Graduate R&D/Laboratory Technician

Graduate R&D/Laboratory Technician 
Location: West Midlands / Herefordshire Region
WFH: 2-3 days per week
Contract: Fixed-term (12 months – maternity cover)
Salary: Up to £35,000

About the Company

Our client is a respected and growing material manufacturing business with a strong commitment to quality, innovation, and continuous improvement. They offer a supportive environment where employees are encouraged to develop their skills and contribute to business success.

About the Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for a graduate or early-career professional to step into a Project Quality role within a well-established manufacturing environment.

Ideal for individuals with a background in laboratory, R&D, or technical analysis, this role offers the chance to apply your analytical expertise in a project-driven, quality focused setting. You will gain hands-on experience supporting product and process changes, learning how quality frameworks are applied across the full lifecycle of manufacturing projects.

Working closely with experienced quality leaders, you’ll develop your understanding of structured quality methodologies while contributing to real business improvements.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the implementation of quality processes aligned to change management and continuous improvement initiatives
• Assist in coordinating product and process validation activities, ensuring robust testing and documentation
• Contribute to the development of procedures aligned to APQP principles
• Participate in FMEA workshops (DFMEA & PFMEA), supporting risk identification and mitigation planning
• Assist in the design and execution of test plans for new and modified processes
• Analyse data sets to monitor process capability and performance trends
• Support laboratory-based activities, including equipment commissioning, calibration, and measurement system analysis (Gage R&R)
• Track project progress and support reporting for key stakeholders
• Contribute to project handovers and documentation for quality sign-off
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including R&D, production, and supply chain
• Support the rollout and understanding of quality tools and techniques across the wider business

Your Background

• Degree qualified in a scientific, engineering, materials, or quality-related discipline
• Experience gained through laboratory, R&D, or technical analysis roles (industry placement, internship, or early career role)
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills
• Understanding or exposure to quality tools such as:  
  • FMEA
  • Statistical analysis / SPC
  • Capability analysis
  • Root cause problem solving (e.g. 8D)
• Confident in handling and interpreting data, ideally using tools such as Excel or statistical software (e.g. Minitab)
• Strong attention to detail and a structured, methodical approach
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work with cross-functional teams
• Eagerness to learn and develop within a project and quality-focused career path