Principal Scientist

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.