Materials Scientist

Gaydon
9 months ago
Applications closed

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Laboratory Technician

Materials Engineer

Lead Process Chemist

Fire Scientist

Material Scientist

Ink Scientist

Are you ready to take your career to the next level? This is your chance to be part of an innovative team, working on cutting-edge projects within the automotive industry. A thrilling opportunity has arisen for a Materials Scientist to join a dynamic and forward-thinking company, where creativity meets advanced technology. If you’re passionate about developing new materials and enhancing existing ones, this role will provide you with a platform to showcase your expertise and make a tangible impact. This position offers an umbrella rate of £27.21/hr (inside IR35) and a collaborative, inspiring environment where your skills and ideas will help shape the future of materials development.

What You Will Do:

• Conduct research and experiments to explore the structures and chemical properties of various natural and man-made materials.
• Collaborate with designers, suppliers, and internal teams to develop A-surface materials for bespoke and personalisation projects.
• Create visual and numerical standards to support the supply chain and vehicle assembly processes.
• Test materials for mechanical strength, resistance to various environmental factors, and compliance with quality and safety standards.
• Develop innovative methods to combine or strengthen materials, ensuring they meet specific properties for diverse applications.
• Manage projects independently, providing guidance to junior professionals and solving complex challenges.

What You Will Bring:

• Proven experience and knowledge in material technologies, with technical expertise in development.
• A good understanding of product and automotive design, coupled with strong aesthetic judgement and colour perception.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels and across teams.
• A UK driving licence to facilitate independent travel to supplier and manufacturing sites, with flexibility for overseas travel when required.
• A relevant degree or equivalent experience in a related field, demonstrating your ability to excel in this role.

As a Materials Scientist, you will play a crucial role in the development of advanced materials and technologies that align with this company’s commitment to innovation and quality. Your contributions will directly impact the creation of bespoke automotive solutions, ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of the industry.

Location:

This exciting role is based in Gaydon, a hub of automotive excellence and innovation.

Interested?:

Don’t miss this opportunity to join a company where your skills and creativity can truly shine. Apply now to become a Materials Scientist and take the next step in your career journey!

Your CV will be forwarded to Jonathan Lee Recruitment, a leading engineering and manufacturing recruitment consultancy established in 1978. The services advertised by Jonathan Lee Recruitment are those of an Employment Agency.

In order for your CV to be processed effectively, please ensure your name, email address, phone number and location (post code OR town OR county, as a minimum) are included

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

How Many Materials Science Tools Do You Need to Know to Get a Materials Science Job?

If you’re navigating the materials science job market, it can feel like the list of tools, techniques and platforms you should learn grows every week. One job advert mentions electron microscopy, another mentions X-ray diffraction, yet another wants experience with thermal analysis, spectroscopy, simulation software, statistical packages, manufacturing QA systems and more. With so many specialised methods and instruments, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed — and to start thinking you need to know everything just to be considered. Here’s the honest truth most materials science hiring managers won’t tell you directly: 👉 They don’t hire you because you know every piece of equipment or software. They hire you because you can use the tools you do know to answer real questions, make reliable measurements and communicate results clearly. Tools are essential — no question — but they are secondary to problem-solving ability, scientific reasoning and experimental rigour. So the real question is: how many materials science tools do you actually need to know to get a job? The precise number depends on the role you want, but for most job seekers the answer is far fewer than you think. This article breaks down what employers really value, which tools are core, which are role-specific, and how to focus your learning so your CV and interviews stand out for the right reasons.

What Hiring Managers Look for First in Materials Science Job Applications (UK Guide)

Materials science is a broad, interdisciplinary field that spans academia, industry, research, engineering and manufacturing. Whether you’re applying for roles in R&D, process development, quality assurance, failure analysis, nanomaterials or product scale-up, hiring managers make key decisions within the first few seconds of scanning your application. In competitive job markets, simply listing skills or qualifications isn’t enough. Hiring managers are looking for signals of relevance, technical depth, problem-solving capability and real-world impact — and they expect those signals to be clear right from the top of your CV or portfolio. This guide breaks down exactly what hiring managers typically look for first in materials science applications, why they look for it, and how you can optimise your CV, cover letter and portfolio so your application stands out and gets past the first filter.

The Skills Gap in Materials Science Jobs: What Universities Aren’t Teaching

Materials science sits at the heart of innovation — from sustainable energy and advanced manufacturing to aerospace, electronics, healthcare and beyond. It is an interdisciplinary field combining physics, chemistry, engineering and applied science to design and improve materials that power modern technology. Despite the clear strategic importance of materials science, employers across the UK report persistent challenges hiring graduates who are truly job-ready. Organisations need professionals who can contribute immediately to research, development, manufacturing, quality control and product scale-up — yet many recent graduates struggle to bridge the gap between academic preparation and workplace demands. This gap is not caused by a lack of intelligence or enthusiasm. It is a growing skills gap between what universities teach and what real materials science jobs require. This article explores the materials science skills gap in depth: what universities teach well, what they often miss, why the gap exists, what employers want, and how aspiring professionals can bridge the divide to build successful careers in this vital UK industry.