A former steelworker turned professor who helped land some of the AMRC’s largest research programmes and heads up its biggest group is stepping down after almost a decade to take up a new role with Rolls-Royce.

Professor Harry Burroughes leaves his position as head of the Integrated Manufacturing Group (IMG) at the University of Sheffield AMRC this month to join longstanding Tier 1 AMRC member, Rolls-Royce, as its automation technical specialist with global accountability.

Harry’s move marks the end of an almost ten-year chapter that saw him rise from a project manager to driving the AMRC’s digital and automation strategy and bringing in flagship research programmes with the likes of Boeing and Rolls-Royce SMR.

His journey with the AMRC began in 2016, when he decided to make the switch from South Yorkshire’s heavy engineering steelworks to advanced manufacturing. Having spent years at Tata Steel, he brought extensive industrial experience to the then-newly opened Factory 2050 facility, where he fondly recalls his early days as ‘employee number 21’.

He said: “I came out of the steelworks wanting to upskill and learn something new. The steel industry was condensing, and I saw the AMRC as an opportunity to move into aerospace and defence.”

Since then, Harry’s career trajectory has mirrored that of the rapid growth of Factory 2050. Moving  through roles as project manager, theme lead and head of innovation, before taking the helm in 2022 to lead IMG, which he helped grow into a  powerhouse of almost 100 engineers. 

Reflecting on his progression from project manager to a professor, Harry said he wouldn’t be where he is now without having opportunities in the region to work somewhere like the AMRC. 

He said: “I’m very grateful to the AMRC. Without it, I don’t think these career opportunities would have been available to me without moving away from Sheffield. To have global leaders like Boeing, Rolls-Royce and McLaren within 30 minutes of my house is incredible. 

“I came in as an ex-steelworker and I’m leaving as a professor. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without the AMRC and the opportunities it has given me over the last ten years.”

For Harry the real highlight isn’t the titles or the research facilities, but the people. He said: “It’s a privilege to have witnessed the small team grow into the AMRC’s largest research group, watching graduates and apprentices’ journey with the organisation for a decade to become senior engineers and managers – it’s amazing.”

Landmark programmes bridging the gap between research and industrial application define Harry’s tenure at the AMRC, most notably its largest-ever R&D programme, Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS).

He spent years advocating for the necessity of automation in large-scale composite production, convincing funding bodies that automation and digital expertise were crucial to the project to achieve the scale and accuracy required, which couldn’t be done manually.

This influence also extended to the AMRC’s work with Rolls-Royce SMR, a relationship Harry has been a part of since its inception in 2016. Originally focused on welding and machining, Harry played a vital role in steering and maturing the partnership to evolve it into the large-scale digital and automation collaboration it is today.

Beyond technical projects, Harry also chaired the High Value Manufacturing Catapult’s special purpose group for automation and assembly and represented the collective interests of all Catapult centres’ to drive automation initiatives.

Ben Morgan, the AMRC’s interim chief executive officer, said: “Harry has been a brilliant colleague and leader, and his impact on the AMRC has been truly profound. He has been integral to shaping our digital and automation strategy, fostering a culture of creative innovation that bridges the gap between academic research and shop-floor reality - turning ideas into impact.

“While we will miss his leadership, his move to Rolls-Royce ensures he remains a vital figure within our wider innovation ecosystem. We are delighted he is staying within our network of partners and wish him the very best for the future.”

As Harry transitions to the ‘other side of the table,’ as he puts it, he holds a sense of optimism for the AMRC’s future. “The ideas and processes we have developed inside Factory 2050 are now starting to move into production and impact UK manufacturing at scale,” he said. 

“It’s going to be exciting and I have no doubt the team will continue to grow and have even more impact. At the end of the day, I’m not going far. I’ll always be a cheerleader for the work done here.”

Following his departure, Tom Hodgson, head of research at the AMRC, will become the interim head of group for IMG.