R&D Smart Manufacturing Engineer – KTP Associate

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Research and Development
   • Manage and co-ordinate the items of work as laid out in the KTP project plan.
   • Develop a full operational baseline (“as-is” state) of Wafer Ltd’s current production systems and processes.
   • Carry out research into the company’s operations, market requirements, and customer expectations within the retail supply chain.
   • Evaluate current manufacturing systems for opportunities in IoT, SCADA/MES, horizontal and vertical operations, safety engineering, cobotics, and automation.
   • Research and assess Industry 4.0 technologies and best practice in smart manufacturing to introduce to Wafer Ltd, presenting findings to the project team.
   • Investigate the use of digital twin technology to model production processes and simulate performance improvements.
   • Develop a SWOT analysis of current operational systems and identify gaps for digital transformation and automation transformation.
   • Work with academic supervisors to propose a new Smart Manufacturing Process and gain agreement from the Wafer Ltd project team.
   • Undertake training on newly selected digital manufacturing technologies to support their introduction into the company.
   • Select and implement pilot projects to test IoT-enabled monitoring, cobotics, and automation solutions.
   • Present findings and recommendations from pilot projects to the project management team.
   • Prepare Wafer Ltd to transition to a digitally enabled, automated manufacturing system.
   • Prepare an evaluation report from the first live project and present to management.
   • Deliver live smart manufacturing projects within Wafer Ltd.
   • Develop training manuals, standard operating procedures, and integration guidelines for new digital systems.
   • Develop and implement a staff training programme to embed digital manufacturing processes.
   • Establish procedures for updating digital systems and introducing new technologies into production.

 

2. Planning and Organising
   • Plan day-to-day activity within the framework of the agreed work plan.
   • Contribute to the planning and management of the project, approximately 3–6 months in advance.
   • Ensure that all training and development activity is scheduled to ensure progress on the work plan objectives is not interrupted or delayed.

 

3. Resource Management Responsibilities
   • Plan and manage day-to-day resources to ensure the project runs to time and on budget.
   • Coordinate and obtain approval for planned expenditure/allocation of resources with the Management Committee and Steering Group.
   • Ensure that all parties are kept informed of forthcoming expenditure.

 

4. Internal and External Relationships
   • Liaise with company staff on a daily basis.
   • Build relationships with both company and college staff to ensure effective working practices are established.
   • Attend and contribute to appropriate meetings, both in the company and the college, as required.
   • Develop relationships with suppliers and clients (existing and new) to support the development of the KTP project and Wafer Ltd.
   • Establish contacts with additional groups and organisations (other KTP Associates, other college departments, other industrial contacts, Innovate UK, Invest NI, UK IP office, etc.) as required to develop knowledge and understanding and form relationships for future collaboration.

 

5. Comply with and actively promote College policies and procedures on all aspects of equality
   • Ensure full compliance with Health and Safety requirements and legislation in accordance with College policies and procedures.
   • Ensure full compliance with the College’s quality assurance systems and procedures in accordance with College policies and procedures.
   • Undertake any other duties as required by the College’s Principal and Chief Executive or persons carrying his delegated authority.

The list of duties is not exhaustive. The postholder will be expected to undertake other relevant duties in order to meet any changing operational requirements

Wafer Ltd plans to transform its manufacturing by developing a smart, connected, and scalable production environment. This Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) will support the company’s goal to expand market share across the UK, Ireland, and Northern Europe, aiming for 15% annual revenue growth and to double net profit margins from 3% to 6% within five years.

The project will introduce digital technologies, including improved factory modelling, IoT (connecting machines and sensors), SCADA (real-time monitoring enhanced through NWRCs 5G and Narrow Band IoT (NBIOT) laboratory testbed), cobotics (robots working with people), and digital twins (virtual models of processes). These will deliver better visibility, faster decision-making, and reduced downtime, tackling current limits in capacity and cost.

Wafer Ltd has recorded 13% growth so far this financial year and projects a net pre-tax profit of £750,000 for 2024/25. New retail packs and products are being launched to reach large supermarkets in the UK and Northern Europe and better capitalise on seasonal demand. However, existing systems limit the ability to scale.

The KTP will bring in technical expertise to modernise production and expand capacity. It will help manage growing demand, support product launches, and develop new skills within the business, ensuring improvements are sustained.