Research Engineer

Research Engineer | Circa £43,150 negotiable + excellent benefits | Permanent | Hybrid

Do you have a passion for all things automotive and would love to join an industry leader in the field of automotive research? Are you a talented engineer, looking for an opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of vehicle safety, security, and repair? If so, then this could be the perfect opportunity for you

In this influential and exciting role, you’ll be supportingand delivering engineering research projectsacross key functions within the business including ADAS, automation,connected security, electrification, safety, repair,and vehicle technology. You’ll have the opportunity to get hands-on with some of the most exciting new vehicles as they enter the UK market.

You’ll enjoy working within a dynamic and ever-changing domain and be excited by the prospect of working at the forefront of new vehicle technology , contributing to key projects that influence international regulators, vehicle manufactures, and consumers whilst helping insurers and the automotive repair sector stay one step ahead of the accelerating and exciting changes affecting the industry.

Thisposition would make an excellent opportunity for a mechanical , design or a research engineer wanting to develop their skills and experience at a time when the automotive industry is experiencing the fastest and most exciting developments in its history.

Your mission

• Plan and deliver research into new vehicles and technologies that align to Thatcham Research’s ACE+ research agenda to further our Automotive Risk Intelligence
• Plan, deliver and present research findings and reports
• Supporting the development and continual improvement of the tools used to robustly govern the quality of research, both in approach and output
• Engage with external stakeholders to both gather and disseminate intelligence

Skills & experience that will set you up for success in this role:

• Ability to successfully apply knowledge to execute aspects of engineering projects, identifying and using relevant established technologies and methods
• Excellent verbal & written communication
• Critical thinking, with the ability to understand, analyse and breakdown complex technical information
• Good level of interpersonal and influencing skills with the ability to work across multiple different teams
• Effective and engaging presentation and dissemination of engineering and research outputs
• General knowledge of the different technologies within modern vehicles
• Ability to collate various findings such as personal research and test results into a succinct report
• Ability to plan to an appropriate level of detail, accounting for both external and internal factors

Did you know...

Research tells us that men are more likely to apply to jobs if they meet only 60% of the criteria, whereas women often hesitate or don't apply unless they meet all of the criteria. This difference in application behaviour can contribute to the gender gap in career advancement and opportunities.

We know the perfect candidate doesn't exist If you think you have what it takes but don't tick every box, we'd still encourage you to apply - it could be a perfect fit

About you

You have a collaborative approach to working across multi-disciplinary teams and are passionate about ensuring that research is carried out in a consistent and rigorous manner. Your excellent theoretical knowledge enables you to understand, analyse and breakdown complex technical information; whilst your high level of interpersonal and influencing skills facilitates your ability to motivate others and collaborate effectively with other teams within the business.

Perks & Benefits

Salary - Circa £43,150 negotiable,dependent on skills & experience.

• 10% non-contributory pension
• 29 days holiday (inclusive of Christmas shutdown) + public holidays
• Group Life Assurance (equal to 3 x basic salary)
• Group Income Protection (after 2 years’ service)
• Salary Sacrifice schemes (cycle to work & tech scheme)
• Money Health Financial Wellbeing Platform
• Health Cash Plan (cash back on eligible medical treatments)
• Discounted gym membership
• Sports & Social club
• Payroll charitable giving

When we work

Our standard working hours are 8:30 - 16:30 Monday - Thursday, 8:30 - 15:45 Fridays (talk to us about flexible working if this doesn’t quite suit you)

How we work

Our blended working approach means you’ll spend time working from our head office in Thatcham and from home should you wish to.

What we do

At the cutting edge of automotive research in the UK, Thatcham Research has a unique role in shaping the design of new vehicles and influencing ever higher standards of safety, security, and repair.

With an on-site Crash Laboratory, Repair Technology Centre, Training Academy and Crime Lab, our research expertise is driving some of the very latest automotive developments in technology, materials and standards in this fast moving and highly technical industry. Ouractivesafetytracksite is one of the leading accredited Euro NCAPtesting facilities,triallingandassessingtheverylatest developments in vehicle safety and assistance technologies.

Our Values

As an organisation that believes a strong set of Values are key to our organisational success and a sense of belonging for all colleagues, we ask that you understand, represent and apply our Values of Fearless, Inquisitive, Resourceful, Supportive and Trusted and demonstrate these Values throughout the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace which values diversity and embraces each individual's authentic self. We are proud to champion a culture where colleagues freely share their diverse perspectives, recognising that these contribute to our innovative spirit. Our journey of growth and understanding is continuous as we actively invest in diversity training, workshops, and partnerships to ensure positive change.

Beyond our silver membership in the Automotive 30% Club, we collaborate with various organisations to advance equity not only in gender but also across ethnicity, age, disability, social mobility, LGBTQ+ identities, experiences, and thinking. Our aspiration is to create an environment where everyone thrives, achieves, and experiences a genuine sense of belonging.

Recruitment process

We’re proud to manage our recruitment in-house and believe this direct approach enables us to give you the best possible Employee Experience we can – which starts right here, your application We’re continuously striving to improve the candidate journey, and transparency (or communication) is a key area of focus – yes, even with salary & benefits.

What can you expect from our recruitment process?

• Regular updates on the progress / outcome of your application
• An initial telephone screening call with our Recruitment Business Partner
• First interview with the hiring manager, usually via Teams
• Second/Final interview, in-person at our office (we may give you a role specific task to present on)
• Personalised feedback following your interview – because everyone deserves that
• An opportunity to give us your honest feedback in a short survey on all of the above

We’re committed to removing invisible barriers. If there are any adjustments we can make to better support you, please let us know when you apply.

All applicants must have Right to Work in the UK.