Research and Development Technician

The Best Connection - Wolverhampton

The Best Connection is currently recruiting on behalf of our client for an experienced and practically minded Research & Development (R&D) Technician to join their team in the Wolverhampton area.

Pay & Hours

• £14.36 - £17.95 per hour, dependent on experience
• Monday to Friday
• 07:30 - 15:30
• Wolverhampton area
• Ongoing opportunity

As an R&D Technician, you will play a hands-on role in developing sustainable technologies for the recovery and re-manufacture of carbon fibre and composite materials.

You will be involved in operating pilot-scale machinery, manufacturing composite materials, preparing samples, carrying out material testing and accurately recording experimental data.

• Operating pilot-scale recycling and processing equipment, including pyrolysis ovens, solvolysis reactors and size-reduction machinery.
• Manufacturing prepreg materials and pilot-scale composite products.
• Preparing, cutting, grinding and compounding recycled carbon fibre, chopped strands and non-woven mats.
• Carrying out mechanical and chemical testing, including tensile and flexural testing.
• Performing physical analysis such as density testing, resin burn-off and TGA.
• Accurately recording experimental parameters, results and project data.
• Using Excel and other software to format, analyse, summarise and store data.
• Maintaining laboratory records and ensuring project data is organised and distributed as required.
• Managing laboratory equipment calibration and chemical/material inventories.
• Carrying out machine maintenance in accordance with ISO requirements.
• Maintaining high standards of health, safety and housekeeping.
• Working closely with the wider R&D team on innovative recycling and composite manufacturing projects.

We are looking for someone who is practical, hands-on and naturally curious, with the ability to work independently and solve problems.

Previous experience in composites, carbon fibre, lamination, manufacturing, materials testing or an industrial R&D environment would be highly advantageous.

You should be comfortable working with machinery and be willing to learn new manufacturing and recycling processes.

• Experience working with composites, carbon fibre, polymers or advanced materials is desirable.
• Previous experience in an industrial R&D, manufacturing or materials testing environment would be advantageous.
• Practical experience with lamination or composite manufacturing would be beneficial.
• Comfortable using general engineering tools and machinery.
• Experience with CNC, mechanical or electrical equipment would be highly advantageous.
• Experience using machinery such as hydraulic presses, bandsaws and waterjet cutters would be beneficial.
• Good attention to detail and accurate record keeping.
• Basic computer skills, particularly Microsoft Excel.
• A practical, self-starting and problem-solving approach.
• Ability to work safely around machinery and chemical/thermal processes.

No formal qualifications are essential where relevant practical experience and aptitude can be demonstrated.

Apply today through The Best Connection for immediate consideration.

The Best Connection is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.