R&D Technician

Kinetic Plc; Preston; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Kinetic Plc is seeking a permanent R&D Technician in Preston to join our hands-on engineering team. You will lead tool fabrication, moulding trials, and verification efforts to convert concepts into prototypes and tooling, while supporting design reviews with practical manufacturability insights.

You will collaborate across departments, drive tool improvements, and ensure quality, safety, and compliant production handover throughout the development pipeline.

Qualifications

• Experience & qualifications in Fabrication & welding.
• Proven work history in tool manufacture and fabrication roles.
• Familiar with design for manufacturability (DfM) reviews.

Responsibilities

• Input to Design Reviews.
• Tool Manufacture & Development.
• Design for Manufacturability (DfM) Reviews.
• New Tool Modifications.
• Tool Specifications.
• New Tool Verification & Snagging.
• Perform R&D Moulding Trials (verify operational parameters).
• Product Verification & Testing.
• Pilot Production Run Support.
• New Jigs and Formers.
• Coordination with Other Departments.
• Advanced Maintenance.
• Training & Knowledge Transfer.
• Health, Safety & Compliance.

Skills

Fabrication & welding

Tool manufacture

Design for Manufacturability

Education

Fabrication & welding qualifications

Tools

Jigs and Formers

Job description

Are you looking for a permanent position as a Research & Development Technician?

Is Preston an area that you can easily commute to work?

Would a salary of circa £40000 be OK for you?

Do you have experience & qualifications in Fabrication & welding?

Can you demonstrate a work history of tool manufacture and fabrication roles?

R&D Technician - main roles will be as follows;

• Input to Design Reviews
• Tool Manufacture & Development
• Design for Manufacturability (DfM) Reviews
• New Tool Modifications
• Tool Specifications
• New Tool Verification & Snagging
• Perform R&D Moulding Trials (verify operational parameters)
• Product Verification & Testing
• Pilot Production Run Support
• New Jigs and Formers
• Coordination with Other Departments
• Advanced Maintenance
• Training & Knowledge Transfer
• Health, Safety & Compliance

The R&D Technician is the problem solver and hands on technical expert who ensures new product concepts are efficiently and reliably converted into prototype and tooling. You will drive the end to end delivery of bespoke tools - manufacturing, modifying and snagging new moulds and formers, while feeding critical design for manufacturability insights back into design reviews to simplify production handover. By leading R&D moulding trials, executing thorough verification and testing, and advising on advanced maintenance, you become the backbone of development. Your expertise not only keeps projects on schedule but also guides R&D toward smarter, more tool friendly designs. Through hands on fabrication, cross functional collaboration and a rigorous problem solving mindset, you'll safeguard an agile, efficient development pipeline that underpins the company's innovation goals.

Role - R&D Technician

Location - Preston

Hours - 39.5 hours, Monday to Friday (8:00am -17:00pm with 16.30pm finish Fri)