As a Manufacturing Development Engineer at Shellworks, you will pioneer the transition from concept to production for sustainable materials. You will design, prototype, and validate innovative manufacturing routes for Vivomer, working closely with external partners to scale high-performance alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and directly combat the global plastic pollution crisis.
Manufacturing Development Engineer at Shellworks
Shellworks is tackling the global plastic crisis by developing Vivomer, a revolutionary material made by bacteria that performs like plastic but breaks down naturally in the environment. As a Manufacturing Development Engineer in London, you will bridge the gap between material innovation and commercial scale. You'll lead the creation of entirely new manufacturing routes, from prototyping equipment to overseeing partner trials and first production runs. This is a rare opportunity for a hands-on mechanical engineer to join a mission-driven team and build the physical infrastructure needed for a sustainable future. Join Shellworks and help prove that there is a better way to make things.
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Location
London, United Kingdom
Compensation
£35-50k + Equity
Company
Shellworks
Role overview
Shellworks is a design-led techbio company developing plastic-free, compostable packaging materials and products to replace conventional plastics. The company cultivates high‑performance biomaterials in its lab using natural fermentation processes and plant or waste feedstocks, creating materials that are recyclable in the biological cycle and can safely break down in home or industrial composting environments.[1][2][3][4][5] Its flagship material, Vivomer, is a bio‑based, vegan, shelf‑stable and reusable alternative to plastic that contains no microplastics or toxic additives and is made and unmade by microbes.[1][3][4] Shellworks works with brands and manufacturers to deliver sustainable packaging solutions and other commercial products that match or exceed the performance of traditional plastic, aiming to demonstrate that large‑scale, plastic‑free innovation is commercially viable while significantly reducing environmental impact.[1][2][3][4][5]
What you will do
- Lead early-stage manufacturing projects from initial concept through prototyping, equipment specification, and pilot validation.
- Serve as the technical interface with co-manufacturers to ensure innovative processes meet strict quality and scalability standards.
- Travel to partner facilities and trial sites to troubleshoot and accelerate the deployment of new production routes.
Who this is a fit for
- Strong background in plastics and polymer processing, including hands-on experience with moulding, extrusion, or assembly techniques.
- Mechanical engineering expertise with a grasp of process fundamentals, tooling design, and the ability to prototype machines.
- A self-starter comfortable with technical ambiguity and travel, thriving in high-autonomy, fast-paced startup environments.
Why this role is remarkable
- Work with Vivomer, a breakthrough material that mimics plastic performance but is fully broken down by natural microbes.
- Move beyond incremental optimization to build entirely new manufacturing processes and equipment from the ground up.
- Join a mission-driven, tightly-knit team of experts in materials science and engineering dedicated to solving plastic waste.
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