Senior Research & Development Engineer

JDR Cable Systems are currently recruiting for a Senior Research & Development Engineer. This is a fantastic opportunity to join us in this forward thinking role, where as a Senior Engineer with a strong engineering background you will have the opportunity to lead key support, research, development, demonstration and validation/qualification activities.

This role is based at our Hartlepool office but will have an emphasis on collaboration with manufacturing personnel at the Hartlepool Factory and the Offshore Services team in Newcastle and in the field.

As a Senior Research & Development Engineer you will be expected (but not limited) to:

• Research and develop new technologies and engage with new and current suppliers as part of specifically allocated R&D projects to meet JDR identified product requirements as well as meeting any customer requirements and relevant international standards.
• Project Management of R&D projects and assist in the management of Product Qualification Projects, where appropriate, including budgets, schedules and project management of both external and inhouse functions (such as procurement, scheduling, manufacturing, termination and test) to ensure that quality, cost control and project schedules are maintained.
• Produce documents such as Design Specifications, Drawings, Technical Reports, Test Procedures, Purchasing Specifications and Qualification/Type Test Specifications and reports, whilst ensuring a high level of accuracy is present in all documents. Checking and approval of such documents, including Visual ERP documents, subject to competence, is also expected as part of the daily activities.
• Engage with suppliers, customers and third parties, using NDAs as applicable, in bringing appropriate new technology, new materials and new suppliers into JDR, whilst maximising JDR’s protection of IPR.
• Provide technical support for the Marketing, Sales, Tendering, Supply Chain, Design and Production departments.
• Responsible for employee relations in conjunction with HR and the Principal Engineer to ensure overall team performance and the implementation of company initiatives including the supporting of PDP’s and training needs.
• Represent JDR at external technical events (e.g. Cigre working group representation, technical conference and seminar presentations) to continually strive to be regarded as a thought leader within the industry.
• Transfer new product developments, once qualified, into the wider business workflows, including but not limited to: Engineering, Production, Quality, Sales and Purchasing departments.
• Input to the Design Manuals, defining the rules and process by which projects are engineered.

The specific technical areas you may be involved in include but are not limited to:

• High voltage engineering and testing
• HV submarine power cable design and qualification for offshore electrical networks
• Dynamic Power Cable design and testing
• Submarine cable accessories and terminations for offshore electrical installations

You should ideally have previous experience of R&D / industrial design experience in a relevant technical area, ideally within offshore engineering or offshore wind. Excellent communication skills and a positive attitude to collaborative teamwork are required. You should have experience of leading small teams and/or having direct engineering reports.

Ideally, you should be a degree qualified professional engineer with high level of competency in Mechanical engineering theory. A strong first degree in Mechanical Engineering is desired and relevant science/engineering degree with a mechanically focused master’s degree may also satisfy the requirements for this role. Candidates with a PhD / EngD degree in a relevant engineering / scientific discipline are also encouraged to apply. In addition, candidates having achieved Chartered Status with the IET or IMechE would be advantageous.