Chemical Engineer - Pilot Plant Operations
6 days ago
Nottingham
Location: Nottingham, UK \n Remuneration: Competitive \n Start Date: Immediate \n Visa Sponsorship: Available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements. \n \n The Role \n We are seeking a highly practical, hands-on Chemical Engineer to operate, maintain, troubleshoot and continuously improve our CO₂ mineralisation pilot plant in Nottingham. \n 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. \n 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. \n Key Responsibilities \n\n • Operate the pilot plant safely and reliably on a day-to-day basis.\n, • Start up, run, monitor and shut down reactors, pumps, filtration systems, mixers and dryers.\n, • Prepare feedstocks and chemical solutions and manage material transfers.\n, • Monitor key process parameters including temperature, pressure, flow rate, pH and concentration.\n, • Carry out routine inspections, preventative maintenance and basic equipment repairs.\n, • Troubleshoot pumps, valves, filters, instrumentation and process-performance issues.\n, • Support installation, modification and commissioning of new equipment.\n, • Collect samples and record process conditions, yields, material consumption and equipment performance.\n, • Identify and implement improvements to reliability, throughput, yield and product consistency.\n, • Support the transition from batch toward more automated and continuous operation.\n, • Maintain operating procedures, maintenance schedules and plant documentation.\n, • Ensure the plant remains clean, organised and compliant with health and safety requirements.\n\n Essential Requirements \n\n • BSc or MSc in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering or a closely related discipline.\n, • Strong interest in hands-on plant operation and practical engineering.\n, • Good understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals and process operations.\n, • Comfortable working with pumps, reactors, tanks, pipework, filtration systems and other process equipment.\n, • Practical troubleshooting and problem-solving ability.\n, • Comfortable handling chemicals, powders and slurries in a pilot-plant environment.\n, • Willingness to carry out routine operation, cleaning and maintenance activities.\n, • Strong health and safety awareness.\n, • Ability to take ownership of day-to-day plant operation and technical problems.\n\n Desirable Experience \n\n • Experience operating a pilot plant, chemical plant or production facility.\n, • Hands-on experience with pumps, valves, reactors, pipework and instrumentation.\n, • Experience with filtration, filter presses, drying or solid-liquid separation.\n, • Basic mechanical maintenance or equipment-repair experience.\n, • Familiarity with PFDs, P&IDs, process instrumentation and data logging.\n, • Experience with precipitation, crystallisation, carbonation or mineral processing.\n, • Experience in a startup, scale-up or industrial R&D environment.\n, • Experience supporting commissioning or process improvement.\n\n What We Offer \n\n • A genuinely hands-on chemical engineering role operating and improving new industrial technology.\n, • Direct responsibility for an operating pilot plant.\n, • Experience with reactors, filtration, drying, pumps, instrumentation and process automation.\n, • Direct involvement in scaling technology from pilot to commercial operation.\n, • Close collaboration with chemists and senior engineers.\n, • Career progression toward Senior Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Production Engineer or Plant Manager.\n, • Visa sponsorship available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements.\n\n