R&D Test Technician

Novanta Inc.; Foxton; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel opportunities

Global engineering exposure

Cross-functional collaboration

Job summary

Novanta Inc. in Cambridge is seeking an R&D Technician to join the Inductive Encoders team. You will design and execute test activities to verify performance, reliability and compliance from concept through validation.

You will collaborate with engineers across R&D, manufacturing and quality to bring new products to life, building test rigs and analyzing data while driving process improvements.

Qualifications

• HNC, HND, apprenticeship or equivalent engineering experience.
• Practical experience working with electrical, electronic or electromechanical products.
• Strong fault-finding and problem-solving skills.
• Experience in an R&D or engineering environment.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• A hands-on approach with a passion for technology.

Responsibilities

• Conduct performance, environmental and reliability testing.
• Build and maintain test equipment and fixtures.
• Troubleshoot prototype and production hardware.
• Capture and analyze test data.
• Support verification and validation activities.
• Work with external test laboratories.
• Contribute to design reviews and technical discussions.
• Drive improvements in test processes and automation.

Skills

Hand-on engineering

Fault-finding

Teamwork

Communication

R&D experience

Education

HNC/HND or apprenticeship

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Job description

Build a career powered by innovations that matter! At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing—improving productivity, enhancing people’s lives and redefining what’s possible.

We create for our global customers engineered components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission-critical applications—from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing.

Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia‑Pacific.

Looking for a great place to work? You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment.

Come explore Novanta.

R&D Test Technician Cambridge | Novanta Robotics & Automation

Do you enjoy building, testing and solving complex engineering challenges? At Novanta, we are developing sensor technologies used around the world in precision motion control applications.

Our products are trusted by leading OEMs where accuracy, reliability and performance are critical.

As an R&D Technician, you will have the opportunity to work on cutting‑edge products from concept through to validation.

The Opportunity:

We are looking for a technically curious and hands‑on R&D Technician to join our Inductive Encoders team in Cambridge. Working closely with engineers across R&D, manufacturing and quality, you will help bring new products to life by designing and executing test activities that verify performance, reliability and compliance.

What you will be doing:

• Conducting performance, environmental and reliability testing
• Building and maintaining test equipment and fixtures
• Troubleshooting prototype and production hardware
• Capturing and analysing test data
• Supporting verification and validation activities
• Working with external test laboratories
• Contributing to design reviews and technical discussions
• Driving improvements in test processes and automation

What we are looking for:

We are interested in candidates with experience as:

• Test Technician
• Validation Technician
• Development Technician
• Electronics Technician
• Engineering Technician
• Reliability Technician

You will bring:

• HNC, HND, apprenticeship or equivalent engineering experience
• Practical experience working with electrical, electronic or electromechanical products
• Strong fault‑finding and problem‑solving skills
• Experience in an R&D or engineering environment
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• A hands‑on approach with a passion for technology

Desirable experience:

• EMC testing knowledge
• Soldering experience
• Test automation exposure
• Experience with JIRA or Confluence
• Knowledge of industry standards and compliance testing

Why Join Novanta?

• Work on advanced technology products
• Gain exposure to global engineering teams
• Influence product development from an early stage
• Opportunities for travel and cross‑functional collaboration
• Develop your technical expertise within a highly innovative environment

We are committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process. If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage, for example with applications, interviews, or assessments, please inform the Talent Acquisition Partner. We will work with you to understand your needs and make appropriate arrangements so you can perform at your best.

Novanta is proud to be an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action workplace. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, military and veteran status, disability, genetics, or any other category protected by federal law or Novanta policy.

Please call [phone] if you need a disability accommodation for any part of the employment process.

Solving complex challenges, delivering innovations that matter! Novanta is a leading global supplier of core technology solutions that give medical, life science, and advanced industrial original equipment manufacturers a competitive advantage. We combine deep proprietary expertise and competencies in precision medicine, precision manufacturing, robotics and automation, and advanced surgery with a proven ability to solve complex technical challenges. This enables Novanta to engineer proprietary technology solutions that deliver extreme precision and performance, tailored to our customers' demanding applications. The driving force behind our growth is the team of innovative professionals who share a commitment to innovation, the Novanta Growth System, and our customers’ success. Novanta’s common shares are quoted on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "NOVT".