Product Development Engineer (Materials & Data)
Rotherham £32,080 - £33,951
Job sector
Health & Life Sciences (Healthy Living)
Job function
Product Development Engineer
Start date
25/05/2026
Job duration
2 years
Application closing date
19/04/2026
Job description
- Establish and take ownership of the project within the company and refine the project work plan, including the identification of resources required from SBD and the university.
- Design and conduct comprehensive material characterisation of relevant materials to develop a detailed, evidence-based understanding of how material properties influence performance in strength-sport apparel.
- Create, maintain and embed a materials database and associated decision-making framework to support informed product development across the SBD product portfolio.
- Prepare technical documentation, project reports and scientific publications to disseminate findings to company and academic audiences.
This list is not exhaustive – we may ask you to carry out other duties appropriate to the grade.
Project description
The project will support SBD’s continued innovation by developing an advanced, date-driven framework for the testing, evaluation and selection of materials used in strength-sport technical clothing and supports. The project will focus on understanding how material properties influence performance, durability and comfort across different training and competition contexts. By integrating experimental testing, data analysis, and product design considerations, the project will enable more informed, evidence-based materials choices and support the development of the next-generation strength sport products. You will work closely with SBD’s product development and manufacturing teams, embedding new methodologies that optimise material selection processes and strengthen the company’s capability to innovate and deliver performance-led products at all competition levels.
About the business
SBD is a global sportswear brand, designing and manufacturing market-leading performance products for strength sports. Our team is proud to craft all our products in the United Kingdom, with the majority fully manufactured at our headquarters on the Advanced Manufacturing Park, Rotherham. Our commitment to quality has seen our products become the standard among strength athletes in gyms across the world, including those competing in the World’s Strongest Man, the IPF World Powerlifting Championships, and the IWF World Weightlifting Championships.