24th May: Job roll for project leaders and specialists

A UK-based consortium developing 3D fragment libraries for the next generation of fragment-based drug discovery is looking for a project manager. This initial 2-year post would suit a medicinal chemist with PhD, expertise in drug discovery and strong leadership skills. Responsibilities will include strategy development, networking, logistics, acquiring funding, and will require frequent UK travel. The EPSRC grant proposal can be found here for more information.

Software engineering and consulting firm Tessella are advertising a number of vacancies this month. In Abingdon, Burton and Warrington: project managers with consultancy skills who will work with customers to identify and develop software solutions; and line manage technical staff. Experience of software development and project managements required - £40-55k. In Burton, Stevenage and Warrington: business analysts with a scientific background and preferably a good understanding of IT/software development to evaluate business solutions for customers.

Sigma Aldrich are looking for an experienced process R&D manager to head up their PR&D group in Dorset. Technically overseeing all projects, evaluating customer enquiries and ensuring delivery of projects, significant experience in all aspects of development from route identification to transfer to manufacturing is required.

Finally, a couple of specialist roles:

5 years experience working with flooring products in the adhesive/polymer industry? Development chemist/ section leader in Staffordshire - £26-28k.

PhD in quantum chemistry? 10-month contract for a quantum chemist in Cambridge up for grabs.

23rd May: Job roll for materials scientists and analysts

LabMonkey has heard that a technical and consulting firm to the packaging supply chain is recruiting for an analytical chemist to be based in Leatherhead, Surrey. The role will involve trace organic analysis to support migration/chemical/extractable studies. Experience in an analytical lab using GC, GCMS, HPLC, FTIR, LCMS and doing method development is desirable. £23-32k.

Lancaster Laboratories is offering £27-32k for an analyst in Merseyside to carry out method development/validation for API and drug products and structural elucidation. Degree and several years experience - including GMP and using HPLC, UPLC, MS and NMR- and excellent understanding of reaction mechanisms required.

A Cheshire-based brewery and bottling company is seeking a lab technician to work in QC using techniques such as spectrophotometry, titration and turbidity. Will also include some QA such as auditing. While the role is temporary – 3 months, potential to extend – with flexible and long shifts – up to 12h – this may be an opportunity to gain some experience.

A chemist (min 2:1 degree) with lab experience is required to work “in UK/Overseas clients on an in situ basis”, based in Manchester. HPLC, formulation, application testing and method development skills will be required, as will the flexibility to travel for up to 3 weeks at a time at short notice. £20-26k is the remuneration.

A manufacturer of composites for the aerospace and wind energy markets is seeking a materials scientist to work in Cambridgeshire to test the physical and mechanical properties of materials. A degree, understanding of composite materials and experience in mechanical testing is required.

Silberline Ltd is looking for a Masters/PhD-qualified chemist/material scientist to work at their Leven, Scotland R&D site as a research scientist. The role at this supplier of special effects, aluminium and performance pigments will involve taking on responsibility for projects developing technologies and products. Experience in one/some of the following would be desirable: surface chem.; sol-gel chem.; polymer chem.; surface/bulk analysis; synthesis of functional adducts.

Finally, A chemical provider in Dorset requires a senior process chemist with a PhD in inorganic chemistry or similar, experience in process development and GMP/GLP, and demonstrated leadership skills. £30-33k.

Next....project managers

22nd May: Job roll for organic and process chemists

After a few weeks of neglect due to travel, the cobwebs have again been dusted off the LabMonkey keyboard. It appears that during this time the demand for chemists in the UK has soared, and this post is the first of three covering the backlog, with a focus on organic and process chemists.

LM has learned that Argenta Discovery have a number of permanent and temporary roles available for medicinal and synthetic chemists at their Harlow site. Working in contract drug discovery on a range of programs, 3 years of relevant industrial experience are required for these positions. This one came in through the personal network, but if any readers are aware of positions at their company that aren’t widely advertised, please feel free to drop me an email. Back to the jobs boards...

An opportunity to move to beautiful Buxton in Derbyshire exists for one lucky process development engineer/chemist. A manufacturer of specialist materials is offering a role involving new product introduction, assisting materials scientist in scale-up development, and the development of manufacturing technologies and processes. Experience in materials science, metallurgy, composites or polymer/resin chemistry preferred. A tidy package at £35-38k + benefits.

A small, new, R&D team in a family-owned company based in Paddock Wood, Kent is looking for a development chemist to plan, design and execute R&D projects. Experience in the flavours/fragrance sector advantageous – which will surely only add to the pleasure of working this close to the Hop Farm Country Park. GC & GCMS skills required. £20-25k.

Life sciences start-up Sesmos in Edinburgh is looking for an organic chemist to work on an exciting project in the field of miniaturised screening and biosensor chip technologies. The role will involve developing combinatorial one-bead one-compound library synthesis and technology and supporting business development activities. Experience with solid-phase chemistry, labelling/tagging/linker chemistry, fluorescence based technology and knowledge of ligand binding required. Excellent opportunity to get in early with a start-up company and reap the potential rewards.

Chemtura – a speciality chemicals company – is recruiting 3 PhD organic chemists to carry out complex chemical experimentation to build IP for the company. Experience with alkylation chemistry, fixed bed reactors, continuous process and hydrogenation are essential. Location not specified, but their website suggests they have 5 locations across the UK.

In Greater Manchester, a manufacturing company in the healthcare sector is looking for a PhD qualified chemist to carry out technical support and troubleshooting of chemistry processes. £25-35k.

Coming up... jobs for materials scientists, analysts, project managers and more

Focus on: Desk jobs

Putting those chemistry skills to use, away from the fumehood.

A senior chemist is required at a manufacturing site in the South West to take responsibility for MSDS provision and ensure company compliance with REACH, CHIP and COSHH legislation. Degree, MSDS and database management experience required; REACH experience preferable. £28-30k.

Alfa Aesar are offering a position as a technical services specialist in the North West. This will involve creating technical specs for products, assigning hazards, collecting additional data and updating the company database – including assisting in the production of the Alfa Aesar catalogue and technical notes. Chemistry degree with 2 years similar experience, PhD preferred.

The NCEC (National Chemical Emergency Centre) is looking for a chemical emergency responder in Oxfordshire. This will be a rotating shift role to provide 24/7 phone-based emergency response information in response to incidents. There will also be the opportunity for technical consultancy, project management and software development. Requires excellent verbal skills, initiative and ability to work under pressure. Degree, knowledge of chemical safety legislation, DSGA qualification and experience of customer relations preferable.

The NCEC is part of the AEA Group, and on the parent website a couple of additional positions are advertised: A chemical emergency support responder, who will update and author MSDSs and provide back-up duties to the previous role; and a chemical risk consultant, to project manage and create opportunities for training, regulatory advice and consulting. Relevant experience for both is required.

Finally, the RSC is recruiting an accreditation specialist to be based in Cambridge with UK and international travel. The successful applicant will develop accreditation processes and procedures, work with universities to set standards for degree provision, and engage employers with RSC training programmes. First degree (higher degree preferred), some postgraduate employment and an understanding of the market for degree courses and professional development programmes is essential. An overall understanding of chemist employers, education and training systems, and a willingness to network would be advantageous. £30-33k. Closes 9^th May.

Midweek Job Roll: 4th May

A week of glorious sun and bank holidays have taken their toll on the number of jobs advertised in the last fortnight. Nevertheless, here are some highlights from the world of clays and minerals:

Imerys – a world leader in speciality industrial minerals – are advertising 6 (SIX!) vacancies in the Pigments for Paper division based in Cornwall. These include:

a trainee application specialist (BSc or BEng) to assume responsibility to lead, design, undertake, evaluate and report application projects for internal and external customers;

a junior process engineer (Engineering graduate with industrial experience) to support the Group Leader in leading process dev and operations. The first 2 years will be spent on secondment in France, global travel required and additional languages are desirable;

two research scientists (BSc in chemistry/materials science or BEng, MSc or PhD, preferably experience with minerals, fibres and fine particles) to develop new mineral products;

a research process engineer(BEng, MSc or PhD, 2 years’ experience in research process dev - preferably with minerals, fibres and fine particles) to carry out process development for the manufacture of new mineral products to production scale; and

a senior process engineer (BEng with process dev experience - preferably with minerals, etc, etc) to implement the process designs to manufacture new mineral products. Also requires experience in developing P&IDs and FDS documents, eqpt selection, plant commissioning and industrial project management.

More details on the company and the positions above can be found at their website. And if the prospect of living the dream life in Cornwall isn’t enough, the St Austell brewery is just down the road.

Rockwood Additives – a producer of clay products in the North West – is looking for a development chemist, preferably with experience in surface/colloid chemistry and rheology. The role will involve new product and application development of inorganic materials, technical support to plant and customer service. £24-31k.