Senior Technical Fellow

Diversity Dashboard; Rotherham; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working opportunities

Generous pension scheme

Discounts and rewards

Job summary

The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre seeks a Senior Technical Fellow to lead defence project delivery, steer technical direction, and manage personnel. You will supervise a team, coordinate resources, and ensure high technical standards across multiple projects while engaging with partners and stakeholders.

You will develop strategic plans, report on KPIs, and maintain our reputation as a world‑class solution provider in machining technology.

Qualifications

• Relevant technical degree or equivalent experience required.
• Strong background in machining processes and optimisation with a strategic vision for technology development.
• Proven ability to manage a multi‑million pound portfolio sustainably and grow it against KPIs.
• Experience in stakeholder and partner management with a track record of excellent customer experience.
• Knowledge of quality systems and standards; experience building high‑performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical delivery of defence projects across partners and funding bodies.
• Line manage staff within a defence project and set targets with SRDS reviews.
• Be accountable for technical decisions and escalation with KPI impact awareness.
• Produce monthly KPI‑driven performance reports with project management colleagues.
• Communicate with project teams, stakeholders and customers; report on research outcomes.

Skills

Machining processes

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Technical reporting

Strategic planning

Problem solving

Communication skills

DV clearance preparation

Education

Technical degree or equivalent

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

As a Senior Technical Fellow you will be responsible for projects in the Defence sector within the AMRC Machining Group. You will take overall responsibility for the technical outputs from projects within the Defence sector. This will include the line management of personnel within this area. An important aspect of the role will be to steer the technical direction of the team whilst ensuring current projects are delivered successfully. You will have support for project delivery from a project management team. You must ensure projects deliver a high technical standard and the AMRC's international reputation is maintained. There is a requirement for the successful applicant to obtain Developed Vetting Clearance.

In order to be considered for this role, you will need to have a proven track record of technical delivery when leading machining projects. Ideally, you should have an international reputation for your previous research and knowledge in machining. You should be able to demonstrate the ability to manage industrial and government stakeholders. The results of previous work should demonstrate the ability to manage people and allocate resources across a range of projects to achieve the technical deliveries of the group. The level of professionalism should be that commensurate with a large, international portfolio of work, with multiple projects being delivered simultaneously.

Person Specification – Criteria

• Have a relevant Technical Degree (or equivalent experience). Essential. Application/interview.
• Strong background in Machining processes and the optimisation of these processes. Including development and delivery of a strategic vision for Technology development and Machining optimisation methodology in a given area. Essential. Application/interview.
• Proven ability to manage a portfolio of work £1m per annum sustainably and ensuring growth against a measurable target/KPI. Essential. Application/interview.
• Proven ability to develop a growth strategy focused on financial stability, customer satisfaction and strategic vision. Essential. Application/interview.
• Proven track record of stakeholder and partner management with evidence of delivering an excellent customer experience. Essential. Application/interview.
• Knowledge of quality systems and standards. Essential. Application/interview.
• Experience of building and developing high-performing teams and aligning the day-to-day work and goals of the team with the organisation's strategic vision. Essential. Application/interview.
• High level capability communication skills in a variety of mediums. Including the writing, reviewing and authorising of technical reports and publications. Essential. Application/interview.
• Ability to develop creative approaches to problem solving and to analyse and solve problems with an appreciation of longer-term implications. Essential. Application/interview.
• Experience of reviewing individual/team progress and performance and embedding organisational strategy into individual performance planning. Essential. Application/interview.
• Willingness to undertake DV clearance. Essential. Application/interview.
• Experience of adapting own skills to new circumstances. Desirable. Application/interview.

Further Information

• Grade: 9
• Salary: £61,759 - £69,488
• Work arrangement: Full-time
• Duration: N/A
• Line manager: Senior Technical Fellow
• Direct reports: Technical leads, Senior Project Engineers, Project Engineers
• Right to work in the UK: If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.
• Our website: The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre
• For informal enquiries about this job contact Tom McCready, Head of Machining group: on [e-mail]

Main duties and responsibilities

• Lead on the technical delivery of a specific defence project for a range of partners and funding bodies, although a specific requirement to deliver key projects for a strategic partner will be required to be undertaken, expanded to a wider delivery team. The aim is to improve operational efficiency and performance of systems on manufacturing processes.
• Line management of a team of staff within a defence project. This includes setting team targets and completing annual SRDS reviews.
• As Technical Fellow you will be accountable for the Technical decision making within your area of responsibility and correct understanding of the how and when to escalation. Decisions will be taken with a full appreciation of the impact upon the targeted KPIs.
• Produce monthly report detailing performance against defined list of KPIs working alongside project management within the Machining Group.
• Regular communication and formal reporting to project teams, stakeholders and customers.
• Review and approve reports on the outcomes of research experiments to include specification showing materials used/measurements, methodology and other details required for customers to duplicate the manufacturing process.
• Establish a reputation for being the world-class solution provider and technical advice on your field of expertise.
• Develop a clear strategic plan of engagement/representation at relevant conferences and disseminate information about new technologies and trends which will result in new research projects and commercial opportunities.
• Design new processes and Technology in specific area whilst taking into account customer/market cost requirements and feasibility of manufacturing.
• Identify a technology road map and grow a portfolio of work to support its development.
• Development of technical solutions, ideas, theories and techniques for project staff to adopt and progress to advance machining knowledge to solve specific customer problems.
• Maintain a high reputation through the projects delivery and customer engagement.
• Lead and guide others Build high performing teams with adaptable skill-sets to be technically competent, take initiative and be innovative for a range of project scopes.
• Responsible for the risk management of the projects in the portfolio.
• Provide stakeholder and senior management communication of project status.
• Provide AMRC partners with confidence, support and value for money.
• Any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Next steps in the recruitment process

The selection process will consist of an Interview. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage two weeks after the closing date. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact [e-mail].

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • access to menopause support in the workplace
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Security Checks

This role requires the postholder to undertake a Government baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) check.

The post holder is also required to obtain Security Check Clearance (SC) and Developed Vetting Security Clearance. This is usually only available to British citizens who have been living in the UK for the past 10 years (Developed Vetting).

Closing Date :28/09/26

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision ( www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.