Location: Preston / Fulwood, Lancashire
Salary: Up to £40,000 DOE
Hours: Monday-Friday, 39.5 hours per week
Permanent | Days
We are recruiting for an experienced R&D Technician to join a well-established and highly successful manufacturing business based in the Preston area.
This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled Fabricator, Toolmaker, Sheet Metal Worker or Development Technician who enjoys solving engineering problems, working from drawings and turning new product concepts into practical prototypes, tooling, moulds and production-ready solutions.
This is a genuinely hands-on engineering position where you will work closely with the R&D and wider manufacturing teams, taking projects from initial concept through manufacture, modification, testing and final verification.
The Role
As R&D Technician, you will be responsible for the manufacture and development of bespoke tooling, moulds, jigs and formers used in new product development.
Your duties will include:
Manufacturing and developing new tooling, moulds, jigs and formers
Building components and tooling from detailed engineering drawings
Carrying out sheet metal fabrication and developing complex shapes
MIG and TIG welding to a high standard
Bending, drilling, grinding and press brake work
Modifying and improving new tooling during the development process
Carrying out new tool verification and snagging
Supporting design reviews and providing practical manufacturing input
Advising design teams on Design for Manufacturability (DfM)
Carrying out R&D moulding trials and verifying operating parameters
Product verification, testing and problem solving
Supporting pilot production runs and the transition of new products into manufacture
Working with a range of materials including sheet metal, plastics, wood and composites
Using measuring equipment including micrometers and calipers
Providing advanced maintenance and technical support where required
Working closely with R&D, engineering and production departments
Sharing technical knowledge and supporting less experienced team members
Ensuring work is completed in line with health, safety and quality requirements
What We're Looking For
We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with a strong practical background in fabrication, tooling, prototype manufacture or product development.
You will ideally have:
A minimum of 10 years' hands-on experience within tool manufacture and/or fabrication
Strong sheet metal fabrication skills
Experience developing complex shapes and bespoke components
Strong MIG and TIG welding skills
Experience with bending, drilling, grinding and press brake setup
The ability to confidently interpret and manufacture from detailed engineering drawings
Excellent practical problem-solving skills
Good 3D visualisation skills with the ability to understand how a finished component or tool needs to be manufactured
Experience taking complex projects from concept through to manufacture and verification
Experience working with different materials
Good knowledge of dimensional inspection and measuring equipment
Excellent attention to detail
The ability to manage multiple projects and priorities
Good communication skills and the confidence to work across different engineering departments
A Level 3 NVQ / City & Guilds qualification in Fabrication & Welding Engineering, Sheet Metal or similar
Full UK driving licence
Experience within a manufacturing environment or knowledge of plastic moulding processes such as rotational or injection moulding would be advantageous but is not essential.
Salary & Benefits
Salary up to £40,000, depending on experience and capability.
Benefits include:
25 days annual leave plus 8 public holidays
Additional holiday purchase scheme
Company pension
Healthcare scheme
Death in service benefit
Free on-site parking
Tea and coffee provided
Permanent, stable position
Monday-Friday working hours
Working Hours
39.5 hours per week
Monday-Thursday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Some additional flexibility may occasionally be required depending on business and project demands.
Interested?
If you are an experienced Fabricator, Toolmaker, Sheet Metal Worker, Prototype Technician, Development Technician or R&D Technician looking for a hands-on role where you can use your fabrication and problem-solving skills on new product development projects, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today with your CV for immediate consideration
Salary description
£40000.00 - £40000.00 per year