Mechanical / Materials Test Technician

Mechanical / Materials Lab Test Technician

Seeking: x1 Lab Technician & x1 Test Technician

The Opportunity

We have an exciting opportunity for a Mechanical / Materials Lab Test Technician to join a growing design and manufacturing company based in southern Hampshire. The business is flourishing and continues to go from strength to strength, offering a stable yet dynamic environment with genuine opportunities to develop.

You will join a small, highly skilled test team and play a key role in expanding the company’s testing capability.

The role is hands-on and varied, involving the application of sensors, the build of bespoke test rigs, and the execution of a wide range of novel and challenging tests.

Testing activities range from very small-scale coupon tests (just a few millimetres in size) through to large, full-scale structural tests, including:

• Loads of up to 500 tonnes
• Burst pressures of up to 4,000 bar

Experience with high-pressure testing is highly desirable, as is a strong appreciation for health and safety in a laboratory and industrial testing environment.

Principal Accountabilities

• Perform short- and long-term mechanical testing on composite, polymeric, and metallic specimens and assemblies in line with project plans and timescales.
• Operate, maintain, document, and calibrate a wide range of test equipment, including hydraulic systems, workshop equipment, and lifting equipment.
• Support the development of new testing methods, equipment, and instrumentation to improve understanding of product capability and structural performance.
• Train other staff (within skill level) on testing activities and laboratory procedures.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives across testing methods and product performance.

Job Knowledge & Experience

Education

• HNC or ONC in Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent relevant industry experience.

Skills

• Performing engineering tests and mechanical assembly.
• Strong problem-solving ability and excellent attention to detail.

Experience

• Instrumentation and installation of sensors and strain gauges on components.
• Fault finding, testing, calibration, and maintenance of test equipment.
• Operation of hydraulic pump systems.
• PC skills including Excel, Word, and test monitoring/data acquisition software.
• Previous experience in a laboratory or scientific environment is advantageous (training will be provided).
• Familiarity with precision measuring equipment.
• Experience using microscopes, cutting machines, and polishing equipment is beneficial.

Interpersonal Skills

• High energy and enthusiasm for technical challenges.
• A strong team player with good communication skills.

Specific Technical Areas of Interest (Advantageous)

Experience or interest in one or more of the following would be highly beneficial:

• Composite materials, including advanced thermoplastic composites
• Fatigue, tension, compression, and material development testing
• Strain gauging, instrumentation, and high-accuracy data acquisition
• Thermoplastic materials and associated processing/testing methods
• Bespoke high-load test frames and burst-test cells
• Universal tensile and compression testing machines
• Hydrostatic and hydraulic cyclic test systems
• Pressure transducers, pressure testing methods, and high-pressure systems
• Mechanical, thermal, and environmental material property testing