Engineering news
WMG, at the University of Warwick, is to embark on a rapid recruitment drive to attract 120 engineering-related recruits over the next 100 days.
The research and collaboration organisation, led by Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, has scored several investment successes in recent months, acting as the new home for a government-backed £13.5 million Energy Innovation Centre and the £150 million National Automotive Innovation Centre.
Bhattacharyya said that WMG needed a fresh influx of engineering talent to help it keep up with a vibrant research agenda. He said: “As we continue to grow and expand we are seeking individuals who thrive on a challenge and who aren’t afraid to defy conventional thinking.
“We are investing in, and creating, several new world-leading facilities to support these new projects. So we also need to invest in more talented people to take these projects forward. We intend to recruit 120 of those people in the next 100 days.”
The areas of work and research the 120 roles will focus on include: electrical distribution systems; thermal modelling; battery system evaluation; electric machines and power electronics.
There are also vacancies for experts in structural composites, additive layer manufacturing and manufacturing automation systems.
There are several ongoing construction projects at the WMG facility on the University of Warwick campus in Coventry, highlighting its rapid expansion.
The National Automotive Innovation Centre, which is due to open in 2016, is a partnership between Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors. It will focus on the the development of technology for electric vehicles, carbon reduction, and smart and connected vehicles.
A £4 million International Institute for Nanocomposites Manufacturing has also been constructed at the site, featuring characterisation laboratories, a wet chemistry laboratory and a processing hall.
Talking exclusively to PE earlier this year, Lord Bhattacharyya stressed the importance of industrial collaboration as a means of gaining new investment. He also called on the government to continue support the manufacturing sector.
He said: “We need government to stick with having a long-term policy. Sustained long-term thinking is crucial for this nation. Government can be a driver in this area, working jointly with industry and academia.”