Research Associate in Metal Additive Manufacturing

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Job title Research Associate in Metal Additive Manufacturing Job reference REQ
260683 Date posted 14/09/2026 Final date to receive applications 18/10/2026 Location Loughborough Package Specialist and Supporting Academic Research grade 6 from £35608 Job description

We areseekinga highly motivated researcher to join the Advanced Materials Processing Laboratory (AMPLab) within the Department of Materials at Loughborough University as a Research Associate. The project isfundedby

Aerospace Technology Institute/Innovate-UKand investigateslasermetal additive manufacturing, aiming to establish process-structure-property relationships to support the development of high-performance components.

Join us and be part of a vibrant community at Loughborough University.

Here’smore about the role and whatwe’relooking for:

About the role:

This isan
18 month (minimum) fixed-term Research Associate position focused on metal additive manufacturing. The research aims to understand the relationships between processing parameters, microstructuralevolutionand material performance to deliver high-performance3D printedcomponents. The role will involvemetal powder characterisation,alloy manufacturing,microstructural investigation, and mechanical property evaluation of additively manufactured alloys, alongside analysis and interpretation of experimental results and dissemination of the research outcomes.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will undertake the research programmein accordance withthe project objectives. Key responsibilities will include:

• Support the design and manufacture of experimental samples and components, including the development and optimisation of additive manufacturing processing conditions.

• Undertake metal powder feedstock characterisation, including particle size analysis, powderflowabilityand SEM.

• Conduct metallographic preparation of the manufactured samples.

• Performmicrostructural characterisationusingXRD,optical microscopy, SEM and EBSD.

• Conductmechanical testingto evaluate the properties and performance of manufactured materials.

• Analyse and interpret experimental results and prepare technical reports.

• Work collaboratively with the research team and project partners to support the successful delivery…