Lead Engineer - Process

Our client, a fast‑growing advanced materials company is currently looking for a Lead Engineer – Process to lead the scale‑up of a breakthrough porous silicon material as it moves from lab to commercial production. This hands‑on role is ideal for a process chemist, chemical engineer, or materials engineer with strong experience in process scale‑up, high‑performance materials, and fast‑paced technical environments.
The Lead Engineer – Process will:
* Own the process scale‑up roadmap and translate product requirements into clear development targets.
* Lead scale‑up programmes from lab validation through to production‑ready processes.
* Design and improve processes using modelling‑led, data‑driven decision-making.
* Support manufacturing strategy, capital investment decisions, and process readiness.
* Provide hands‑on technical leadership, mentoring junior engineers/scientists, and guiding experiments.
* Contribute to technical documentation, customer discussions, and IP generation.
The Lead Engineer – Process will have:
* 5+ years' experience in process chemistry or process development (industry or applied R&D).
* Strong hands‑on expertise scaling up advanced material synthesis or downstream processing.
* Deep understanding of equipment design, unit operations, thermodynamics, and kinetics.
* Proven ability to independently develop safe, scalable manufacturing methods.
* Experience working cross‑functionally with technical and leadership teams.
* Excellent communication and problem‑solving skills in a fast‑moving environment.
Desirables - It would be great if you also have:
* Experience scaling technologies from lab to pilot or commercial production.
* Prior exposure to SME/start‑up environments.
* A track record of patents or contributions to industrial IP.
This is a rare opportunity to take full ownership of process development for a next‑generation battery material with real commercial impact. If you're passionate about building scalable, high‑performance processes and want a role with visibility, responsibility, and momentum, we'd love to hear from you