20th October: BP Jobs Special – Part 1

At a time when whole sectors are downsizing their R&D departments, it was a genuine pleasure to find BP actively recruiting chemists. With a number of sites in the UK, including a global centre for Research and Technology in Hull; the Castrol Technology centre in Pangbourne; and the Sunbury Business Park; there are also smaller sites around the country, in Scotland and off-shore.

Their careers site currently has over 300 positions advertised in the UK, with a significant number in the Engineering, Research & Technology and Health & Safety divisions. Here are the chemistry highlights:

View details 26421BR - Placement Student - Analytical Laboratory (Pangbourne)
12-month industrial placement, starting 1^st Aug 2012. Testing of new and used lubricants in the Wet Chemistry and Microanalysis section.

View details 26584BR - Senior Lubricant Development Technologist - Marine (Pangbourne)
Deliver new technology/products in the Marine Engine Lubricants area. Manage and co-ordinate projects. Experience: Lubricant development/testing/product research.

View details 25811BR - Biobutanol Demonstration Shift Plant Research Technician (Hull)
Provide operation of the biobutanol pilot plant and lab operations, and input to process development. Experience: HNC.

View details 25409BR - Chemist (Hull)
Identify, evaluate and early development of new technologies for the thermocatalytic conversion of unconventional feedstocks. Working in the New Processes and Feedstocks team within the Conversion Technology Centre. Experience: Degree/PhD, experience of catalytic process technology R&D.

View details 25457BR - Research Technician (Hull)
Working in the same team as the Chemist role, design, build and operate research-scale equipment to support the projects. Experience: HNC, lab experience.

View details 24678BR - Senior Development Technologist - Fuels Development (Pangbourne)
Manage portfolio of development projects in fuels product development, and interact extensively with stakeholders. Experience: HNC/degree, planning and executing project.

View details 27028BR - Team Leader – Research and Technology, Fuels and Lubricants (Pangbourne)
Lead and manage an R&T team with $4m budget to deliver portfolio of projects.

More BP jobs coming up...

Welcome back!

And so, as the central heating gets turned on and the morning commute gets darker and darker, the British summer draws to an end. With no prospect of sitting in a beer garden for at least 6 months, LabMonkey is dusting of the keyboard and contemplating the autumnal chemistry job market.

There’ll be a return to weekly job updates – sifting through the jobsite listings to unearth the rewarding, interesting or unusual; market analysis (What Do Graduates Do 2011 is published next month); and other job-related news as it happens.

You can follow @labmonkey4hire on Twitter for update alerts, or contact me via email (over in the top-right of the page) with your news, comments or suggestions.

Now let’s see if all those jobsite bookmarks still work....

30th June: Job Roll – Inorganic, Waste & Contracts

For those that don’t fancy a career in organic chemistry...

A synthetic and materials chemist is sought to carry out R&D focusing on cadmium-free quantum dots, for a nanomaterials company in the North West. Experience in the synthesis of nanomaterials and colloid chemistry desired.

In what can only be the same company, a vacancy is also advertised for a nanomaterials surface chemist, to develop formulations of colloidal systems and nanomaterials. Strengths must be demonstrated in polymer science and experience in colloid/emulsion formation.

Two waste management companies require chemists with experience in the industry. One is in Staffordshire, looking for a field-based chemist to work on the storage and treatment of wastes (£26-28k). The other is in Norfolk, seeking a chemist to assess hazardous waste and prepare consignment notes (£20-30k).

A 6-month contract is available for a shift chemist/analytical chemist to do sample prep/analysis at a manufacturing company in Dartford. Atomic Absorption ICP experience required. £30k.

Finally...

A 3-month contract is offered in Wales by a chemical contract manufacturer for a process chemist to carry out process development for active pharmaceutical ingredients and fine chemicals.

A near-identical advert – also from Reed Scientific - promises a 3-month contract in the North East for an organic chemist.

29th June: Job Roll – Project managers

A handful of roles for the more experienced chemist...

A Wiltshire-based pharmaceutical manufacturer is seeking a project manager to work in Development Services. Would suit an existing pharma project leader with experience in product development/project management. £38-42k.

A speciality chemicals manufacturer in Yorkshire is advertising three positions to work in polymers/acrylates. The first two - R&D chemist and R&D senior chemist - will carry out process development, research and development of new polymers, and process transfer to manufacturing. Knowledge of polymers/acrylates desirable, and ability to travel required. £20-33k. A research project leader will also lead a small team, provide technical guidance and carry out experimental work. Experience running projects and examples of leadership/management required.£35-40k.

An Oxfordshire-based materials technology company requires a project manager (chemist) to lead a small technical group. Knowledge of solid-phase, catalysts, ion-exchange and absorbents advantageous, as is an appreciation of chemical process engineering.

27th June: Job Roll of the Intriguing

Toy tester: You don’t see one for ages (ever?), and suddenly two come along in the same month. Chemist with experience in ICP-MS, ICP-OES and GC-MS needed in West Yorkshire. £20-30k.

Oral care: Development chemist for Wisdom Toothbrushes near Cambridge. Everything from new concept generation through to formulation and scale-up to manufacturing. Experience is only advantageous, so worth a speculative CV.

Water-testing: An environmental chemist is sought in Kent. For your “several years of experience” in waste water analysis, degree, and “very good laboratory experience”, you shall be handsomely rewarded with “19-22k” of an unspecified currency – hopefully one worth more than that value in UK Sterling.

I’ll take the Mystery Box... Four data support administrators are required in Surrey to process and evaluate data from engines; and to produce and report trends. Formal qualifications are desired for this mystery job, and salary is negotiable. Lab Monkey’s curiosity has been piqued, and a phone call to the agency will be made shortly...