Senior Materials Scientist

Morgan Advanced Materials is a business rich in history and innovation. Founded in the UK in 1856, we have grown into a global organisation with 70 sites in 18 countries. Our model to serve our customers where they need us has led to a diversified product range using our unparalleled expertise in ceramic and carbon materials, which we exploit to solve difficult problems for our customers across a diverse range of markets.

We are a purpose driven organisation. Our purpose is to use advanced materials to make the world more sustainable and to improve the quality of life. We deliver on that purpose through the products that we make, and the way that we make them.

The Technical Ceramics business of Morgan Advanced Materials engineers high performance functional and structural ceramic materials, components and sub-assemblies to address customer-specific technical challenges.

Key Figures: Revenue £1,100.7m (2024), ~8,000 employees, manufacturing in 20+ countries, and a global customer portfolio. A UK PLC with head office located in Windsor, Berkshire UK.  Listed on London Stock Exchange; Member of the FTSE 250 Index.

Morgan Advanced Materials is a world leader in advanced materials development and production. We produce a wide range of specialist, high specification materials that have extraordinary attributes and properties. Despite the complexity of our technologies, our focus is simple – we supply innovative, differentiated products made from advanced materials which enable our customers’ products to perform more efficiently, more reliably and for longer. 

Material science is pivotal to our Company’s success as it is a key constituent to developing our distinctive competencies that differentiate our business from the competition. 

The Structural Ceramics Global Centre of Excellence serves our global customers by developing new, differentiated materials technologies for structural ceramics applications. The Centre of Excellence leads in innovating new formulations and processes, serves as a hub for academic collaboration on structural ceramics with key university faculties worldwide and acts as a focal point for R&D with raw material suppliers. It allows Morgan to focus on both idea generation and execution in one integrated facility, with the ultimate aim of maximising the performance of our customers’ applications and processes. 

This Senior Materials Scientist role extends that of the Materials Scientist in taking individual lead on strategic projects for the business, providing a source of technology expertise within the CoE and across the wider business and in leading, guiding and mentoring Materials Scientists within the group.  The individual will have demonstrable technical skill and an ability to apply their core skills across a wide range of technical challenges, being able to swiftly learn new technical areas and working beyond past discrete experiences. 

Principal Objectives 

• Lead strategic development programmes to enhance material, process or product performance 

• Lead the definition, planning and execution of the technology development programmes to achieve success. 

• Act as a source of Materials Science and technology expertise across the CoE and the wider Morgan Global Business Units 

• Represent the CoE at a GBU level in technology relevant activities and on a wider basis represent Morgan in external interactions 

• Supervise, guide and mentor Materials Scientists 

• To design, organise and carry out material analysis, development, production and processing trials at laboratory, pilot and production scales. 

• Interaction with global raw materials or equipment suppliers and research facilities to coordinate support for the R&D program, and to organise external testing programs to benchmark and develop capabilities. 

• Define, plan, direct and supervise the day to day activities of technicians supporting projects 

• To assess, analyse and interpret development results, adapting and iterating project activities to achieve the desired outcomes within an optimised timescale. 

• Ensure high standards of operational management including measurement control and data recording. Where necessary to develop new or improved development or testing methods. 

• To apply existing knowledge of materials and processes so as to maximise benefits to the business through increased sales revenue and lower operating costs.  

• To develop quicker and more efficient routes and processes for materials development  

• To identify, quantify and communicate improvement opportunities relating to materials science and manufacture. 

• Support with recruitment of technical employees and building links with technology contacts both within and external to the Morgan portfolio. 

• To peer review the work of others to maintain technical standards 

• Support and enhance the company’s commitment to the highest standards of Health and Safety and ensure all policies are adhered to during daily working. 

• Investigate and resolve technical issues that may arise in the manufacturing process or products. 

• Educated to PhD level or equivalent experience in Materials Science or a closely related scientific field.   

• Candidates with proven R&D experience and expertise in ceramic manufacturing would be particularly attractive. 

• Experience leading project delivery to meet stakeholder requirements, leading projects of scale; directing, supervising and mentoring technologists and technician staff, collaborating across multiple time zones and cultures. 

• Ability to take ownership of a complex problem and work in a structured manner to develop a solution by following an evidence-led development path. 

• Act as a source of technical competency both within the group and across the wider relevant business portfolio 

• Demonstrates a good understanding of the commercial drivers and benefits associated with development and the steer of activity towards pragmatic and fundamental goals 

• Excellent record keeping of laboratory experiments 

• Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to a non-technical audience 

• Can understand and analyse complex data. Is able to spot flaws and trends and work around these.  

• Able to apply scientific reasoning to complex industrial situations  

• Able to locate & exploit relevant technology from other industries 

• An innovative and logical thinker 

• Energetic, enthusiastic, flexible and adaptable 

• Willing to offer a ‘hands on’ approach   

• Willing to travel nationally and internationally   

• Able to prioritise work according to business need.  

• Competent carrying out COSHH and risk assessments and works with a focus on Health and Safety 

• Able to delegate work according to business need and technical strategy 

Attributes 

• Be a self- motivated and proactive individual 

• Work effectively with people beyond their educational / age / background peer group 

• Leadership and mentorship qualities 

• Be able to work as part of a team  

• Be able to communicate effectively with people at all levels 

• Be persistent, energetic & enthusiastic and adaptable to achieve objectives; 

• Pursue continuous improvement, both in the workplace and in their own skills & knowledge 

• Be customer and supplier facing 

• Encourage and develop others to achieve personal and team objectives 

Morgan Advanced Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Ind-1