Previous experience working in a UKAS-accredited laboratory
• Experience working with construction materials and specifications, primarily soils and concrete
• Strong focus on health and safety within a laboratory environment, including:
  • Following risk assessments and method statements
  • Attending daily briefings
  • Supporting site health and safety audits when required
• Ability to operate and work to an agreed budget
• Materials technical expertise to advise contracts when necessary
• Valid CSCS card
• Full UK driving licence

Desirable qualities / experience:

• B+E category driving licence for safe towing of trailers/rigs
• Proficient IT skills, particularly in Microsoft Excel
• A passionate and enthusiastic approach to work, with a willingness to go the extra mile
• Strong customer focus, with an emphasis on meeting and exceeding requirements
• Quick learner who is adaptable to change
• Well organised and able to manage priorities effectively

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Why join us?

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

• Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
• Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…

About us

From Dunfermline’s tramways in 1909 to highland hospitals today, Balfour Beatty has been trusted for over a century to deliver the complex and critical infrastructure and iconic buildings Scotland relies on.

We have the people, knowledge and experience to safely deliver projects right first time, maximising value for money and ensuring a positive social impact and inclusive economic growth for local communities.

Our award-winning sustainable projects, including active travel, Passivhaus and retrofit, demonstrate our commitment to supporting Scotland’s transition towards net zero in the built environment.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty, we want everyone to be able to thrive and achieve their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. We’re making great progress through our Value Everyone DEI Action Plan, but we know we’ve got more to do. Find out more about our values and DEI initiatives.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this role will be offered an interview.

We are committed to our processes being barrier-free and will support adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Please let the recruiter for this role know if you require any adjustments.

We’re looking to continually improve our recruitment process, so if you have any feedback, please share this with us via [e-mail]