{"id":1423560,"url":"https://alion.io/job/bat-research-and-development-technology-engineer","title":"Research and Development Technology Engineer","company":{"id":1780863,"name":"BAT","domain":"bat.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/bat-com","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"SuccessFactors","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"middle","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"inferred","locations":[],"countries":[],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Microsoft Office","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-28T23:07:09Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-28","last_verified_at":"2026-09-30T21:07:36Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":2,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":2},"description":"BAT is evolving at pace into a global multi-category business. Our purpose is to create A Better Tomorrow™ by Building a Smokeless World.\nTo achieve our ambition, we are looking for colleagues who are ready to join us on this journey! Tomorrow can’t wait, let’s shape it together!\nBritish American TobaccoUK has an exciting opportunity for a RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY ENGINEER in Southampton\nWhat are the key objectives and expectations from this role?\nAs Research and Development Technology Engineer, you will work at the front end of R&D, developing and de-risking new technologies that can feed into future New Category products. This is a hands-on technology development role focused on turning early ideas into working proof of concept devices through creative problem solving, rapid prototyping, experimental testing, physics-based analysis, and modelling. You will lead defined technology workstreams from concept through to evidence generation, helping the team understand what is technically possible before ideas move into product development.\nWhat is the direct impact of this role on the team or organisation?\nThis role directly strengthens the mechanical engineering team’s ability to identify, build and prove new technologies for future product opportunities. It creates prototypes, test evidence, models and engineering insight needed to make early technical decisions, reduce uncertainty, and shape the next generation of products. The role is not focused on final product design, production engineering or validation; it is focused on solving hard technical problems early, quickly and practically.\n\nReports to\n\nSenior Mechanical Engineer\n\nNumber of Direct Reports\n\nN/A\n\nCore Relationships\n\nInternal - Engineering, prototyping, industrial design, liquids, science, product stewardship, marketing, project management and R&D leadership.\nExternal - Suppliers, technology partners, prototype manufacturers and specialist test or analysis providers.\n\nGeographic Scope\n\nGlobal\n\nYour key responsibilities will include:\nLead defined front-end R&D technology workstreams, taking ownership of scope, technical approach, delivery plans, risks and outputs.\nCreate and develop new technology concepts, proof of concept devices, prototypes, test rigs and experimental setups to explore technical feasibility.\nApply physics, first-principles thinking, modelling and practical engineering judgement to understand behaviour and solve challenging technical problems.\nSupport IP aware development by reviewing relevant prior art, identifying patent opportunities and protecting BAT confidential information.\nPlan, run and interpret experimental tests, using data to iterate designs, validate assumptions and recommend the next technical direction.\nWork with internal experts, suppliers and technology partners to access specialist capability, rapidly build learning and adopt promising new technologies.\nCommunicate engineering findings clearly through technical reviews, reports, presentations and data management tools.\nCapture learning clearly so that successful technologies can be transferred into future product development projects with confidence.\nWhat are we looking for?\nExperience Required\nMinimum 3 years’ relevant hands-on engineering experience in electro-mechanical technology development, applied R&D, product innovation, prototyping, or experimental engineering.\nExperience creating new technologies or proof of concept devices, not only maintaining, validating or incrementally improving existing products.\nStrong practical experience designing, building, modifying and troubleshooting prototypes, rigs, fixtures or experimental hardware.\nExperience planning and executing experimental tests, analysing data and using the results to make clear engineering recommendations.\nExperience applying physics, first principles calculations, modelling, or simulation to understand system behaviour and guide technical choices.\nExperience taking ownership of technical work packages or small projects, with the ability to work independently.\nTechnical / Functional / Leadership Skills Required\nCreative, practical and structured problem solving, with the confidence to explore ambiguous technical challenges and turn ideas into working hardware.\nStrong hands-on prototyping capability, supported by CAD, drawings, workshop methods, supplier engagement, or rapid manufacturing techniques.\nAbility to use calculations, modelling, simulation, or data analysis to understand physical behaviour and support design decisions.\nAwareness of intellectual property potential and the importance of protecting confidential technical information.\nClear communication of technical work through reviews, reports, presentations, and data led recommendations.\nStrong Microsoft Office and data management capability.\nAbility to lead technical activity with pace, collaborate across disciplines, and make pragmatic decisions when developing early-stage technologies.\nEducation / Professional Qualifications / Certifications Required\nEngineering based degree / HNC level qualification or relevant technical / design / engineering experience.\nWhat we offer you?\nWe offer a market leading annual performance bonus (subject to eligibility)\nOur range of benefits varies by country and includes diverse health plans, initiatives for work-life balance, transportation support, and a flexible holiday plan with additional incentives.\nYour journey with us isn't limited by boundaries; it's propelled by your aspirations. Join us at BAT and become a part of an environment that thrives on internal advancement, where your career progression isn't just a statement - it's a reality we're eager to build together. Seize the opportunity and own your development; your next chapter starts here.\nYou'll have access to online learning platforms and personalized growth programs to nurture your leadership skills.\nWe prioritise continuous improvement within a transformative environment, preparing for ongoing changes.\nWHY JOIN BAT?\nWe’re one of the few companies named as a Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute - certified in offering excellent employee conditions.\nAt BAT, we champion collaboration, inclusion, and partnership as the bedrock of our values. We wish to foster an environment where every individual can thrive, irrespective of factors such as gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, skills, experience, education, socio-economic and professional background, as well as diverse perspectives and thinking styles. We recognise that our strength lies in embracing talent from all walks of life, empowering us to develop our culture of inclusivity and better achieve our business objectives.\nWe view career breaks not as obstacles but as opportunities and encourage everyone, without hesitation, to apply. Through our Global Returners program, we provide support to professionals seeking to re-enter the workforce after an extended absence, be it for family care, parental leave, national service, sabbatical, or starting their own venture.\nCome bring your difference and see what is possible for you at BAT. Learn more about our culture and our award winning employee experience here.\nWe take pride in being a Disability Confident Employer. If you need any reasonable adjustments or accommodations to be made during the recruitment process to support you performing at your best, please inform the recruitment partner who will be in touch should your profile be selected for the role you applied for. We are wholeheartedly committed to optimising your prospects of success by making suitable arrangements so that you may showcase your full potential.\n#LI-Hybrid","description_format":"text","description_chars":7806,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Parental leave"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Consumer Goods","FMCG & Consumer Brand Groups"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-28T23:07:09Z"}],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":1,"expected_fill_days":18,"reasons":["conf:4","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-09-30T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/bat-research-and-development-technology-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/bat-research-and-development-technology-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-01T04:57:00Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":4543,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":457,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-10-02T00:00:00Z"}}}