Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer - KTP Associate (Fixed term for 24 months)

Location: GJB Holdings Limited, Unit 2 Govan Road, Fenton Industrial Estate, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 2RS

Birmingham City University are looking to appoint a high calibre graduate (graduated within the last five years) as a Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer.

This role presents an exciting opportunity to work in collaboration with leading academics at Birmingham City University, to apply knowledge and technical innovation, delivered on site at the company. 

The Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) should have a minimum 2.1 University qualification in a relevant subject area and graduated within the last five years. 

This Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) is co-funded by a grant from Innovate UK and GJB Holdings Limited. It is therefore essential you understand the fundamentals of the KTP collaboration between a UK business and a University works to deliver benefits for each (the company, the university, and the graduate) For more information please go to www.ktp.org.uk

Personal Training & Development Budget: 

The Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will have access to a wider range of benefits including a personal development budget of £4,000 to upskill during the project. 

The successful candidate will be employed by Birmingham City University and seconded to work full-time onsite at GJB Holdings Limited to deliver the 24-month KTP project in partnership Birmingham City University and GJB Holdings Limited.

GJB Holdings Limited:

GJB Holdings Ltd is a leading UK manufacturer in the windows and doors sector, operating advanced production facilities in Essex and Stoke-on-Trent. With a strong heritage and continued investment in high-quality products, we are now entering a major phase of digital transformation. The business is adopting AI, data-driven decision-making, industrial IoT, and smart-factory technologies to enhance efficiency, quality, and customer service. (https://www.listerwindows.co.uk) 

The successful candidate will have full access to Birmingham City University’s resources such as offices, labs, and library to complete the KTP project (a project workplan written with KPIs and outcome deliverables has been written)

The Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will be supervised and mentored by both a lead academic and academic supervisor academics from BCU’s Department of Computer Science within the School of Architecture, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering (ABCE) as well as a company supervisor located at GJB Holdings Limited whose aim is to assist the Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) to deliver the knowledge into GJB Holdings Limited and successfully deliver the 24-month KTP project on behalf of GJB Holdings Limited and Birmingham City University. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities: 

The Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will work on:

•  Data acquisition pipelines and IoT sensor integration
•  Building machine learning models for forecasting, optimisation, and automated decision-making
•  Implementing visual analytics dashboards for factory intelligence
•  Process mapping, workflow redesign, and lean digital transformation
•  Evaluating and upgrading manufacturing equipment to Industry 4.0 standards
• Facilitating collaborative workshops with academic and industry partners

The role requires the successful candidate to develop:

• The development of a smart manufacturing ecosystem, integrating sensors, real-time analytics, and automation
• The design and deployment of an AI-driven optimisation engine for production, quality, and scheduling
• Creation of a digital twin of factory processes for predictive planning
• Development of a smart quoting and procurement system linking sales to production
• Change management activities to embed digital capability within the workforce
• Training, documentation, and knowledge transfer across operations and IT teams
• Technical integration with existing ERP, MES, and production systems

The Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will be expected to interact with the senior management, suppliers and clients of the company as well as BCU academics. 

The Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) must also be adept at applying their knowledge to commercial projects, driving value and making an impact where possible, with an ability to solve problems and create innovative solutions.

The Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer KTP (Associate) must have the following key attributes to ensure the project’s successful completion.

Skills and Experience: 

The Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will hold a relevant degree. This might be a first degree (equivalent to a first class or 2:1 honours) in Smart Manufacturing & AI Systems Engineering, a master’s degree in a similar discipline is acceptable.

Essential:

• A minimum 2:1 or first class undergraduate qualification in AI, Data Science, Computer Science, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering
• Experience in data analysis, machine learning, or industrial automation.
• Ability to integrate digital tools with manufacturing processes.
• Strong programming skills (Python, SQL, or similar).
• Experience with IoT devices, sensors, or real-time data systems.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and lead technical development.

 Desirable:

• Master’s degree or PhD (awarded or near completion) in AI, Digital Manufacturing, Data Science, Industrial Systems Engineering, or related fields.
• Relevant industry certifications (Lean Six Sigma, AWS/Azure cloud, IoT, etc.).
• Experience with ERP/MES systems.
• Knowledge of digital twin development.
• Understanding of manufacturing operations, workflows, and lean methodologies.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Experience in deploying AI models in production environments.

On a personal note, the Associate should be enthusiastic, motivated, punctual, conscientious, trustworthy and work well within a team. 

For further information please contact Ogerta Elezaj at Ogerta.elezaj@bcu.ac.uk or Hadeel Saadany at hadeel.saadany@bcu.ac.uk

Interviews will take place w/c 2nd March 2026.

Further Details: Job Description

Closing Date: 23.59 hours GMT on Sunday 15 February 2026