Senior Research Engineer – Laser Machining
Location: Coventry, UK
Job Type: Permanent
Working Hours: 36 hours per week (Flexible Working Week)
Salary: £48,000 – £55,000 per annum DOE
Benefits: Vitality Medical, Company Pension, Tusker Car Scheme & Cycle 2 workLf scheme and more.
You will join the Laser Processing team at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, focusing on laser machining technologies—cutting, drilling and blind machining—to support the development and delivery of innovative projects across aerospace, defence, energy and other high‑value manufacturing sectors.
As a Senior Research Engineer, you will give technical leadership in laser machining processes, lead project delivery and shape new technical capabilities. You will work with world‑class equipment, collaborate with leading industrial and academic partners, mentor junior engineers, and take ownership of technically challenging projects to contribute to the strategic growth of MTC’s laser machining capability and influence future research directions at the interface between applied research and industrial deployment.
Main Responsibilities
Provide technical leadership of laser machining project portfolios, ensuring delivery to the highest quality, on time and on budget.
* Take strategic oversight of project alignment, pipeline development and technical business growth with key MTC customers across the sectors.
* Lead and manage the Laser Machining team within the Laser Processing group. Responsibilities include:
o Strategic deployment of engineers onto laser machining project portfolios.
o Coaching乐城, mentoring and supporting the professional development of team members.
o Setting clear objectives, development plans and performance expectations.
o Promoting wellbeing and creating a supportive, collaborative working environment.
* Drive technical capability development in laser machining, ensuring the MTC remains at the forefront of laser‑based manufacturing technologies.
* Work with academic, industrial and Catapult partners to identify and secure funding opportunities, shaping new collaborative research and development programmes.
* Represent the MTC externally, building relationships with stakeholders, presenting at conferences and disseminating technical advances.
Person Specification
Essential Skills / Qualifications / Experience
* Degree or Ph Webster above in engineering, physics, materials science or a related discipline.
* Good experience in laser machining processes (e.g. drilling, cutting, precision material removal).
* Experience with one or more laser machining techniques, such as continuous wave laser, short/ultrashort pulsed lasers, water‑jet guided laser or hybrid processes.
* Strong understanding of laser–material interactions and process fundamentals with demonstrable application in industrial or research environments.
* Proven ability to lead technical delivery of projects, ensuring outputs meet agreed customer requirements within time and budget.
* Experience developing technical roadmaps and proposals, aligning projects with strategic objectives.
* Evidence of working directly with industrial clients or research collaborators, including requirements capture and customer engagement.
* Demonstrable project management skills, including budget awareness and risk management.
* Strong communication and presentation skills, able to represent MTC in technical forums, customer meetings and conferences.
* Ability to coach, mentor and support the development of junior engineers.
* A collaborative, hands‑on approach with willingness to contribute to practical delivery as well as leadership.
Desirable Skills / Qualifications / Experience
* Chartered Engineer (or working toward professional registration).
* Knowledge of process monitoring and control for laser machining (e.g. sensors, AI‑driven optimisation, in‑process diagnostics).
* Familiarity with CAD/CAM and laser programming for multi‑axis machining systems.
* Collaborative R&D bid development including ideas creation, identification of funding routes, consortium building and bid writing.
* Experience disseminating research through journal publications, patents or conferences.
* Exposure to the UK manufacturing sector, Catapult network and UK/EU funding landscape.
* Experience in line management or technical team leadership, including deployment, objective setting and wellbeing support.
Interview Process
Once you submit your application, it will be passed to our Talent Acquisition team. If shortlisted, a two‑stage interview process will follow.
(step) Reference and Security Checks
All employment is subject to satisfactory references and appropriate security clearance checks.
About The MTC
The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is an internationally renowned and respected research and development organisation bridging the gap between academia and manufacturing. MTC engineers, scientists and technicians work with some of the world’s most advanced manufacturing equipment in a supportive and collegiate environment to develop and demonstrate new technologies on an industrial scale, helping manufacturers of all sizes develop new and innovative processes and technologies. MTC’s engineering capabilities cover research, development, advanced manufacturing management, factory design and training for the skills of the future. The MTC has world‑class facilitiesයි in Coventry, Liverpool and Oxford and is part of the UK’s High‑Value Manufacturing Catapult, supported by Innovate UK.
Supported by one of the largest public‑sector investments in UK manufacturing, the MTC’s engineering capabilities cover research and development, advanced manufacturing management, factory design and training for the skills of future high‑value manufacturing.
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