Applied Research Engineer

Applied Research Engineer - 15 month fixed term

Counterfeiting in critical supply chains is a growing threat across high-consequence industries. Backed by recent deeptech seed funding, our initiative, Project INSIGNIA, aims to make the physical counterfeiting of critical components impossible. We do this by embedding micro-scale cryptographic signatures directly into the internal structure of 3D-printed metal parts.
We are a small, focused team looking for our next colleague: an Applied Research Engineer to serve as the practical engine of Project INSIGNIA. You will work directly with the founders, taking digital models and established project milestones and turning them into working physical reality. This means taking full ownership of laboratory execution, from designing experimental architectures to validating physical cryptographic states.

As an Applied Research Engineer on Project INSIGNIA, you will:

• Devise and build the experimental plans required to write and read physical cryptography in metal alloys.
• Work hands-on with materials characterisation, including metallographic sample preparation, optical microscopy, and coordinating external X-ray computed tomography (XCT) scans.
• Test and iterate on sensor setups for non-destructive evaluation (NDE), exploring techniques such as acoustic resonance, eddy current, or bespoke electrical interrogation rigs.
• Coordinate trials with national user facilities and academic partners to validate our cryptographic states.
• Own laboratory execution, maintaining rigorous standards of data integrity and laboratory safety while moving quickly.

You will thrive in this role if you:

• Possess a solid core craft with a degree or hands-on background in Metallurgy, Materials Science, Physics, or Electrical Engineering.
• Default to high agency and autonomy, thriving in an R&D environment where the path forward is not always pre-charted. When an experimental setup fails, you diagnose the fault, redesign the experiment, and try again.
• Value pragmatism over pure theory, preferring robust, reproducible physical data over endless modelling.
• Have practical familiarity with non-destructive testing sensors, microstructural characterisation, metal additive manufacturing, or Python for experimental data capture (all valuable, though not all required).

Working at Instruct3D

• Small team, high agency: No bureaucracy or management layers. You own your work from concept to physical test.
• Pragmatic flexibility: Core working hours built around getting hard technical work done in the lab, balanced with genuine respect for personal and family commitments outside work.
• Craft over hype: We care about physics, sound metallurgy, and building things that reliably work in the physical world.

Compensation & Benefits We believe in transparent compensation, solid security, and treating team members properly.

• Salary: £50,000 per annum.
• Contract: 15-month fixed-term role for Project INSIGNIA, with the intention to transition into a permanent position subject to future funding and project milestones.
• Pension: 5% employer pension contribution on all earnings.
• Financial wellbeing: An annual one-to-one review meeting with an independent financial adviser, plus year-round access for any pension or planning queries.
• Healthcare: Comprehensive private medical insurance including full cancer cover, full outpatient cover, mental health & therapies.
• Annual leave: 28 days annual leave, plus UK bank holidays.
• Start date: Onboarding by January 2027 at the latest, accommodating standard industry notice periods.
• Right to work: You must currently hold the right to work in the UK. Due to the strict timelines of this grant, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

Why Sheffield? Our lab and office space sits in Sheffield city centre. Sheffield consistently ranks among the most affordable and liveable technical hubs in the UK, offering an exceptional quality of life without the punishing living costs of London, Oxford, or Cambridge.
Commutes are typically measured in minutes rather than hours, the local housing market remains genuinely accessible, and the Peak District National Park is just 20 minutes from the lab bench. It is an ideal base to build both a career and a life outside work.

What to expect next:
Stage 1 (30 minutes): An informal video chat with the founders to discuss background, project scope, and mutual fit.
Stage 2 (60 to 90 minutes): A technical deep dive where you walk us through a previous technical challenge or experimental rig, discussing first-principles physics, trade-offs, and failure modes.
Stage 3 (In-person): A visit to our Sheffield lab to meet the team, inspect the hardware, and ensure the environment suits you.