Research And Development Engineer - Composite Engineer

Brightsmith are pleased to be representing a climate technology company developing processes to recover and reuse high-value materials from industrial waste, supporting sustainable manufacturing in a broad range of sectors, including aerospace. This role develops and validates recovered carbon fibre products by designing and running structured experiments that link process conditions to material performance. It combines hands-on experimental engineering, data-driven analysis, and product development to translate lab-scale results into pilot-scale validation and customer-ready materials.

Key Responsibilities: Fibre Characterisation, QC & Data Analysis Characterise recovered carbon fibre at pilot scale and ensure consistency with lab benchmarks Develop robust QC methods and statistical frameworks beyond basic sampling Build fibre performance datasheets and structured materials databases Use Python tools to process, visualise, and interpret experimental data Identify trends linking process conditions to material properties and improve measurement capability Experimental Engineering & Scale Testing Design and build custom test rigs and experimental setups where needed Integrate sensors and data acquisition systems to improve measurement quality and repeatability Develop and run structured experiments linking process conditions to fibre and composite outcomes Ensure robust, controlled, and repeatable testing across lab and pilot scale Continuously improve experimental and measurement capability at scale Composites Processing & Product Development Convert recovered fibre into usable formats (e.g. nonwovens, tapes, chopped fibre) Produce demonstrator parts validating performance in real-world applications Support fibre handling and processing design within pilot systems Translate customer requirements into product specifications and development priorities Support development of new fibre formats and applications Technical Translation & Stakeholder Engagement Bridge chemistry, engineering, operations, and commercial teams Translate lab insights into pilot-scale validation and product decisions Work with partners and customers on downstream testing and qualification Produce demonstrators and technical outputs to support adoption Communicate findings clearly across technical and non-technical stakeholders Grant & Project Leadership Lead writing and delivery of collaborative R&D funding applications Coordinate industrial and academic consortia Manage project milestones, reporting, and delivery against timelines Ensure structured execution and clear technical outcomes Requirements: Essential Degree in materials science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or related field Hands-on experience in experimental R&D or materials/process development Strong practical skills in lab, pilot plant, or test environment work Ability to design experiments and generate reliable, structured data Strong analytical ability with comfort working in data-driven environments (e.g. Python or similar tools) Good technical communication and documentation skills Strongly desirable Experience with composites, fibres, or polymer processing Familiarity with QC method development or materials characterisation Experience building experimental rigs or custom test setups Exposure to collaborative R&D or grant-funded projects Experience working in early-stage or fast-moving technical environments If you are interested please apply below, or reach out directly at a.knight@brightsmithgroup.com41bf1e1f-b16b-4260-a40a-17c77a06fd15