National AI Awards 2025Discover AI's trailblazers! Join us to celebrate innovation and nominate industry leaders.

Nominate & Attend

Materials Engineer - Global Technology Center

GKN Aerospace
Solihull
11 months ago
Applications closed

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Production Manager

Technical Sales Engineer (Composite Materials)

Technical Co-Ordinator (Aerospace)

Electrical Design Engineer

CNC Miller

CNC Machinist

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 15,000 employees across 41 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

About us

The Manufacturing and Materials business is looking for a dedicated Materials Engineer to work with us at our Global Technology Center (GTC).

We develop materials for new technology applications and design concepts. Often in national and EU-funded research programs together with our customers. Our mission is to support GKN's growth by developing and implementing competitive technologies. The work within GTC includes, among other things, the development of additive manufacturing, advanced materials, engine systems, products, digitization, manufacturing and inspection methods. We work in project form, often in collaboration with industrial and academic partners as well as with our customers. GTC develops solutions to support all business areas, Original Equipment manufacturing, space/military, civil repairs and material solutions through additive manufacturing.

About the role

You are responsible for the technology maturation and the optimization of the materials properties. Therefore, you are working with the development of heat treatments, materials selection, you coordinate test programs for materials properties testing (physical properties, strength, fatigue, creep etc.) in close collaboration with our mechanical test lab and/or external test providers. You analyze test results and document material data used for lifetime calculations and manufacturing simulation. Together with your colleagues, you develop test methods, methods for analyzing material data and our internal material database. You interact in a cross-functional team and support the manufacturing process maturation through material characterization with destructive and non-destructive testing as well as advanced characterization methods. 

Job responsibilities

• Be part of development and implementation of new material technologies to support technology development programs
• Plan and perform material test evaluation
• Document and present results internally (in Technology Readiness Reviews) as well as externally with our partners
• Working close to Universities and research institutes both in Sweden and Europe 
• Communicate and present plans and results internally as well as externally with our partners

Person Specification

We are looking for someone who is curious and can easily take initiative. You find it fun to work in a varied environment and have the ability to think in new ways. Have a focus on seeing opportunities in the challenges that work brings and you are stimulated by working towards set goals together with your colleagues. You are confident with yourself and have good communication skills. You are open, honest, responsible and treat your fellow human beings with respect. Has the ability to create a positive and constructive atmosphere to give yourself and others the opportunity to grow.

Job Qualifications / Skills / Experience

• You hold a MSc degree in material science or equivalent
• Knowledge of titanium and/or nickel-based super alloys
• Experience in material characterization and evaluation such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), metallography, fractography
• Experience from material testing 
• Experience from working close with universities in research projects as well as writing research proposals
• You have good social skills, the ability to create effective networks and can take on a technical responsibility role
• You are proficient in Swedish and English


Desirable
• Experience from Technology and/or Product development
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes such as:
o Additive manufacturing, welding, casting, forging, and conventional machining,
• Knowledge of materials post processing such as HIP, heat treatments and non-destructive testing.
• Have proven ability to work project-based in a coordinating role
• Aerospace experience


Type of employment
Permanent contract

Place of employment and travel requirements
This position is based in Trollhättan, Sweden, as such, the applicant should be able to gain the right to live and work in Sweden. Travel to other locations within Sweden as well as EU is expected.

Recruitment Process

The selection process is ongoing, and the position may be filled before the final application date. Therefore, do not wait to submit your application.

The position requires that you undergo and be approved according to the current regulations for security protection. For positions where GKN's customer has requirements for security classification, this may, in some cases, involve specific citizenship requirements.

To ensure a structured and high-quality recruitment process, we only accept applications through our recruitment tool, Careers.
In preparation for our recruitment process at GKN, we have made decisions regarding recruitment and marketing channels. We, therefore, decline any contact from recruitment agencies, media sales, or similar companies.



For more information please contact
Henk de Ridder | GTC Manager | GKN Aerospace Engine Systems Sweden. 
Tel: +46 520 29 35 48

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology. ​

National AI Awards 2025

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Return-to-Work Pathways: Relaunch Your Space Career with Returnships, Flexible & Hybrid Roles

Re-entering the workforce after a career break—whether for parenting, caring responsibilities or another life chapter—can feel like charting a new orbit, particularly in the dynamic field of space. Luckily, the UK’s thriving space sector now offers a spectrum of return-to-work pathways: structured returnships, part-time contracts and hybrid roles. These programmes recognise the transferable skills and resilience you’ve developed, pairing you with mentorship, targeted upskilling and supportive networks so you can relaunch your career in satellite engineering, mission operations, space data science or policy with confidence. In this guide, you’ll discover how to: Understand today’s UK space landscape and talent demand Leverage your organisation, communication and problem-solving skills in space roles Overcome common re-entry challenges with practical solutions Refresh your technical and regulatory knowledge through targeted learning Access returnship and re-entry programmes tailored to space Find roles that accommodate family commitments—flexible, hybrid or full-time Balance your career relaunch with caring responsibilities Master applications, interviews and networking specific to the space sector Draw inspiration from real returner success stories Get answers to frequent questions in our FAQ section Whether your goal is to return as a spacecraft systems engineer, mission analyst, space-data scientist or regulatory specialist, this article maps the steps and resources you need to reignite your UK space career.

LinkedIn Profile Checklist for Space Industry Jobs: 10 Tweaks to Launch Recruiter Engagement

The space sector—from satellite design and launch operations to mission control and space science—is more competitive than ever. Recruiters look for candidates skilled in systems engineering, orbital mechanics, spacecraft avionics and data analysis. A standout LinkedIn profile ensures you surface in searches and impress hiring teams from leading organisations like ESA, Airbus Defence & Space, and emerging NewSpace firms. This step-by-step LinkedIn for space jobs checklist delivers ten targeted tweaks to launch recruiter engagement. Whether you’re a propulsion engineer, systems architect, or mission analyst, these practical optimisations will elevate your professional narrative and maximise your visibility.

Part-Time Study Routes That Lead to Space Jobs: Evening Courses, Bootcamps & Online Masters

The UK space sector is booming—now the third-largest in Europe, contributing over £17 billion annually and poised for rapid expansion in satellite communications, Earth observation, exploration and space-enabled services. With missions from small satellites in low Earth orbit to lunar landers and beyond, demand for skilled space professionals—engineers, analysts, mission planners and data scientists—is surging. Yet many professionals cannot pause their careers or personal commitments for full-time study. Thankfully, part-time learning pathways—Evening Courses, Intensive Bootcamps and Flexible Online Master’s Programmes—enable you to learn space technologies while working. This comprehensive guide unveils every route: foundational CPD units, hands-on bootcamps, accredited online MSc qualifications, funding options, planning strategies and a real-world case study. Whether you’re an aerospace engineer, software developer or Earth observation specialist, you’ll discover how to build space-sector expertise alongside your current career.