Technical Specialist – Non-Metallic – Mechanical Testing

Join Element Materials Technology and play a vital role at our Hitchin site where science meets innovation and quality drives everything we do all with one clear purpose: Making Tomorrow Safer Than Today!

We are seeking a technically driven professional to provide expert support for non-metallic mechanical testing activities specialising in composite and polymer materials. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of materials performance reliability and safety ensuring our technical governance remains robust compliant and aligned with the highest quality and safety standards.

In this role you will:

• Provide hands-on technical expertise across non-metallic mechanical testing programmes
• Support and uphold technical governance in line with established quality systems
• Ensure compliance with safety procedures and regulatory requirements
• Act as a key technical authority for composite and polymer material testing
• Drive continuous improvement in processes technical capability and operational excellence

At Element youll be part of a global organisation supporting leading companies across aerospace automotive energy and advanced manufacturing sectors. Every test you oversee every standard you uphold and every improvement you drive contributes to safer products stronger performance and greater confidence for our customers worldwide.

If you are passionate about materials science committed to technical integrity and motivated by the impact your expertise can make this is your opportunity to help us continue making tomorrow safer than today.

Build your future with Element where integrity innovation and expertise power progress!

• Act as the technical lead for clients supporting enquiries proposals meetings and project updates
• Deliver client testing projects including high-value and bespoke R&D programmes to support site financial targets
• Develop and implement new testing methodologies and best practices across the site and wider network
• Provide technical guidance to Laboratory Managers project managers and operational teams
• Represent the business at committees working groups conferences and exhibitions sharing key insights internally
• Contribute to site strategy business cases capex justifications and business development initiatives
• Collaborate with commercial and functional teams to achieve technical and commercial objectives
• Lead technical reviews support audits maintain accreditations and ensure compliance with quality standards
• Strengthen safety culture through risk assessment review safety investigations and operational document approval
• Support recruitment training competency development and mentoring of technical and operational staff

• BSc or MSc in Materials Science Mechanical Engineering Polymer Science Metallurgy Chemical Engineering or related discipline (PhD desirable for R&D or advanced analysis roles)
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Chartered Scientist (CSci) preferred
• Extensive hands-on experience in materials testing analysis and characterisation
• Strong expertise in mechanical testing (tensile compression fatigue fracture toughness hardness) and failure/root cause investigations
• Experience developing validating and optimising test methods
• Background in regulated industries (e.g. aerospace automotive medical energy defence construction)
• Proficient in technical writing including test procedures SOPs and reports
• Proven ability to lead projects and mentor junior engineers/scientists
• Experience working to international standards (ASTM ISO BS EN) within accredited laboratories (ISO 17025 preferred)
• Practical experience with mechanical testing instrumentation including Instron MTS ZwickRoell UTM systems servo-hydraulic fatigue rigs and impact testing equipment (Charpy/Izod)

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Element is one of the fastest growing testing inspection and certification businesses in the world. Globally we have more than 9000 brilliant minds operating from 270 sites across 30 countries. Together we share an ambitious purpose to Make tomorrow safer than today.

When failure in use is not an option we help customers make certain that their products materials processes and services are safe compliant and fit for purpose. From early R&D through complex regulatory approvals and into production our global laboratory network of scientists engineers and technologists support customers to achieve assurance over product quality sustainable outcomes and market access.

While we are proud of our global reach working at Element feels like being part of a smaller company. We empower you to take charge of your career and reward excellence and integrity with growth and development.

Industries across the world depend on our care attention to detail and the absolute accuracy of our work. The role we have to play in creating a safer world is much bigger than our organization.

At Element we always take pride in putting our people first. We are an equal opportunity employer that recognizes diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our Vision of becoming the worlds most trusted testing partner.

All suitably qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment on the basis of objective work related criteria and without regard for the following: age disability ethnic origin gender marital status race religion responsibility of dependents sexual orientation or gender identity or other characteristics in accordance with the applicable governing laws or other characteristics in accordance with the applicable governing laws.

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about discussed or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge (b) in furtherance of an investigation proceeding hearing or action including an investigation conducted by the employer or (c) consistent with the contractors legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

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