Principal Materials Scientist at Boardroom Appointments

• Are you an experienced Materials Scientist or Engineer with a strong background in advanced manufacturing, process optimisation, and materials processing?
• Our client, a global leader in synthetic diamond and tungsten carbide solutions, is seeking an experienced Principal Materials Scientist to act as the senior technical authority across HPHT manufacturing processes and supporting operations.
• This is an exciting opportunity for a technically strong professional who enjoys solving complex manufacturing challenges, driving process excellence, and applying data-driven methodologies to improve safety, quality, yield, productivity, and cost performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and optimise the full process lifecycle across HPHT manufacturing processes and supporting operations.
• Drive improvements in yield, throughput, process stability, process capability, and cost efficiency.
• Define, implement, and govern process standards, SOPs, engineering controls, operating limits, and control plans.
• Lead structured problem-solving for complex technical issues using methodologies such as DMAIC, RCA, 8D, FMEA, and SPC.
• Champion World Class Manufacturing, Lean, and Six Sigma practices through cross-functional improvement initiatives and workshops.
• Act as a site-wide subject matter expert, coaching engineers, scientists, and operations teams on best practice and process optimisation.
• Lead process industrialisation, commissioning, scale-up, and process transfer activities aligned with global standards.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality, Safety, Supply Chain, and Engineering Services to support stable and optimised volume manufacturing.
• Leverage data analytics, digital manufacturing tools, automation, and process control strategies to improve process insight and control.
• Lead process safety improvement initiatives, support risk assessments, and promote strong engineering discipline and compliance.
• Support technology transfer, operational best practice, and continuous improvement across functions and sites.
• Develop and support data-driven decision-making to improve manufacturing performance.

Minimum Requirements

• Master's Degree or PhD in: Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering
• Minimum 5 years' experience in advanced manufacturing or materials processing environments.
• Strong experience in process optimisation, scale-up, statistical process control, and industrialisation.
• Expert knowledge of process engineering, statistical tools, manufacturing science, and materials behaviour.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability with a systematic, data-driven approach.

Technical Expertise

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Materials Processing
• HPHT Manufacturing Processes
• Process Optimisation
• Process Industrialisation
• Statistical Process Control
• Process Capability
• Scale-Up & Commissioning
• Lean Manufacturing
• Six Sigma
• DMAIC, RCA, 8D & FMEA
• SPC & Process Control
• Digital Manufacturing
• Automation
• Data Analytics
• Manufacturing Monitoring Systems
• Process Safety

Key Competencies

• Technical Leadership
• Advanced Problem Solving
• Analytical & Data-Driven Thinking
• Process Excellence
• Continuous Improvement
• Manufacturing Science
• Materials Behaviour
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Stakeholder Influence
• Business Case Development
• Financial & Commercial Acumen
• Coaching & Mentoring
• Programme Leadership
• Ownership & Accountability
• Innovation
• Engineering Discipline

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to act as a senior technical authority within an advanced manufacturing environment.
• Work on complex HPHT manufacturing processes and materials technology.
• Drive improvements across safety, quality, yield, productivity, and cost performance.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary technical and operational teams across functions and sites.
• Lead technology transfer, industrialisation, process optimisation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Opportunity to influence manufacturing best practice within a global technology-driven organisation.