Principal Scientist / Engineer – Battery Materials
Permanent | Sedgefield | £49,045 – £65,045
About the Role
We are seeking a Principal Scientist / Engineer to join a growing technology team focused on battery materials, process development, and scale-up activities.
This is a senior technical leadership role that combines scientific expertise, project delivery, customer engagement, and capability development. You'll act as a recognised subject matter expert, leading complex technical programmes while helping shape future technology strategy and developing capability across the wider team.
The role would suit either:
- A Principal Scientist with experience operating and developing pilot-scale processes and equipment, or
- A Principal Engineer with strong industrial experience in battery materials, scale-up, commissioning, and process delivery.
Beyond technical expertise, we're looking for someone who can lead projects, influence stakeholders, and potentially develop into a people leadership role as the team continues to grow.
What You'll Be Responsible For:
Technical Leadership
- Act as a recognised expert in battery materials and associated technologies
- Provide technical leadership across large-scale and complex R&D programmes
- Translate technical insight into practical solutions and future technology opportunities
- Support the development of technology strategy and future capability plans
Project Delivery & Scale-Up
- Lead complex technical projects from concept through to delivery
- Oversee pilot-scale activities and process development programmes
- Support commissioning, operation, and optimisation of pilot equipment and development facilities
- Apply technical expertise to solve challenging real-world engineering and scientific problems
Innovation & Capability Development
- Identify emerging technical developments and market opportunities
- Support the creation of new technologies, services, and applications
- Drive capability building within battery materials and energy storage technologies
- Mentor and develop colleagues across the team and wider organisation
Customer & Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and maintain relationships with customers, partners, and industry stakeholders
- Represent the organisation externally as a technical expert
- Support customer meetings, collaborative projects, and business development opportunities
- Actively contribute to proposal development and technical bid activities
Collaboration & Leadership
- Work closely with commercial, technical, and project management teams
- Influence technical direction across multidisciplinary programmes
- Contribute to knowledge sharing and capability development across the organisation
- Support future team growth and, for the right candidate, develop towards broader people leadership responsibilities
About You:
You are a senior scientist or engineer with strong technical expertise and the ability to lead complex projects in industrial, pilot-scale, or technology development environments.
You'll bring:
- Significant industrial experience in battery materials, advanced materials, process development, or related technologies
- Experience leading complex technical projects and multidisciplinary activities
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to deliver innovative solutions
- Experience working in pilot-scale, scale-up, commissioning, or development environments
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
- The ability to influence and build relationships across technical and commercial teams
For Principal Scientists:
- Experience operating or developing pilot-scale processes and equipment
- Strong scientific understanding of battery materials, inorganic chemistry, or related fields
For Principal Engineers:
- Experience commissioning, operating, and improving pilot or production equipment
- Strong understanding of process engineering and industrial scale-up activities
Desirable Experience
- Battery materials development
- Inorganic chemistry
- Electrochemistry
- Battery recycling technologies
- Pilot plant operations
- Battery tear-down and failure analysis
- Technology scale-up and commercialisation
- Chartered status or progression towards professional accreditation
Why Join Us?
- Opportunity to play a key role in the development of next-generation battery technologies
- Influence future capability and technology strategy
- Lead high-profile projects with commercial and industrial impact
- Work within a collaborative, innovation-focused environment
- Competitive salary (£49,045 – £65,045)
Location & Working Pattern
- Based in Sedgefield
- Permanent position
- Hybrid working available depending on project requirements
- Frequent engagement with pilot facilities, project teams, and industry partners
The Opportunity
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Scientist or Engineer looking to step into a highly influential technical leadership position. You'll work at the intersection of innovation, scale-up, and commercialisation, helping develop new battery technologies while shaping future capability and mentoring the next generation of technical specialists.