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Chemistry /Materials Lab Technician (R&D) c26k + Benefits South East ABJ7611 1-year full time contract With a background in chemistry and / or materials our client is looking for a chemist /materials scientist / or laboratory technician who would like be part of a global organisation supporting R&D Technical Support for the development of new materials and within laboratory function...
Positions; Chemist/R&D/Technician/Technologist Location; Birmingham/Warwick/Stratford/Redditch/Worcester/Kidderminster Sector; Paints/Coatings/Adhesives Our Client supplies a wide range of wet paint, powder coatings and metal pretreatment products, to a variety of market areas. In addition to their core range of products, the on-site Chemists produce a large number of customer bespoke paints, to suit their customers’ particular application, testing or performance requirements. Our Clients supply paint...
Polymer Chemist - Chemical and Pharmaceutical Manufacturer - West Midlands. About the company Our client is a speciality chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturer based in the West Midlands who are looking for a Polymer & Formulation Chemist. This is an exciting role with a long-established, innovative chemical manufacturer with a proud history and a strong future. You'll work on the synthesis,...
Position: Senior Product Development Chemist Location: Derbyshire Salary: £Negotiable Company/ Sector: Chemicals/ Polymers The Role: • To project manage and complete product development projects to agreed timetable, standards and budgets, recording all events and data within the Project System. • To oversee the R&D laboratory, ensuring that it functions effectively, meeting standards in respect of quality, health & safety and...
Are you an experienced Chemist or Polymer Scientist with experience of leading product development Are you looking for a Technical Directors role within an expanding and successful polymer based manufacturing company As a Technical Director could you lead Product and Material Development while supporting the commercial team through technical discussions Kingscroft has been asked to recruit for a Technical Director...
Senior R&D Chemist - Polymers Liverpool Salary - £40,000 - £55,000 (depending on experience) Permanent SRG is working with a leading global manufacturer of speciality polymers. Based in the Liverpool area, they have recently started hiring for a role on their R&D team. This opportunity would suit someone with a strong background in polymers R&D or a similar industry, who...
Advance your MaterSci career with expert advice, practical job search tips, and insightful industry guides.
Materials science is one of the most exciting multidisciplinary fields today, sitting at the crossroads of physics, chemistry, engineering, and data science. It underpins advances across sectors — from developing new semiconductors for electronics, to creating sustainable polymers, to innovating alloys for aerospace and defence. In the UK, demand for materials scientists is growing rapidly. Employers are looking for candidates who not only understand theoretical principles, but can also demonstrate practical skills in modelling, simulation, data analysis, and design. The challenge? Commercial materials software packages can cost thousands of pounds. Fortunately, a wide range of free and open-source tools make it possible to practise materials science without financial barriers. These platforms allow you to explore everything from atomic-scale quantum simulations to computer-aided design, visualisation, and machine learning for materials discovery. This guide highlights the best free tools and platforms to practise materials science skills in 2025. Each section explains what the tool does, why it’s useful, and how you can leverage it to build portfolio-ready projects and prepare for a career in the sector.
Materials science and engineering are foundational to innovation across industries—from aerospace and automotive to healthcare, energy, and electronics. In the UK, organisations are increasingly seeking experts who understand material properties, advanced characterisation, and how to translate them into commercial solutions. But what specific skills are in demand today? By analysing job postings on LinkedIn and Indeed, this article presents the Top 10 materials science skills sought by UK employers in 2025. Alongside definitions, you’ll find guidance on showcasing these skills in your CV, acing interviews, and building a compelling portfolio.
Materials science is one of the most fascinating and impactful disciplines of the modern era. It bridges chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering, and underpins the technologies that drive human progress. Every major technological leap—from the silicon chips that power computers to the composite materials that make aircraft lighter and more efficient—has depended on breakthroughs in materials science. In the UK, materials science is central to strategic priorities: clean energy, aerospace, defence, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. The discipline is tightly linked to national innovation strategies, including net-zero targets, life sciences leadership, and cutting-edge digital industries. Universities, research centres, and companies are investing heavily in fields such as nanotechnology, biomaterials, and advanced composites. But the landscape is changing rapidly. Advances in AI-driven discovery, biotechnology, nanofabrication, and quantum technologies are reshaping what materials can do—and how we design and produce them. Many of the most critical materials science jobs of the future don’t exist yet. This article explores why entirely new roles will emerge, what they might look like, how today’s roles will evolve, why the UK is well positioned to lead, and how professionals can prepare.
The UK's materials science sector has established itself as one of Europe's most intellectually rigorous and industrially vital scientific markets, with roles spanning from junior materials characterisation specialists to principal research scientists and heads of advanced materials development. With materials science positions commanding salaries from £28,000 for graduate materials engineers to £120,000+ for senior principal scientists, understanding when organisations actively recruit can dramatically accelerate your career progression in this fundamental and rapidly advancing field. Unlike traditional engineering roles, materials science hiring follows distinct patterns influenced by research funding cycles, industrial R&D schedules, and advanced manufacturing project timelines. The sector's unique combination of theoretical physics, experimental methodology, and practical applications creates predictable hiring windows that strategic professionals can leverage to advance their careers in developing tomorrow's revolutionary materials. This comprehensive guide explores the optimal timing for materials science job applications in the UK, examining how industrial research strategies, academic collaboration cycles, and advanced manufacturing initiatives influence recruitment patterns, and why strategic timing can determine whether you join a pioneering materials research team or miss the opportunity to develop the next generation of functional materials.
Pre-employment screening in materials science reflects the discipline's unique position at the intersection of advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology innovation, and critical materials development. Materials scientists often have privileged access to proprietary formulations, cutting-edge research data, and strategic materials technologies that form the foundation of organisational competitive advantage and technological leadership across multiple industries. The materials science industry operates within complex regulatory frameworks spanning chemical safety directives, nanotechnology governance requirements, and emerging advanced materials regulations. Materials science professionals must demonstrate not only technical competence in materials characterisation and development but also deep understanding of chemical safety protocols, environmental impact assessment, and the societal implications of advanced materials deployment at scale. Modern materials science roles frequently involve developing materials for aerospace applications, biomedical devices, energy storage systems, and advanced manufacturing processes across multiple regulatory jurisdictions and safety frameworks simultaneously. The combination of chemical expertise, materials innovation capabilities, and industrial application responsibility makes thorough candidate verification essential for maintaining compliance, safety, and technological leadership in materials-driven industries.
The United Kingdom stands at the forefront of a materials science revolution that's fundamentally transforming how we design products, engineer solutions, and tackle global challenges from renewable energy to space exploration. From the graphene research laboratories in Manchester to the advanced ceramics facilities in Stoke-on-Trent, Britain's leadership in materials innovation has created an unprecedented demand for skilled materials science professionals that dramatically exceeds the current talent supply. If you've been seeking a career at the intersection of scientific discovery and practical innovation or looking to position yourself in one of the most impactful sectors of the modern economy, materials science represents an extraordinary opportunity. The convergence of sustainability imperatives, advanced manufacturing capabilities, digital materials design, and next-generation technology requirements has created perfect conditions for materials science career success.
