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Engineering Capability Lead, Materials Science

About The Role
Salary: £56,641 - £70, 929 Depending on experience + Benefits

Location: Hybrid working from Emerson's Green, Bristol (2/3 days on site)

As Engineering Capability Lead (ECL) at NCC, you’re the focal point for your capability group. When you’re not working to meet the technical needs of industry innovators, you’re the guiding light for a varied team of specialist engineers, helping them thrive in all they do.

We are seeking someone who would like the opportunity to work at ECL level, commencing as soon as possible.

About you

Line Management experience: you'll bring experience of, or a vision for, managing a team to successful project outcomes. You will maintain and grow the capability in line with business need.

A Diligent Approach: with an ethos of continuous improvement and a drive for quality and promoting positive behaviours. You will effectively manage the team making sure that all members are resourced whilst paying due attention to personal development and performance.

Critically though, you’re an inspiring leader. You will work to solve problems in partnership with the materials supply chain community and in concert with other NCC teams towards our shared purpose. You will work with the wider team to deliver a vision for capability growth and direction prioritising impact for NCC and the UK whilst seeking new opportunities for the team to succeed and to demonstrate value.

What you’ll be doing

The days will be varied that’s for sure. Within the role is a good mix of tactical delivery and strategic planning and forecasting, work where you will;

Define and deliver the capability development plan in line with NCC strategy and sector roadmaps.

Develop the capability in the team to align with the demands of the business and growth ambitions.

Collaborate with sector specialists to plan future programmes and resources required to deliver the programme of work.

Ensure effective and efficient deployment of resources to deliver the work and review performance taking corrective actions where required.

Shape and provide critical technical inputs into proposals and projects across the organisation as subject matter expert.

Develop measures to know at all times what good looks like. Champion ‘good to great’ behaviours and act as a role model for the team.

What we’re looking for

Substantial experience in Materials Engineering or Materials Chemistry.

You’ll already have a broad general technical or engineering background maybe in new product development, Composites or Advanced Materials across a variety of sectors including Aerospace, Defence, Energy, Sustainability or Automotive.

Passionate about developing teams, motivating and inspiring a team of like-minded people striving to deliver customer focused excellence through a highly collaborative approach.

And importantly you feel aligned to our values of:

Make a difference – act in line with our shared purpose

Push the boundaries – expand our impact, lean into uncertainty and change

Deliver excellence together – solve problems in partnership, share knowledge

Care about our future – act safely, securely, ethically and sustainably and support one another to grow

Closing date for applications: Friday 27th March 2026
Please don't wait for the closing deadline if you are interested in this role as we retain the right to close the applications process early depending on the volume of candidates applying.

What we offer in return

• 12.5% employer pension contribution
• Private medical cover
• Hybrid and flexible working as standard
• Support to keep learning and progressing
• University of Bristol honorary staff status
Notes/Brief for Recruitment Team:
About The Company
Who are NCC?

NCC is a world-leading innovation organisation that turns cutting-edge research and technology into industrial impact.

What we do

We help manufacturers take on bigger challenges - whether that’s building cleaner aircraft, scaling up offshore wind, or strengthening the UK’s supply chains. We’re here to deliver practical outcomes, not prototypes that sit on shelves.

Who we work with

We work across 16 sectors, from defence and energy to infrastructure and space. Some projects are with global tier 1s, others with small UK firms solving one specific problem - the works always varied, and always real.

What it’s like here
We’re not a startup. We’re not a corporate. We’re a national centre with the kit, time and people to do the job properly. The teams are focused, the thinking is sharp, and you’ll be trusted to get on with it.

Why this job matters
This role isn’t just internal support - it’s part of how we deliver nationally important work. If we do our job right, the UK’s manufacturers can do theirs better.