Build Technician

Anticipated start date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: 10th May 2026

Salary Band: £25k - £35k (depending on experience)

Full Time, On-site, Sheffield, UK

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Do you love building and find joy in seeing the products you built deployed in the real world? 

We design and manufacture autonomous bioproduction equipment, complex electromechanical systems that combine precision hardware, electronics, and fluidics into products deployed in labs and production facilities around the world. 

Our products are helping scientists develop cures for cancer and new medicines; as we scale, we need someone who can help us build them.

We're looking for a hands-on engineering build technician to join our team and take ownership of assembling, wiring, testing, and maintaining the systems we design. You'll work across mechanical and electronics assembly, quality checks, commissioning, and workshop operations; no two days will look the same.

If you take pride in building things properly, enjoy working with your hands, and want to be part of a team making equipment that genuinely matters, this is your role.

WE VALUE

• A bias for action to build products with customer value.
• Engineers who care about what they build, not just how.
• Clear thinking, pragmatism, and sound judgment over buzzwords.
• Friendly, organised, efficient, and enthusiastic people with a can-do attitude.
• People who take responsibility and follow problems through.
• Low-ego individuals who love asking questions & go above and beyond to help the team succeed.

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THE ROLE

You'll report to our principal engineer and play a central role in turning designs into finished, tested products. This is a hands-on role at the heart of our engineering operation. You will be working in our workshop and production line alongside our engineering and scientific teams. You will help keep our facilities running smoothly, and be involved in the build of all of our products - from sub-assemblies to through to final commissioning.

You should be comfortable working independently and flagging issues early. Attention to detail matters here, our systems are deployed in regulated environments, and build quality directly affects whether they work reliably in the field.

Key Responsibilities:

• Mechanical assembly and fabrication: building frames, enclosures, and sub-assemblies from engineering drawings and BOMs.
• Electronics assembly: soldering, cable routing, wiring looms, PCB integration, and connector termination.
• Testing, QC, and commissioning: running functional tests, documenting results, and supporting system validation before shipment.
• Workshop maintenance: managing inventory, maintaining tools and equipment, and keeping the workspace organised and efficient.
• Working closely with the engineering team to flag build issues, suggest improvements, and feed back into design.

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NEED TO HAVE

• Practical experience with hands-on mechanical and/or electronics assembly in a professional setting.
• Ability to read and work from engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, and BOMs.
• Competence with hand tools, power tools, and basic workshop equipment.
• Soldering skills,  through-hole at minimum, surface-mount is a bonus.
• A methodical, detail-oriented approach to build quality and documentation.
• Willingness to learn new skills and adapt to a fast-paced environment.

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience with cable assembly, wiring looms, or harness manufacture.
• Familiarity with test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies).
• Exposure to cleanroom, laboratory, or regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience with inventory management or ERP/MRP systems.
• Any formal qualifications in engineering, electronics, or manufacturing (apprenticeship, HNC, HND, degree -  we're not prescriptive).

While we welcome applicants from any background, you will likely have >2 years of professional experience as a build technician or equivalent.

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BENEFITS

• The opportunity to work on real systems with real-world impact, your builds will help scientists develop and manufacture new medicines.
• Direct involvement in product development, not just repetitive assembly, you'll see the full picture and your feedback will shape how we design.
• Pension with SIPP options and support managing your investments if you want it.
• Weekly team pastries and monthly all-hands lunches.
• Conference attendance and professional development support.
• A culture that values autonomy, responsibility, and thoughtful work.
• Based in Sheffield, the UK's greenest city, on the doorstep of the Peak District, <15 minutes from our purpose-built R&D and manufacturing facility.

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ABOUT US

Unicorn Biotechnologies is building the infrastructure for autonomous cell biology. We combine robotics, biology, and software into powerful, easy-to-use platforms that let scientists and manufacturers standardise, scale, and automate their workflows, from bench to factory floor. We're a Sheffield-based team with deep R&D foundations, now scaling to meet growing demand from our global customer base. You'll have real ownership over your work, genuine influence on product direction, and the chance to shape a company at a scale-up inflection point.

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JOIN OUR TEAM

Submit your application here: https://forms.gle/uqgpD9rcipgEFg1FA

Please fill out the application form; however, if you get stuck or have any questions email: careers@unicornb.io

Unicorn Biotechnologies is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces inclusion and diversity.