Careers
The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland is a team of world-leading academic researchers, industry experts, and business professionals working together to transform manufacturing in Scotland by working with companies of all sizes from across the manufacturing world.
We’re always looking for the best and brightest talent to join us in breaking down barriers to help manufacturers achieve their full potential.
Salary range: £32,546 - £36,130 per annum
FTE: 1
Term: Open-ended
Closing Date: 10 July 2025
Location: AFRC, Inchinnan
The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow possesses a large internationally rated Engineering Faculty with a proud history of successful joint ventures with industrial and enterprise partners. As part of the University’s strategic development the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) has been established at Inchinnan near Glasgow’s International Airport in partnership with multi-national companies such as Rolls-Royce and The Boeing Company. The AFRC is the embodiment of over £30 million collaborative investment by Industrial, Academic and Government partners to establish a world leading research facility for forging and forming technologies.
The AFRC are seeking to appoint a Workshop Technician to support the operation of equipment within its machining workshops. You will be primarily responsible for the set-up, operation and maintenance of CNC equipment used in relation to deliver industrial and academic research programmes.
You should also be familiar with and able to interpret engineering drawings.
To be considered for this role you will be educated to a minimum of HNC level, or equivalent, or with relevant work experience working in a workshop environment with CNC milling and turning equipment, you will have excellent troubleshooting skills, including a methodical approach to solving complex problems, with limited guidance. You will have an ability to work with minimum supervision in order to meet project deadlines and you will have the ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Experience of supporting production in an industrial setting or in a research and development environment is desirable.
For informal enquiries, please contact Thomas Hicks, Workshop Engineer, thomas.hicks@strath.ac.uk
Salary range: £37, 174 - £45, 413 per annum
FTE: 1
Term: Open-ended
Closing Date: 15 July 2025
Location: NMIS
The University of Strathclyde is a leading international technological institution and has a long history of working with industry to deliver strong business growth from access to research and innovation expertise. The latest major initiative continuing to deliver on this track record is through the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).
The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is the future of manufacturing at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland. It is where industry, academia, and the public sector work together on ground-breaking manufacturing research to transform productivity levels, make companies more competitive and boost the skills of our current and future workforce.
NMIS is seeking to appoint a Digital R&D Engineer specialising in Manufacturing Simulation, who will be responsible for research, design, and optimisation of manufacturing processes using advanced simulation tools. This role involves leveraging discrete event simulation, virtual factory planning, and virtual human factor analysis to assess and enhance manufacturing operations. The engineer will develop digital solutions for factory layout optimisation, production flow analysis, and integrate simulation models within digital twin environments, leading to more efficient and sustainable manufacturing environments.
As a Knowledge Exchange Associate, as part of a wider knowledge exchange / research group or programme you will develop knowledge exchange objectives and proposals for own or joint knowledge exchange activities and play a lead role in relation to a specific project/s or part of a broader project, with guidance from senior colleagues as required. You will conduct individual and/or collaborative knowledge exchange activities, including determining appropriate methods and contributing to the development of new knowledge exchange methods, continually reflecting on practice/methodology to enhance delivery to partners.
To be considered for the role, you will have a good honours degree and PhD / higher degree (or equivalent professional experience) in appropriate discipline. You will have sufficient breadth or depth of knowledge in the relevant discipline/s to contribute to knowledge exchange programmes and to the development of knowledge exchange activities. You will have the ability to conduct individual knowledge exchange projects, work directly and independently with clients, and to prepare new knowledge exchange proposals. Experience with discrete event simulation software and digital manufacturing tools is required or interest to learn the tools. As a pivotal member of the Visualisation Theme, the Digital R&D Engineer will contribute significantly to research programs focused on virtual factory planning, production system optimisation, and digital twin development.
Though not essential for the role, applications are welcomed from candidates with: membership/working towards membership of a relevant Chartered/professional body (including the Higher Education Academy), experience of relevant student supervision and teaching activities.
*Whilst we seek to appoint at Grade 7, Digital R & D Engineer level, candidates with less experience may also be considered for appointment. Dependent of the skills and experience of the candidate, appointment to Grade 6, R & D Assistant, may be considered.
Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Syed Awais Hassan Munawar, Visualisation Theme Lead (syed.munawar@strath.ac.uk).
Salary Range: £46,735 - £57,422
FTE: 1 (35 hours/week)
Contract Type: Open-Ended
Closing Date: 21/07/2025
The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow possesses a large internationally rated Engineering Faculty with a proud history of successful joint ventures with industrial and enterprise partners. As part of the University’s strategic development the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) has been established near Glasgow’s International Airport. The AFRC is the embodiment of a £30 million collaborative investment by Industrial, Academic and Government partners seeking to establish a world-leading research facility for forging and forming technologies. AFRC is a specialized centre within National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).
The AFRC is seeking to appoint an experienced Materials Knowledge Exchange (KE) Fellow to lead the additive and solid-state joining research activities in the Welding and Additive Theme in the AFRC’s Materials Team and take ownership of the delivery of high value research programmes focused on materials and processing of materials in metallic and non-metallic materials in manufacturing. Recently the Centre has invested significantly in novel forging, solid state joining, advanced materials characterisations, and residual stress measurement equipment suitable for large scale investigations and is rapidly developing a multi-disciplinary group that specialises in the area of material characterisation for additive and solid-state joining technologies. The Centre is also participating in key NMIS initiatives and programmes like the Digital Factory, with significant contributions to the Additive and Machining activities. To further capitalise on this research activity and materialise AFRC’s vision and agenda around welding and additive technologies, a Materials KE Fellow is required to lead the research in the Welding and Additive theme and enhance AFRC’s capabilities on characterisation, prediction, and control of microstructure of additive builds, and solid state joints using rotary friction welding (RFW) in manufacturing.
The KE Fellow will lead scientific research programmes on characterisation, prediction, and control of microstructure of additive builds and welds, processing of materials and general manufacturing, developing experimental techniques for the assessment of additive builds and welds, implementing analytical tools for processing of measurements/results, and simulating industrial-scale thermo-mechanical processes (including but not limited to forging, forming, welding and machining). You will have an established track record in providing engineering solutions in an industrial context as well as experience of supporting research and development of manufacturing processes. You will have excellent troubleshooting skills, including a methodical approach to solve complex problems and you will have the ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
As a Knowledge Exchange Fellow, you will engage as an independent knowledge exchange professional in individual and collaborative knowledge exchange projects, establishing a distinctive programme of area of knowledge exchange and generating interest through engagement with industry and professional bodies. You will apply as Principal- or Co-Investigator, to appropriate external organisations for knowledge exchange funding and manage projects secured. You will write up reports, often as lead author, for external organisations, and further write up findings for additional dissemination (e.g. professional publications or peer review journal publication) as appropriate.
You will also be expected to support and contribute to high value industrial funding proposals in support of a range of projects across the Centre. The post holder will be expected to work between the AFRC and its industrial and academic partners and there will be a strong emphasis on knowledge exchange.
To achieve the above the KE will preferably require some research and/or industrial experience in the following technical areas:
- A broad knowledge of metallic materials and alloys, especially those relevant to the aerospace sector (e.g. Nickel based superalloys, Titanium alloys and Aluminium alloys)
- A broad knowledge of additive and/or joining technologies
- A good understanding of materials and the way that manufacturing processes can develop or modify material’s microstructure to achieve desired mechanical properties and stress states.
- The use of finite element based software (e.g. ABAQUS, DEFORM, QForm or similar) for process simulation (e.g. forging, heat treatments, machining), materials modelling, and prediction of residual stresses and distortion
- Experimental techniques in the characterisation of materials
To be considered for the role, you will have a good honours degree and PhD / higher degree (or equivalent professional experience) in appropriate discipline for example in Materials Science, Materials Engineering or Mechanical Engineering; we are also interested in candidates with equivalent industrial experience. You will have a personal track record in carrying out knowledge exchange projects and a demonstrable track record in developing high quality knowledge exchange proposals and playing a leading role in attracting knowledge exchange funding. The successful candidate will have knowledge exchange interests which are consistent with the strategic direction of the Department/School and will have the ability to plan and organise knowledge exchange programmes, and to pull together teams of academic professional staff and others as appropriate, to ensure project delivery for the client and benefits to the University. Lastly, the post holder may be required to contribute to the administrative activities of the AFRC including membership of relevant committees.
Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Michael King, Materials and Residual Stress Team Lead (michael.king@strath.ac.uk).