KTP Associate in Product Innovation

Role: KTP Associate in Product Innovation & Market Strategy (Heriot-Watt University and Warmhouse Ltd)
Salary: £41,064 (plus substantial training budget) per annum.
Contract: Full-Time (35 hours per week), Fixed Term (36 months)
Are you a creative and driven individual ready to shape the future of sustainable building materials?

The successful candidate will secure a 36-month collaborative Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) position. The Associate will learn about innovative materials and manufacturing methods from experts at Heriot-Watt University, before leading a project that considers an optimal approach for Warmhouse Ltd to develop an innovative product, from concept to practical development, including IP protection. It will also include establishing the most efficient route for product testing regimes for achieving industry accreditation as well as, optimisation of manufacturing processes. In parallel, a market strategy development and implementation will also be required and identifying opportunities to demonstrate the product for prospective clients.

This project, and its Associate, fulfils a critical role at Warmhouse Ltd and will be responsible for the transfer of knowledge from Heriot-Watt University to Warmhouse and contribute to market growth for the business.

This is a strategic imperative for the project. External expertise from Heriot-Watt is required to develop a new building [wl1] material for the construction sector to drive business growth.
This full-time position is funded by Warmhouse and Innovate UK. The successful appointee shall be based at Warmhouse premises in Bellshill and the project will also involve working with colleagues based at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. If the project is successful there may be an opportunity to secure a permanent post at Warmhouse Ltd to continue implementation of product in their portfolio and commercialisation. [As a KTP associate you will receive training as part of a cohort by the KTP, training on Warmhouse systems and processes and other industry practices and training time/budget for personal development.

Plan and manage the activity of the project in line with the identified workplan. Produce a budget and risk register.
Lead the development, analysis and interpretation of research data, and develop required outputs drawn from the research findings including;
Detailed reports on product testing
Develop and agree a route map for the development of the product including testing regimes, manufacture process, logistics and marketing strategy
Test prototypes and establish a testing campaign for the products, including required and desirable parameters, and report on outcomes to key Heriot-Watt and Warmhouse staff
Support the commercialisation process by identifying and engaging with potential customers and stakeholders for live product testing
Contribute to the preparation of academic and commercial papers, as well as presentations for conferences and industry events
A flexible working schedule may be required to meet all key duties and responsibilities.

The role will be based at the Warmhouse Head Office in Bellshill or other location if applicable from time to time. Significant travel to Edinburgh will be required throughout the project.

A competitive salary of £41,064 per annum, with a review during the project
An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
As a KTP Associate, you will be part of the national Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (ktp-uk.org) scheme and entitled to specialist management training alongside other Associates, protected time for self-development and a professional development budget, which will be valuable to career development beyond the project.
A degree (minimum 2:1) in a relevant subject area such as Material Science, Engineering or a related field
# Written communication skills with experience of using data to build reports/articles/presentations.
# Experience of leading a project and working within defined budgets and timelines.
# IT skills including being Excel literate and advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word. The candidate must be a creative problem solver with a strong capacity for self-motivation and independent work.
# Empathetic, with a genuine commitment to the success of the project.
# Knowledge of construction industry, particularly in relation to heritage building conservation
# Advanced research skills (such as MRes, Mphil, PhD) and a curiosity to learn – this could be an alternative to a PostDoc.
# Experience in product testing and quality assurance procedures.
# Warmhouse was initially established as a vehicle for undertaking Energy Efficiency projects to individual houses whereas BN Rendering was engaged in larger projects, across multiple properties for social landlords. Across both companies, we have, over the last decade, delivered Energy Efficiency solutions and general works to circa 12.000 properties, including a number of non-residential properties such as schools.
The works undertaken by Warmhouse, includes both single house projects and social landlord multi property contracts, including work undertaken across all areas of Scotland and the North of England. Works vary from all types of building insulation, such as External Wall, Internal and Cavity Wall Insulation, Room in a Roof and loft, Flat Roof and Underfloor Insulation. Warmhouse also specialises in whole house decarbonisation projects including full insulation and the installation of renewables such as Air Source Heat Pumps and Solar PV Panels.

Warmhouse is a small medium enterprise (SME) with a close family team who strive to deliver quality service with a focus on customer care. The Company’s sole Director, Laszlo Nemeth, is very keen to improve our delivery processes and the efficiency of systems through innovation and encourage staff to generate ideas for improvement. He is responsible for the current and past innovative proposals and is likely to take a keen personal interest in this project.

Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry.

Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages. Applications must be submitted by midnight on Thursday 1st January 2026.

Academic contact: