Research Scientist 2 - Materials Science

SRG; North East; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

CPI is recruiting a Research Scientist to join its Materials Science team in a full-time, permanent role based in Sedgefield. You will conduct laboratory-based experiments, contribute to the development and testing of innovative materials, and work across multiple projects in a collaborative environment.

The role emphasizes practical research, materials characterisation, and data reporting, with opportunities to apply knowledge to sustainable materials, coatings, and related technologies.

Qualifications

• Industrial or applied research experience in materials.
• Experience designing, conducting and reporting experimental work.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with clear reporting.

Responsibilities

• Plan and carry out laboratory-based materials science experiments.
• Support delivery of customer and collaborative R&D projects.
• Characterise and evaluate materials using analytical and testing techniques.
• Conduct data analysis and interpret results.
• Produce high-quality technical reports and project documentation.
• Present findings to colleagues and customers.
• Support development and optimisation of novel materials and formulations.
• Maintain accurate experimental records and ensure quality standards.
• Contribute to safety reviews and good laboratory practice.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to solve technical challenges.

Skills

Materials science

Laboratory experience

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Education

Degree in Materials Science or related field

Tools

FTIR

Raman spectroscopy

Microscopy

Job description

Research Scientist 2 - Materials Science
Salary: £33,727 - £43,727 per annum (dependent on experience)
Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Location: Sedgefield

About the Role

CPI is looking for a Research Scientist to join their Materials Science team, supporting the delivery of customer-funded and collaborative research projects across a diverse range of technologies and applications. This position is a replacement hire within an established team and offers the opportunity to work on real-world industrial challenges across multiple sectors.

The role would suit someone with a strong materials science background, practical laboratory experience, and the ability to work across multiple projects simultaneously. You'll contribute to the development, testing and characterisation of innovative materials while working alongside scientists and engineers from a range of technical disciplines.

While we welcome applicants from a broad range of materials backgrounds, experience in materials characterisation and mechanical testing or experience in materials development or optimisation, would be particularly valuable. You'll be given the opportunity to apply your technical knowledge across sustainable materials, functional materials and coatings projects, helping to deliver solutions for customers from concept through to application.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Planning and carrying out laboratory-based materials science experiments.
• Supporting the delivery of customer and collaborative R&D projects across a range of application areas.
• Characterising and evaluating materials using a variety of analytical and testing techniques.
• Conducting data analysis and interpreting experimental results.
• Producing high-quality technical reports and project documentation.
• Presenting project findings to colleagues, project teams and customers.
• Supporting the development and optimisation of novel materials and formulations.
• Maintaining accurate experimental records and ensuring work is completed to the required quality standards.
• Contributing to safety reviews, risk assessments and good laboratory practice.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to solve technical challenges and deliver successful project outcomes.

About You

We're looking for someone who combines strong scientific fundamentals with a practical, hands-on approach to research and development.
You will likely have:

• A degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering or a related scientific discipline.
• Experience gained in an industrial, commercial or applied research environment.
• A strong understanding of materials science principles and material behaviour.
• Experience designing, conducting and reporting experimental work.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and technical reporting abilities.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and contribute effectively within project teams.
• A collaborative approach and enthusiasm for learning new technologies and techniques.

Particularly Relevant Experience

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be advantageous:

• Mechanical testing of materials
• Materials characterisation
• Thermal analysis
• Rheology
• Crystallography
• Microscopy techniques
• Spectroscopic analysis (including FTIR and Raman)
• Measurement of thermal properties
• Functional materials
• Sustainable materials
• Coatings and coating technologies
• Materials development and optimisation

Why Join CPI?

This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly versatile Materials Science team working on a broad portfolio of industrial projects. You'll gain exposure to a range of technologies, sectors and customers while developing your technical expertise in a collaborative and fast-paced research environment.
If you're an adaptable scientist who enjoys laboratory-based research, materials characterisation and solving practical technical challenges, we'd love to hear from you.