Ester Villanueva Viteri obtained her degree in Chemical Engineering in 2008 and in Advanced Materials Engineering in 2016 from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). She recently earned her PhD in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, also at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).

In 2014 she joined at Tecnalia Research & Innovation, where she works in the Manufacturing Processes and Materials Platform within the Industry and Mobility Division. With more than a decade of experience in casting alloys (aluminium, steel, and iron), with a particular focus on their development and optimization, as well as other related materials and manufacturing processes. Her expertise includes the study of tribology (friction and wear properties ), fatigue behaviour, and fracture mechanics.

She has participated in over 360 projects, including European programmes, Basque Government initiatives, and direct contracts with clients. She has authored over 10 scientific publications and 5 conference papers, as lead author.