PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Research and Development Engineer
A Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Parker Hannifin PLC and the
University of Plymouth
www.parker.com/instrumentation
(Please do not contact the company direct)
The Company
The Parker Hannifin Corporation is a $7bn organisation and has over 200 manufacturing facilities in Europe, North
and South America, the Far East and Australasia as well as 7,500 distributors and more than 60 administrative and
sales offices in 58 countries around the world. Of the 45,000+ employees, over 2,000 are in the UK in 16
manufacturing plants and service centres providing the full range of Parker systems and components. All plants
have ISO 9000 certification. Parker’s operations are organised into eight specialist product groups of which the
Barnstaple site is European Headquarters for the Instrumentation Group.
The Instrumentation Group of Parker Hannifin is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of high
quality, critical flow components for worldwide process instrumentation, ultra high purity, medical and analytical
applications. Parker Instrumentation products can be found in use wherever there is a need for the containment of
ultrapure, toxic or dangerous fluids and gasses. They are a major, worldwide supplier to the offshore and
petrochemical industries as well as providing products for use in power generation, chemical, semiconductor,
medical, pharmaceutical and analytical applications.
You will benefit from working in a multinational conglomerate with the framework and security of a globally
operating organisation. However, Parker is organised into manageable profit centres so the Instrumentation
Headquarters at Barnstaple employs around 260 and has a great deal of autonomy in decision making. This
provides you with the opportunity for individual accountability and development in a team environment.
You would be joining the R&D team of 8 professionals who have a well equipped R&D laboratory and modern
office facilities to support their work. The state of the art manufacturing plant operates under lean manufacturing
principles and the Barnstaple site is the Company’s flagship lean organisation in Europe.
Location
The majority of your time will be spent at the company site in Barnstaple, Devon. A historic market town situated
along the rugged coast line of North Devon popular with holiday-makers and those who enjoy the natural beauty of
the sea, beaches and a spectacular countryside. Substantial industrial developments have ensured that
Barnstaple remains an important centre for industries with many establishing to appreciate the location benefits for
employees balanced with excellent road links to the M5 and beyond.
Project Aim and Deliverables
The aim of this 2 year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) that you will be managing, is to identify, develop and
apply new materials technology and manufacturing processes to the redesign and production of the Company’s
tube fittings product range to significantly reduce cost of manufacture. This will enhance the company’s reputation
in the marketplace, resulting in increased sales, a greater market share and new market opportunities. This is an
ambitious project which will launch your career in Engineering.
Specific deliverables of the project that you will be tasked with are:
To design a prototype tube fitting utilising new processes and alternative materials leading to a manufacturing
cost saving of 15% during the project and ultimately 30%
To manufacture, test and evaluate the prototype resulting in increased sales of the re-designed product in the
region of $5m during the project
Anticipated benefits for the successful candidate
An integrated Management Development training programme, membership of the Institute of Management and
an opportunity to achieve NVQ Level 4 in Management.
Further training opportunities as required (fully funded).
Attendance at relevant EU/US industry conference/s or trade fairs.
An opportunity to study for a professional qualification, work towards professional institute membership and/or
register for a higher degree (part funded).
VR3-08/03
D:\106747576.doc - 1 -
Professional skills & competencies will be developed in:
Knowledge in the field of the rationale behind selection
of alternative materials in product redesign.
Knowledge in the field of the implementation of new
manufacturing processes to achieve significant cost
reductions.
A professional knowledge-based approach to the analysis
of design and processing problems and the development
of alternative solutions.
An in-depth knowledge of materials, manufacturing and
process development in application to leading edge
instrumentation products.
Personal competencies will be developed in:
Communication skills.
Organising and planning skills.
Investigative and analytical skills.
Project management skills.
Understanding of important issues in the
interaction between design, material and
process.
Confidence to make a significant contribution
to problem solving, operational and strategic
planning within an organisation.
Qualifications and experience required
To apply you should have:
a BSc/BEng (Hons) 2:1 or above in Materials/Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering/Materials Technology or
similar - essential
a relevant post graduate qualification MSc/MPhil etc - desirable
technical skills in design, material properties and mechanical testing - essential
experience of microstructures - desirable
12 months relevant commercial experience - desirable
excellent written and verbal communication skills – essential
the ability to think innovatively - essential
Computer literate, you will need to be self-motivated, have excellent problem solving skills and be able to
communicate complex concepts well. You must be able to interact well with staff at all levels, document, present
and implement your findings and be able to manage and prioritise time.
The University of Plymouth support team
Your academic support team will be led by Professor Neil James, Dean of Technology. He is a Professor of Mechanical
Engineering, with internationally recognised expertise in metallurgy and materials science, corrosion, failure and
fractography. His research interests include design, joining, structural integrity, residual stresses and their effects. He
also has experience in materials selection and manufacturing processes.
Dr David Plane will also provide academic support and has a BSc in Physics and PhD in Materials. He has lectured at
the University in materials since 1972 and has been involved in numerous commercial consultancies during that time.
He has conducted Research Supervision and his areas of expertise include Materials Testing, Corrosion, Wear,
Electron and Optical Microscopy.
An assigned KTP Project Manager will also support you in fulfilling these objectives and to maximise the benefits to all
partners. Additional support will also be available from the University’s Faculty of Technology as required and general
University facilities (Library, Computing Services) will also be available.
Terms of Employment
Your contract of employment will be with the University of Plymouth although you will normally be based at Parker
Hannifin, on a 24 month fixed term contract. We offer an attractive salary of £18k - £22k dependant on qualifications
and experience, with holiday allowance of 25 days per annum, a pension option and a personal training and
development budget of £3.5k. This post offers excellent long-term career prospects within Parker Hannifin after the
successful completion of the project.
Please note all appointments will be subject to the receipt of references and medical form to the satisfaction of the
University of Plymouth. This appointment is subject to a six-month probation period.
Timescales
Duration of Project:
Estimated Start Month and Year:
Application Closing Date:
Interview candidates to be notified by:
Interviews to be scheduled:
VR3-08/03
24 Months
Nov 2005
30th September 2005 at 12 noon
17th October 2005
1st and 2nd November 2005
D:\106747576.doc - 2 -
If you believe you can meet the
demands of this challenging
and rewarding role then please
forward your CV and covering
letter as instructed on:
www.graduate-opps.org.uk