Manufacturing Engineer

About Pulpatronics:
Did you know that more than 45 billion disposable RFID tags are made annually and typically end up in landfill after a short life cycle? PulpaTronics develops fully-recyclable and metal-free RFID tags that are also cheaper and simpler to manufacture. PulpaTronics spent the last 2 years in R&D and we’re looking to deliver our first pilots. We have won two research grants, numerous competitions (e.g. Dezeen Awards, SantanderX Global Challenge, H&M Foundation) and secured our pre-seed funding. We are looking for applicants to join our team of five, who share our passion for sustainability, have a startup “hustle” mentality, and are eager to make real change in our society.

What you’ll be doing:
We are looking to grow our R&D team by hiring a Manufacturing Engineer to join us as an RFID tag manufacturing line development specialist. The main responsibility of this role is to scale up the manufacturing of our RFID tags. While it builds on existing machines and techniques, our manufacturing process is different from conventional processes, as it uses our laser technology to create carbon-based RFID antennas on paper substrates. The Manufacturing Engineer will work closely with our Materials, Laser and Radio Frequency Experts as well as our CTO to design and implement a manufacturing line for the industrial scaling-up and commercialisation of our paper-based products. The position can lead to a permanent position as well.

Responsibilities:

• Design a roll-to-roll manufacturing line for our technology based on inputs from the R&D team as well as industry standards.
• Build, test and evaluate elements of the production line for prototyping and further develop and expand the machinery maintenance and health and safety protocols.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with material, component and machinery suppliers.
• Develop and implement the software component of the manufacturing line through extensive iteration and troubleshooting.
• Generate production performance summaries and report findings in manufacturing review sessions.
• Propose new directions for further optimisation and implement improvements to increase production efficiency and throughput.
• Support developing and designing project timelines and writing grant applications.
• Contribute to developing our intellectual property protection strategy.
• Communicate and collaborate with scientific advisors, researchers, product development, IP, legal and commercial experts.

What experience you’ll need to apply:

• Masters degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience working with wood-based materials, ideally paper, is important.
• Preferably two or more years of relevant industry experience working in manufacturing or designing equipment, such as paper reel handling, manufacturing line robotics and computer vision.
• Having experience in scaling up manufacturing processes from pilot stage to industrial stage is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability using characterisation equipment for performance, durability and longevity testing and interpreting results is a plus.
• Strong interest in sustainable solutions and recyclable, renewable or organic materials, ideally in the packaging industry, is a plus.
• Experience in using CAD software, HMI screen navigation, ability to verify PLC logic function through SCADA interface and other relevant software knowledge in key.
• Good understanding of health and safety and regulatory compliance is essential.
• Team player with good communication skills, able to explain information to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Self-motivated, with a passion for the job, and able to follow tasks through to completion without direct supervision.
• Experience working in a fast-paced and challenging environment and collaborate successfully in a multidisciplinary team to achieve specific objectives.

Pay range and compensation package:
Guide salary range of £35,000 – £50,000 with the opportunity to become a permanent role after 12 months.

• Opportunity to take full ownership and lead a significant part of the R&D development of the technology and vision.
• Milestones tailored to personal development goals with plenty of support and training.
• Flexible working hours.
• Access to lab and fully-equipped workstation, including computer-aided manufacturing tools.
• 20 days of annual leave on top of the 8 bank holidays.
• Competitive salary and potential equity compensation.
• Hybrid working.

What’s next?
Send your CV and our recruitment partner at ADLIB, Roy Bennett will be in touch if you have the relevant experience.

Equal Opportunity Statement
We are committed to diversity and inclusivity in our hiring practices.