Materials & Process Laboratory Technician

Join a specialist Materials team supporting the development of products for a leading UK defence organisation. Working within Mechanical Engineering, you'll carry out laboratory testing, analysis, and material investigations to help ensure products meet strict technical, reliability, and cost requirements. You'll collaborate with UK and French teams, use a range of advanced test facilities, and provide technical support on materials, manufacturing processes, and product performance across the business. Key Responsibilities: This role is critical to ensuring products meet strict technical, reliability, quality, and compliance standards. Working within a specialist materials laboratory, you will support testing, failure investigations, material selection, supplier assessment, and regulatory compliance across a wide range of defence programmes.

Conduct testing, inspection, and characterisation of metallic and non-metallic materials. Analyse material properties to support product design, manufacturing, and quality assurance. Investigate material failures and support forensic engineering activities. Produce technical reports and interpret engineering drawings and specifications. Assess new and emerging materials technologies and manufacturing processes. Support REACH, RoHS, environmental, and regulatory compliance requirements. Provide technical guidance on hazardous materials, obsolescence, and material selection. Review supplier and subcontractor processes, manufactured parts, and quality documentation. Use laboratory equipment including mechanical testing, microscopy, and analytical instruments. Support laboratory quality and safety activities, including COSHH assessments, SOPs, and continuous improvement initiatives.

What do you need?:

Practical Laboratory experience - hands on experience managing daily laboratory operations, including sample testing, logging, preparation and disposal. Experience in the Aerospace or Defence Industry advantageous but not strictly required. Assessment of materials and components to established international standards including DEF STANs. Experience performing routine calibration, troubleshooting and maintenance on lab equipment. Experience supporting the selection, procurement and manufacture of engineering parts or components. Familiarity working within a certified quality management team. Proficiency in lab and data analytical software (Microsoft Excel, Matlab etc). Strict adherence to lab safety protocols including proper handling of hazardous chemicals, SDS management and wearing of appropriate PPE. Ability to accurately document test procedures, analyse raw data and write clear concise technical reports.