R&D Engineer

United Kingdom
2 days ago
Job Type
Permanent
Work Pattern
Full-time
Work Location
Hybrid
Seniority
Mid
Education
Degree
Posted
22 May 2026 (2 days ago)

Benefits

Generous annual bonus Pension schemes Save As You Earn share options Flexible vacation and time off Paid holidays Paid volunteering hours Private health and dental plans Healthcare cash plans Income protection Life assurance Discounts on gyms and fitness clubs Salary sacrifice bicycle and car schemes

Life. Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living.

As an R&D Engineer within our Mechanical Engineering team, you will play a key role in shaping the next generation of medical devices. Based at our Hull site, this is an opportunity to work at the heart of New Product Development, where your ideas, technical curiosity and attention to detail will directly contribute to improving patient outcomes around the world.

What will you be doing?

You will be part of a collaborative R&D environment, working across the full product lifecycle from early concept through clinical trials and manufacturing. Day to day, you will plan and deliver engineering work packages, applying a structured, systems-based approach to development and balancing technical rigor, with practical problem solving.

You will translate user and product needs into clear engineering requirements, design, build and evaluate prototypes, and work closely with Manufacturing, Marketing and Clinical teams to develop robust design outputs. You will also contribute to risk management, design reviews, and verification and validation activities, helping define test methods, acceptance criteria, and objective evidence to demonstrate that designs meet requirements and intended use.

Throughout your work, you will operate within quality and regulatory frameworks, including ISO 13485 design controls, documenting your work clearly and accurately to support regulatory submissions and future development.

What will you need to be successful?

Success in this role comes from combining strong engineering fundamentals with a structured and curious approach to development work. You will bring:

  • A BSc or BEng degree, or equivalent experience, ideally in mechanical or mechanical and medical or biomedical engineering

  • Experience working with CAD tools, ideally SolidWorks, alongside confidence using standard Microsoft applications

  • The ability to plan, run and assess technical trials and prototype builds, drawing clear conclusions and recommendations

  • A quality focused mindset, with experience working in regulated environments and producing high quality technical documentation

You. Unlimited.
We believe in creating the greatest good for society. Our Strongest investments are in our people and patients we serve.
Inclusion and Belonging: Committed to Welcoming, Celebrating and Thriving on Inclusion and Belonging, Learn more about our Employee Inclusion Groups on our website (www.smith-nephew.com)
Your Future: Generous annual bonus and pension Schemes, Save As You Earn share options.
Work/Life Balance: Flexible Vacation and Time Off, Paid Holidays and Paid Volunteering Hours, so we can give back to our communities!
Your Wellbeing: Private Health and Dental plans, Healthcare Cash Plans, Income Protection, Life Assurance and much more.
Flexibility: Hybrid Working Model (For most professional roles).
Training: Hands On, Team Customised, Mentorship.
Extra Perks: Discounts on Gyms and fitness clubs, Salary Sacrifice Bicycle and Car Schemes and many other Employee discounts.

#LI-onsite

Stay connected by joining our Talent Community.

We're more than just a company - we're a community! Follow us on LinkedIn to see how we support and empower our employees and patients every day.


Check us out on Glassdoor for a glimpse behind the scenes and a sneak peek intoYou. Unlimited., life, culture, and benefits at S+N.

Explore our website and learn more about our mission, our team, and the opportunities we offer.

Related Jobs

View all jobs
Spotlight

Lead Development Engineer

Corin Group Cirencester, gloucestershire, United Kingdom
On-site

R&D Design Engineer

Real Limerick, Limerick County, Ireland
£35 – £39 ph On-site

Embedded Systems Engineer

VRS UK Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
£40,000 – £60,000 pa On-site

Perfusion Specialist

OrganOx Oxford, United Kingdom
On-site

Supplier Quality Engineer

ProTech Recruitment Ltd Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
£50,000 – £55,000 pa Hybrid

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Where to Advertise Medical Technology Jobs in the UK (2026 Guide)

Where to advertise medical technology jobs UK in 2026: the specialist boards and MDR/IEC 62304-aware channels that reach biomedical and medtech talent. The medtech candidate pool spans biomedical engineers, regulatory affairs specialists, clinical scientists, software engineers working within IEC 62304 and MDR frameworks, imaging scientists and commercial professionals with deep healthcare sector knowledge. General job boards consistently conflate medical technology with broader healthcare, pharmaceutical and IT roles — producing high application volumes but low candidate quality for specialist medtech positions. This guide, published by MedicalTechnologyJobs.co.uk, covers where to advertise medical technology roles in the UK in 2026, how the main platforms compare, what employers should expect to pay, and what the data says about hiring across different role types.

Medical Technology Jobs UK 2026: What to Expect Over the Next 3 Years

Medical Technology Jobs UK 2026: roles, salaries and the trends shaping UK medtech hiring over the next three years — devices, diagnostics and digital health. Medical technology is one of those rare sectors where commercial ambition and genuine human impact point in exactly the same direction. The devices, diagnostics, digital health platforms, and AI-powered clinical tools that medical technology companies develop do not just generate revenue — they extend lives, reduce suffering, and change what is possible inside the clinical encounter. That combination of purpose and commercial scale makes the medical technology jobs market one of the most compelling in the entire UK life sciences and technology landscape. And that market is changing faster than at any previous point in the sector's history. The integration of artificial intelligence into diagnostic imaging, pathology, and clinical decision support has moved from research demonstration to regulatory approval and NHS deployment. Wearable and implantable devices are generating continuous patient data at a scale that is transforming how chronic conditions are monitored and managed. Digital therapeutics — software that delivers clinically validated therapeutic interventions — have emerged as a recognised product category with its own regulatory pathway. Surgical robotics has moved from a premium offering at a handful of specialist centres to a mainstream surgical platform whose capabilities are expanding with each generation. For job seekers, the medical technology jobs market of 2026 represents an opportunity that is both broader and more technically demanding than it was three years ago. The roles being created now span a wider range of disciplines, require a more sophisticated understanding of the intersection between technology and clinical practice, and carry higher regulatory expectations than the medtech jobs of even a short time ago. This article breaks down what the UK medical technology jobs market is likely to look like through to 2028 — covering the titles emerging right now, the technologies driving employer demand, the skills that will matter most, and how to position your career ahead of the curve in one of the most consequential sectors in the UK economy.

How Many Medical Technology Tools Do You Need to Know to Get a Medical Technology Job?

Medical technology tools for UK medtech jobs in 2026: how many CAD, regulatory (ISO 13485, FDA), MATLAB and clinical software tools you really need on your CV. If you’re pursuing a career in medical technology, it can feel like the toolkit is endlessly long: imaging systems, data analysis software, regulatory platforms, testing frameworks, prototyping tools, CAD, quality management systems, signal processing libraries and more. Scroll job boards or LinkedIn, and it’s easy to think you need to know every tool under the sun just to secure an interview. Here’s the honest truth most hiring managers won’t explicitly tell you: 👉 They don’t hire you because you know every tool — they hire you because you understand the underlying principles and can apply the right tool in the right context to solve real problems. Tools matter — absolutely — but they are secondary to problem-solving ability, clinical awareness, engineering rigour and the ability to deliver safe, reliable solutions. So how many medical technology tools do you actually need to know to get a job? For most job seekers, the answer is far fewer than you think. This article explains what employers really want, which tools are core, which are role-specific, and how to focus your learning so you look confident, competent and end-game ready.