R&D Technician

Location: Preston / Fulwood, Lancashire
Salary: Up to £40,000 DOE
Hours: Monday-Friday, 39.5 hours per week
Permanent | Days
We are recruiting for an experienced R&D Technician to join a well-established and highly successful manufacturing business based in the Preston area.
This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled Fabricator, Toolmaker, Sheet Metal Worker or Development Technician who enjoys solving engineering problems, working from drawings and turning new product concepts into practical prototypes, tooling, moulds and production-ready solutions.
This is a genuinely hands-on engineering position where you will work closely with the R&D and wider manufacturing teams, taking projects from initial concept through manufacture, modification, testing and final verification.

As R&D Technician, you will be responsible for the manufacture and development of bespoke tooling, moulds, jigs and formers used in new product development.
Your duties will include:

• Manufacturing and developing new tooling, moulds, jigs and formers
• Building components and tooling from detailed engineering drawings
• Carrying out sheet metal fabrication and developing complex shapes
• MIG and TIG welding to a high standard
• Bending, drilling, grinding and press brake work
• Modifying and improving new tooling during the development process
• Carrying out new tool verification and snagging
• Supporting design reviews and providing practical manufacturing input
• Advising design teams on Design for Manufacturability (DfM)
• Carrying out R&D moulding trials and verifying operating parameters
• Product verification, testing and problem solving
• Supporting pilot production runs and the transition of new products into manufacture
• Working with a range of materials including sheet metal, plastics, wood and composites
• Using measuring equipment including micrometers and calipers
• Providing advanced maintenance and technical support where required
• Working closely with R&D, engineering and production departments
• Sharing technical knowledge and supporting less experienced team members
• Ensuring work is completed in line with health, safety and quality requirements

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with a strong practical background in fabrication, tooling, prototype manufacture or product development.
You will ideally have:

• A minimum of 10 years' hands-on experience within tool manufacture and/or fabrication
• Strong sheet metal fabrication skills
• Experience developing complex shapes and bespoke components
• Strong MIG and TIG welding skills
• Experience with bending, drilling, grinding and press brake setup
• The ability to confidently interpret and manufacture from detailed engineering drawings
• Excellent practical problem-solving skills
• Good 3D visualisation skills with the ability to understand how a finished component or tool needs to be manufactured
• Experience taking complex projects from concept through to manufacture and verification
• Experience working with different materials
• Good knowledge of dimensional inspection and measuring equipment
• Excellent attention to detail
• The ability to manage multiple projects and priorities
• Good communication skills and the confidence to work across different engineering departments
• A Level 3 NVQ / City & Guilds qualification in Fabrication & Welding Engineering, Sheet Metal or similar
• Full UK driving licence

Experience within a manufacturing environment or knowledge of plastic moulding processes such as rotational or injection moulding would be advantageous but is not essential.

Salary up to £40,000, depending on experience and capability.
Benefits include:

• 25 days annual leave plus 8 public holidays
• Additional holiday purchase scheme
• Company pension
• Healthcare scheme
• Death in service benefit
• Free on-site parking
• Tea and coffee provided
• Permanent, stable position
• Monday-Friday working hours

39.5 hours per week
Monday-Thursday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Some additional flexibility may occasionally be required depending on business and project demands.

If you are an experienced Fabricator, Toolmaker, Sheet Metal Worker, Prototype Technician, Development Technician or R&D Technician looking for a hands-on role where you can use your fabrication and problem-solving skills on new product development projects, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today with your CV for immediate consideration.