Materials Engineer 2025

Founded in 1917, John Crane is a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and engineering of mission critical flow control solutions for increased efficiency, emission reductions and energy transformation. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, bearings, filtration systems and predictive digital monitoring technologies. John Crane customer service is accessed through a global network of more than 200 global sites in over 50 countries employing more than 6,000 employees worldwide. We partner with our customers and help them meet the latest environmental standards and keep their operations safe and controlled.

John Crane is part of Smiths Group, For over 170 years, Smiths has been improving our world through smarter engineering. Our technology benefits millions of people every day – making travel safer, supporting sustainable energy transition, efficiently heating, cooling our homes, and helping our world stay connected.

Job description

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Materials Engineer to join the Materials team reporting to the Materials Engineering Manager. The role of the Materials Engineer at John Crane involves providing essential support to the company by developing and implementing engineering solutions through material characterization, failure analysis, and the approval of vendor materials. This engineer plays a critical part in understanding the properties, performance, and suitability of metals, polymers, and ceramics for use in various products. Operating under indirect supervision and guided directly on newer or complex tasks, the Materials Engineer is responsible for overseeing a range of tests and experiments within the Materials group. Their work directly influences product quality and reliability, ensuring that materials meet specific physical and chemical standards essential for the company's diverse applications. This role is vital for mitigating potential failures, optimizing material performance, and maintaining high standards in product development and production.

This role is based from our headquarters within Slough working Monday to Friday normal office hours. (Hybrid working)

John Crane is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to crafting an inclusive environment for all employees.

Duties & responsibilities (not limited to)

• Support global supply chain and quality teams in qualification of materials testing and approval of elastomers, polymers, carbons and ceramics.
• Ensure all materials meet global quality standards required by internal and external customers
• Capability to independently performs necessary background investigations to design and select appropriate tests or experiments needed to develop data for materials qualifications or forensic analysis
• Perform operational functions of the Materials team which are necessary to provide services, supplies and equipment for the operation of the group
• Recommend, develop and implement policies, procedures and standards for the orderly functioning of the group under the direction of the Materials Engineering Manager
• Confer with customers or vendors for the purpose of obtaining information necessary to conduct daily investigations and to select and purchase equipment, materials and services
• Conduct root-cause analysis of products which have failed in service, manufacturing or testing and relaying a comprehensive report of finding with evidence
• Keep abreast of current technological developments with and outside the company.

The individual

• Hold a Bachelors/Masters in Materials Science/ Materials Engineering or equivalent experience
• Familiar with optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and other materials analysis equipment
• Familiar with metallographic sample preparation and examination
• Understand corrosion mechanisms of materials

Diversity & inclusion

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will John Crane, Smiths Group nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers – John Crane) or LinkedIn.