A COUNTY recruitment firm has been appointed to fill almost 100 jobs at a new £108m million research centre which will drive the UK’s automotive battery development.

Engineering jobs company Consilium Recruit has become a preferred recruitment partner for the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) - a new facility which will open next year and help turn the UK into a world leader in battery design, development and manufacture for the automotive sector.

The company will help UKBIC build to a team of up to 95 professionals this year for the new government-funded centre.

This will include recruiting members of UKBIC’s leadership team, specialist managers, engineers, technicians and a range of support staff.

The facility, to be built in Coventry, is led by managing director, Jeff Pratt.

Steve Doyle, director at Consilium Recruit said: “We are excited to be a preferred recruitment partner for UKBIC following a detailed process which concluded last year.

“Battery technology is accelerating at the fastest pace ever and this means the new centre will need the best leaders, engineers and technical experts with the transferable skills needed to ensure the UK is able to maintain a lead position in this global race.

“To have a facility like this in the heart of the Midlands is massive for the region.

"In the next 20 years the automotive sector will change beyond all recognition and battery innovation will play a key role in developing greener, more reliable vehicles.

“To make that ambition happen there is a big challenge ahead and that’s why we are looking for people who can bring skills and experiences from other high volume and automated manufacturing sectors such as FMCG, electronics and printing, not just automotive.

"The interest in these jobs has already been phenomenal and they are attracting first-rate talent, but we need more.”

The new centre is part of the Government’s £274 million Faraday Battery Challenge.

This is a four-year commitment which aims to close the productivity and battery design gap between the UK and mainland Europe by 2025.