Advanced Research Engineer - Materials Technology, Coatings KTP Associate (Fixed Term for 30 Months)

Birmingham City University

Department of Engineering

Birmingham City University is looking to appoint a high calibre graduate as an Advanced Research Engineer – Materials Technology, and Coatings (KTP Associate) to deliver an exciting 30-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership in the BCU’s Department of Management, Business and Marketing (Business School) and Department of Engineering (ABCE) and Hockley Mint Limited. 

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. 

This Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) is co-funded by a grant from Innovate UK and Hockley Mint 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 Home - Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Personal Training & Development Budget: 

The KTP Associate will have access to a wide range of benefits including a personal development budget of £5,000 to upskill during the project alongside the wider KTP Associate training programme.

Location and Reporting:

The successful candidate will be employed by Birmingham City University and seconded to work full-time onsite at Hockley Mint Limited, 70-71 Warstone Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B18 6NG.The KTP Associate will deliver the 30-month KTP project in partnership with Birmingham City University and Hockley Mint Limited.

The KTP Associate will be supervised and mentored by both a knowledge base lead and academic supervisor from BCU’s Department of Management, Business and Marketing (Business School) and Department of Engineering (ABCE), and by Hockley Mint’s Company Supervisor.

Hockley Mint Limited: 

Hockley Mint is a long-established Birmingham manufacturer that combines traditional jewellery craftsmanship with modern production technology. It serves jewellery retailers and brands with everything from bespoke one-off pieces to large-scale production runs, while maintaining a strong focus on British manufacturing and sustainable practices. For further information please visit One of Europe's largest jewellery manufacturers | Hockley Mint

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 KTP Associate will be expected to interact with the senior management, suppliers and clients of the company as well as BCU academics. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities: 

The KTP Associate will work on:

• New alloy development based on experimental work including processing of materials (casting, thermo-mechanical processing etc) and coating (PVD deposition, electroplating and anodising)
• Testing and characterisation of the developed materials including mechanical and optical response, chemical and corrosion testing and also biocompatibility
• Assessing the sustainability of the new alloy systems, developing processes that embed circular credentials in the manufacturing and commercialization of the products
• Developing a commercialisation document that will allow the company to implement a route to market plan
• Developing project and milestone documents (presentations, risks registers, health and safety assessments)

The role requires the successful candidate to develop:

• Technical documentation relating to the development of new alloy systems
• Any additional health and safety documentation that may come out from the development of new alloy
• A commercialisation plan to market the new alloy
• A mini-product passport highlighting the sustainability characteristics of the developed alloy

The 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 KTP Associate must have the following key attributes to ensure the project’s successful completion.

Skills and Experience: 

The KTP Associate will hold a relevant masters or PhD degree. 

Essential:

• A minimum Master’s level qualification in material science, metallurgy or chemistry 
• Excellent communication skills to express ideas effectively, orally, graphically and in writing to articulate complicated matters between the academics and the company project team members
• An ability to work to tight deadlines with diligence, attention to detail, and maintain high standards of work
• An ability and aptitude to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team; and self-management and planning skills to make optimum use of time
• Strong leadership skills in successfully implementing and embedding new innovations within a company or organisation

Desirable:

• PhD in a related subject or relevant experience 
• Academic acumen to enable successful reporting through research publications in academic journals and marketing/training materials
• Practical experience of working in the field of metallurgy

Personal Skills:

• Enthusiastic, self-motivated and able to take a proactive role in delivering the proposal's work plan successfully
• Practical interpersonal skills to establish good working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and industrial partners
• Excellent communication skills to express ideas adequately and articulate complicated matters between the academics and the company project team members either orally or in writing
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and computational skills, along with being adept at applying knowledge to commercial projects, driving value and making an impact where possible
• Strong project management skills

For further information please contact Michal.Krzyzanowski@bcu.ac.uk or arun.sukumar@bcu.ac.uk

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Should an early closure be required, all candidates with applications in progress will be notified and given a minimum of 48 hours' notice to submit their application before the revised closing date.

Interviews will take place week commencing 4th January 2027.

Further Details: Job Description

Use of AI in applications

At BCU, we welcome applications that clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. AI tools may be used to support you in preparing your application, but the information you provide must be accurate, authentic and based on your own experience. Applications that rely too heavily on AI, appear generic or do not provide specific evidence against the role criteria are less likely to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process. For more information, please refer to our candidate guidance; How to Apply - Jobs at Birmingham City University

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.

Disability Confident Employer

Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company, BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to re-enter the scheme may do so and will be employed directly by the University.

Closing Date: 23.59 hours GMT on Sunday 06 December 2026