Research Development Process Engineer

EVera Recruitment Ltd; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The R&D Process Engineer role focuses on developing new products and manufacturing processes by combining experimental work, technical analysis and supplier collaboration to advance technology programmes through key development stages.

You will identify functional inks, develop printing processes for flexible sensors, and build lab capabilities to validate performance and reliability, bridging materials research with real-world applications.

Qualifications

• A degree in Materials Science, Electronics, Chemistry, Physics or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience working with functional inks, printed electronics or related technologies.
• Knowledge of screen printing, direct ink writing or similar manufacturing processes.
• Experience using environmental chambers and precision measurement equipment.
• Strong experimental, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with suppliers and managing technical discussions.
• A hands‑on approach to prototype development, testing and validation.

Responsibilities

• Identify, source and evaluate functional ink materials for advanced sensing applications.
• Lead technical discussions and development activities with material suppliers and research partners.
• Develop and optimise printing processes and sensor designs on flexible substrates.
• Establish and operate laboratory test and characterisation capabilities.
• Design and execute validation activities to assess sensor performance and reliability.
• Analyse test data and provide recommendations for product and process improvements.
• Support technical reporting, design reviews and customer or partner interactions.

Job description

The R&D Process Engineer will support the development of new products and manufacturing processes, combining experimental work, technical analysis and supplier collaboration to help advance technology programmes through key stages of development. Working across laboratory and engineering environments, you will contribute to material evaluation, process optimisation and product validation activities, helping to turn innovative concepts into practical, scalable solutions.

The R&D Process Engineer will:

• Identify, source and evaluate functional ink materials for advanced sensing applications.
• Lead technical discussions and development activities with material suppliers and research partners.
• Develop and optimise printing processes and sensor designs on flexible substrates.
• Establish and operate laboratory test and characterisation capabilities.
• Design and execute validation activities to assess sensor performance and reliability.
• Analyse test data and provide recommendations for product and process improvements.
• Support technical reporting, design reviews and customer or partner interactions.

The R&D Process Engineer will have:

• A degree in Materials Science, Electronics, Chemistry, Physics or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience working with functional inks, printed electronics or related technologies.
Knowledge of screen printing, direct ink writing or similar manufacturing processes.
• Experience using environmental chambers and precision measurement equipment.
• Strong experimental, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with suppliers and managing technical discussions.
• A hands‑on approach to prototype development, testing and validation.

This role offers the opportunity to work on the development of innovative technologies from an early stage, helping to bridge the gap between materials research and real‑world product applications. If you enjoy a mix of laboratory work, supplier collaboration and technology development, we'd love to hear from you.