Senior Research Engineer - Additive Manufacturing (Arc-DED)

MTC - Manufacturing Technology Centre; Coventry; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in the UK is seeking a Senior Research Engineer - Additive Manufacturing (Arc-DED) to lead technical delivery of Arc-DED projects and drive capability development. You will work with industrial partners, customers and internal teams to shape the future of metal additive manufacturing.

You will also develop and mentor engineers, manage a portfolio of projects, and help expand MTC's capabilities across the aerospace, automotive and other sectors.

Qualifications

• Strong background in Arc-DED Additive Manufacturing and process chains.
• Experience delivering DED programmes using DoE methods.
• Deep understanding of DED hardware/software and impact on quality.
• Knowledge of AM process and material qualification methods.
• Experience with Arc-DED in-process monitoring technologies.
• Proven track record leading medium to large technical projects.
• Leadership or management experience within engineering teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical delivery of Arc-DED projects with on-time, on-budget results.
• Drive capability development and industrial engagement activities.
• Deliver R&D projects focused on TRL/MRL advancement.
• Support business development and technical proposals.
• Coach, mentor and develop engineers within the Additive Manufacturing team.
• Build relationships with customers, partners and academics to maximise impact.

Skills

Arc-DED AM

DoE for DED

DED hardware/software

AM qualification methodologies

In-process monitoring

Project leadership

Leadership/management

Communication

Job description

The Vacancy

Lead the Future of Metal Additive Manufacturing

Are you an experienced Additive Manufacturing specialist with expertise in Arc-based Directed Energy Deposition (Arc-DED)? Do you want to work at the forefront of manufacturing innovation, leading industry-transforming research and development projects?

At the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), we are looking for a Senior Research Engineer - Additive Manufacturing (Arc-DED) to play a pivotal role in advancing metal additive manufacturing technologies for UK industry. This is an exciting opportunity to combine technical leadership, strategic influence and team development within one of the UK's leading research and technology organisations.

About Us

Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is a world-renowned research and development organisation that bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our engineers, scientists and technicians work with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies, delivering cutting-edge solutions that help manufacturers improve competitiveness, productivity and innovation. We collaborate across sectors including aerospace, automotive, defence, rail, infrastructure, energy and advanced manufacturing.

As part of the UK's High Value Manufacturing Catapult, we operate world-class facilities across Coventry, Liverpool and Oxford, supporting the future of UK manufacturing.

The Opportunity

Joining our Additive Manufacturing team, you will be responsible for leading the technical delivery of Arc-DED projects, driving capability development and shaping the future direction of metal additive manufacturing technology within MTC. You will work closely with industrial customers, research partners and internal stakeholders to deliver innovative solutions that generate real-world impact.

This role also offers the opportunity to lead and develop a team of talented engineers, helping to build technical capability and support the growth of additive manufacturing expertise across the business.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead the technical delivery of MTC's Arc-DED project portfolio, ensuring outstanding quality, customer satisfaction, budget control and on-time delivery.
• Drive the strategic development of Arc-DED technology capability, including capital investment decisions and industrial engagement activities.
• Deliver innovative research and development projects focused on Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRL) 3+.
• Support business development activities, including identifying opportunities and contributing to technical proposals.
• Coach, mentor and develop engineers within the Additive Manufacturing team.
• Build strong relationships with customers, industry partners and academic collaborators to maximise the impact of additive manufacturing technologies.

Essential

What We're Looking For

• Strong technical background in Arc-DED Additive Manufacturing and associated manufacturing process chains.
• Experience delivering DED process development programmes using structured Design of Experiments (DoE) methodologies.
• Deep understanding of DED hardware, software and their impact on material consolidation and component quality.
• Knowledge of additive manufacturing process and material qualification methodologies.
• Experience with Arc-DED in-process monitoring technologies.
• Demonstrable experience leading medium to large-scale technical projects.
• Leadership or management experience within engineering teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable

• Experience with other additive manufacturing technologies across metals, polymers or ceramics.
• Knowledge of AM-related metallurgy.
• Experience in feedstock characterisation and mechanical testing.
• Surface finishing and post-processing of AM components.
• Exposure to machine learning or AI tools for AM process optimisation and quality prediction.
• Chartered Engineer status or progress towards chartership.

Why Join MTC?

You’ll become part of a collaborative team that’s shaping the future of manufacturing technology. We offer a supportive environment where innovation is encouraged, career development is prioritised and your work has a genuine impact on industry.

About The MTC

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is an internationally renowned and respected research and development organisation, bridging the gap between academia and manufacturing, and is home to some of the brightest minds in engineering from around the globe.

The MTC's engineers, scientists and technicians work with some of the most advanced manufacturing equipment in the world in a supportive and collegiate environment for the development and demonstration of new technologies on an industrial scale, helping manufacturers of all sizes develop new and innovative processes and technologies.

Established to prove cutting edge manufacturing advances in an agile environment in partnership with industry, academia and other institutions, the MTC works with hundreds of industrial clients across a range of sectors including automotive, aerospace, rail, informatics, food and drink, infrastructure, construction and civil engineering, electronics, oil and gas and defence. The MTC helps businesses thrive by advancing their technological and engineering capabilities to improve their business efficiency, capability and competitiveness.

Supported by one of the largest public sector investments in UK Manufacturing, the MTC's engineering capabilities cover research and development, advanced manufacturing management, factory design and training for the skills of the future.

The MTC has world-class facilities in Coventry, Liverpool and Oxford, and is part of the UK's High Value Manufacturing Catapult, supported by Innovate UK.

Reference Checks and Security Checks

Due to the nature of our business, all employment is subject to satisfactory references being obtained alongside a level of security clearance checks.