R&D Tech Engineer — Front‑End Prototyping & Feasibility

BAT; Southampton; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market leading annual bonus

Health plans vary by country

Flexible holiday plan and development

Job summary

BAT is seeking a Research and Development Technology Engineer in Southampton to turn early ideas into working proof‑of‑concept devices. You will lead front‑end R&D workstreams and work with internal teams and external partners to explore technical feasibility.

You will apply physics, first‑principles thinking and practical engineering judgment to solve challenging problems, and you’ll contribute to protecting confidential information and supporting future product opportunities.

Qualifications

• Hands‑on engineering background in electro‑mechanical tech development or prototyping.
• Experience creating new technologies or proof of concept devices.
• Strong ability to design, build, modify and troubleshoot prototypes and hardware.
• Experience planning and executing experimental tests and analysing data.

Responsibilities

• Lead front‑end R&D technology workstreams with defined scope and delivery plans.
• Create and develop new technology concepts, proof of concept devices and test rigs.
• Apply physics and modelling to understand behaviour and guide design decisions.
• Support IP by reviewing prior art and identifying patent opportunities.

Skills

Prototyping

Hardware design

Data analysis

First principles thinking

Problem solving

Project ownership

Communication

Education

Engineering degree or HNC

Tools

CAD

Microsoft Office

Workshop methods

Data management systems

Job description

BAT is seeking a Research and Development Technology Engineer in Southampton to turn early ideas into working proof‑of‑concept devices. You will lead front‑end R&D workstreams and work with internal teams and external partners to explore technical feasibility.

You will apply physics, first‑principles thinking and practical engineering judgment to solve challenging problems, and you’ll contribute to protecting confidential information and supporting future product opportunities.