Senior R&D Test Engineer Materials & Chemical Engineering

Iceotope; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Iceotope is seeking a Senior R&D Test Engineer to drive materials and chemical engineering test programs for advanced cooling technology. You will design, execute and validate experiments, combining bench testing with analytical methods to inform design decisions and improve product reliability.

As technical lead for Materials & Chemical Engineering, you will manage test plans, assess degradation and compatibility, liaise with vendors, develop LabVIEW-based rigs, and mentor junior engineers.

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant field such as Materials Science/Engineering or Chemistry.
• 6+ years of experience in a test laboratory or equivalent environment.
• Experience delivering materials and chemical testing and verification in electronics.
• Knowledge of DFMEA and COSHH training is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead test programmes for product, components, materials and fluids.
• Investigate degradation, corrosion, incompatibilities and failures via root‑cause analysis.
• Advise on materials selection and improvements supported by test evidence.
• Act as technical liaison with dielectric fluid vendors and suppliers.
• Develop test rigs and validated measurement systems using LabVIEW.
• Analyse results and produce reports informing engineering decisions.
• Mentor junior engineers and support test planning and continuous improvement.
• Maintain safe laboratory practices including risk and COSHH assessments.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Problem solving

Independent worker

Education

Degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemistry or Chemical Engineering

Tools

LabVIEW

Excel

MATLAB

Python

SPSS

Job description

Senior R&D Test Engineer – Materials & Chemical EngineeringIceotope | Advanced Manufacturing Park, Rotherham

How do materials and fluids behave at the heart of advanced cooling technology? Help us find the answers.

Iceotope is looking for an experienced Senior R&D Test Engineer to help develop and validate advanced cooling and power technologies. Combining hands‑on laboratory testing with materials and chemical engineering expertise, you’ll generate the evidence that shapes design decisions, improves reliability and moves product development forward.

As the laboratory team’s technical lead for Materials & Chemical Engineering, you’ll investigate material and fluid compatibility, understand why components fail and translate complex findings into practical engineering recommendations.

The opportunity

Reporting to the Head of Engineering Validation & Verification, you’ll work closely with design engineers, laboratory colleagues and external suppliers to:

• Plan and lead product, component, materials and fluid test programmes.
• Investigate degradation, corrosion, incompatibilities and failures through root‑cause analysis.
• Advise on materials selection and recommend improvements supported by test evidence.
• Act as a technical liaison with dielectric fluid vendors and other suppliers.
• Develop test rigs and validated measurement systems using National Instruments hardware and LabVIEW.
• Analyse results and produce clear reports that inform engineering decisions.
• Mentor junior engineers and support test planning, resource allocation and continuous improvement.
• Maintain safe laboratory practices, including risk assessments and COSHH assessments.

What you’ll bring

You’ll be a confident, practical engineer who enjoys designing robust experiments, troubleshooting problems and explaining what the data means.

• A degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemistry or Chemical Engineering.
• At least six years’ experience in a test laboratory or equivalent environment.
• Experience delivering materials and chemical testing and verification and validation programmes, ideally within electronics.
• A strong grounding in materials selection, assessment and compatibility.
• Experience testing across engineering disciplines, with confidence using temperature, pressure, flow and strain instrumentation.
• The ability to work independently with LabVIEW and analyse data using tools such as Excel, MATLAB, Python or SPSS.
• An understanding of Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), alongside relevant laboratory safety or COSHH training.

Experience with dielectric fluids, coolants, lubricants or other specialist fluids would be particularly valuable. Knowledge of electronics, IT hardware and standards such as ASHRAE, IEC/UL 62368-1 or NEBS would also be an advantage.

Why this role?

This is an opportunity to combine technical depth with broad engineering impact. You’ll remain close to the testing, while helping colleagues understand how materials and fluids influence product performance and long‑term reliability. Your findings will shape engineering decisions, and your expertise will help develop the capability of the laboratory team.