Description
Circa £46,250 + excellent benefits | Permanent | Hybrid
At Thatcham Research, we’re at the forefront of vehicle safety, risk insight and insurance innovation. We’re looking for a Project Engineer to join our new Car Parc Operations team - a role that sits at the heart of how we design, deliver and continuously improve our vehicle assessment processes.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys combining technical problem-solving, data analysis and stakeholder collaboration to make a real impact on how our assessments are developed and delivered.
In this brand-new role, you’ll support the technical integrity and operational effectiveness of our vehicle assessment processes, helping translate complex requirements into practical, high-quality solutions. If you’re looking to apply your engineering expertise in a role that blends technical rigour, data insight and stakeholder collaboration, we’d love to hear from you.
As the Project Engineer, you’ll be responsible for:
- Owning and maintaining technical documentation, ensuring processes and procedures are clear, robust and consistently applied
- Reviewing and approving assessment protocols, identifying gaps and working with technical experts to implement solutions
- Analysing test results and data to spot trends, investigate anomalies and recommend improvements
- Developing and reporting performance metrics and dashboards to track departmental effectiveness
- Creating commercial and financial models to support internal and outsourced vehicle assessments
- Managing relationships with external stakeholders, suppliers and partners to ensure efficient delivery
- Facilitating internal review meetings, balancing diverse stakeholder priorities and driving decisions forward
- Contributing to the development of our long-term vehicle assessment strategy, including global expansion initiatives
Skills & experience that will set you up for success in this role:
We’re looking for a proactive and detail-focused engineer who enjoys working across teams and bringing structure to complex technical challenges.
- Experience of technical process development and management
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
- Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills, with confidence working with complex technical information
- Experience working with data (e.g. Excel) to identify trends and insights
- A high level of attention to detail and quality focus, with the ability to spot risks and inconsistencies
- Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders
- A degree (or equivalent experience) in an engineering, scientific or technical discipline.
It would be beneficial if you also have:
- Experience in vehicle testing or automotive environments
- Knowledge of vehicle assessment methods, testing governance or risk
- Experience producing reports, dashboards or performance metrics
Why join Thatcham Research?
- Be part of a purpose-driven organisation shaping vehicle safety and insurance standards
- Work on innovative, real-world engineering challenges
- Collaborate with experts across research, operations, and product teams
- Join a team that values continuous improvement, quality and technical excellence
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!
Perks & Benefits
Salary - Circa £46,250 negotiable dependent on skills & experience.
- 10% non-contributory pension
- 29 days holiday (inclusive of Christmas shutdown) + public holidays
- Group Life Assurance (equal to 4 x basic salary)
- Group Income Protection (after 6 months’ service)
- Salary Sacrifice schemes (cycle to work, home & tech scheme)
- Enhanced and competitive parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender or family structure
- Moneyhealth’s Financial Coaching & Wellbeing Platform
- Health Cash Plan (cash back on eligible medical treatments)
- Benenden Health Care (opt-in benefit)
- Reward & Recognition Programme
- Discounted gym membership
- Sports & Social club
- Payroll charitable giving
- Subsidised on-site restaurant
- Free on-site parking
When we work
Our standard working hours are 8:30 - 16:30 Monday - Thursday, early finish on Friday - 8:30 - 15:45 (Talk to us about flexible working if this doesn’t quite suit you – we take work-life balance seriously!)
How we work
We understand the benefits of remote and in-person collaboration and therefore have a hybrid working model – you’ll be expected to work from our office in Thatcham at least two days per week.
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 and Training Academy, 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.
Our Gamston facility is one of the UK’s leading sites for active safety, trialling and assessing the latest crash avoidance and driver 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 partnerships with the Automotive 30% Club and Women in Data (WiD), 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 a Talent Acquisition 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
Check out our post on using AI during your application and interview!
We’re committed to removing 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.
If you're experiencing any issues with our career site or application from, please let us know here: careers@thatcham.org
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