Chemical Engineer – Pilot Plant Operations
2 days ago
Nottingham
Location: Nottingham, UK Remuneration: Competitive Start Date: Immediate Visa Sponsorship: Available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements. The Role We are seeking a highly practical, hands-on Chemical Engineer to operate, maintain, troubleshoot and continuously improve our CO₂ mineralisation pilot plant in Nottingham. This is primarily a plant-based operational role, not a desk-based position. You will spend most of your time working directly with reactors, pumps, filtration systems, mixers, dryers, pipework and instrumentation. The role would suit someone with a BSc or MSc in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline, ideally with 0–3 years of experience, who enjoys practical engineering and wants to work directly with industrial equipment. Key Responsibilities • Operate the pilot plant safely and reliably on a day-to-day basis., • Start up, run, monitor and shut down reactors, pumps, filtration systems, mixers and dryers., • Prepare feedstocks and chemical solutions and manage material transfers., • Monitor key process parameters including temperature, pressure, flow rate, pH and concentration., • Carry out routine inspections, preventative maintenance and basic equipment repairs., • Troubleshoot pumps, valves, filters, instrumentation and process-performance issues., • Support installation, modification and commissioning of new equipment., • Collect samples and record process conditions, yields, material consumption and equipment performance., • Identify and implement improvements to reliability, throughput, yield and product consistency., • Support the transition from batch toward more automated and continuous operation., • Maintain operating procedures, maintenance schedules and plant documentation., • Ensure the plant remains clean, organised and compliant with health and safety requirements. Essential Requirements • BSc or MSc in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering or a closely related discipline., • Strong interest in hands-on plant operation and practical engineering., • Good understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals and process operations., • Comfortable working with pumps, reactors, tanks, pipework, filtration systems and other process equipment., • Practical troubleshooting and problem-solving ability., • Comfortable handling chemicals, powders and slurries in a pilot-plant environment., • Willingness to carry out routine operation, cleaning and maintenance activities., • Strong health and safety awareness., • Ability to take ownership of day-to-day plant operation and technical problems. Desirable Experience • Experience operating a pilot plant, chemical plant or production facility., • Hands-on experience with pumps, valves, reactors, pipework and instrumentation., • Experience with filtration, filter presses, drying or solid-liquid separation., • Basic mechanical maintenance or equipment-repair experience., • Familiarity with PFDs, P&IDs, process instrumentation and data logging., • Experience with precipitation, crystallisation, carbonation or mineral processing., • Experience in a startup, scale-up or industrial R&D environment., • Experience supporting commissioning or process improvement. What We Offer • A genuinely hands-on chemical engineering role operating and improving new industrial technology., • Direct responsibility for an operating pilot plant., • Experience with reactors, filtration, drying, pumps, instrumentation and process automation., • Direct involvement in scaling technology from pilot to commercial operation., • Close collaboration with chemists and senior engineers., • Career progression toward Senior Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Production Engineer or Plant Manager., • Visa sponsorship available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements.