Vacancies at Witton Chemical Company Ltd.

Polymer / Pilot Plant Process Chemist

Joining a the development team to scale up from the lab to our multi-purpose reactors and ancillary equipment.

Work will mainly involve new projects, but will also involve process improvements and trouble shooting of existing processes.

Principle Accountabilities

1. Laboratory synthesis of new products
2. Pilot plant manufacture of the same products operating pilot plant process equipment
3. Liaising with the QC team to ensure test methods are developed for new products and product quality is maintained during scale up.
4. To keep good contemporaneous process records of all work and later to prepare reports on that work.
5. Work with Procurement to identify/qualify sources of new raw materials
6. Adhere to company polices and Health and Safety and Environmental regulations/guidelines
7. Forklift Licence or the capacity to learn
8. This role is physically demanding requiring a certain amount of manual handling and the ability to carry/lift a variety of items
9. Facilitate process transfer ensuring successful product transition from lab to pilot plant and on to full scale manufacturing units. The latter will involve drafting process documentation and the training and assessment of process operators making the new products you have scaled up
10. Liaise with external customers and help to host site visits from them during trial manufacture
11. Provide support to the operations team to maintain ongoing product manufacture and contribute to quality improvement projects
12. Process improvement including waste minimisation and enhancement of process efficiency

Qualification and Experience

• Degree or higher in chemistry, materials or polymer science related field
• Hands on experience in organic or polymer synthesis in the lab and/or pilot plant scale
• Free radical polymerisation in solutions and/or emulsions
• Polyurethane synthesis
• Scale up of exothermic reactions and semi-batch processing
• Knowledge in key confidentiality concepts
• Experience with chemical hazards and how to safely work with hazardous materials
• Knowledge regarding the classification and labelling of chemicals including waste

Working  – 4 days Monday to Thursday – 8 hours – 9am until 5pm

Process Operator

The main role is to operate multi-purpose reactors and ancillary equipment used for batch chemical manufacture and achieve the required production output while maintaining agreed standards of safety, quality and yield.

Principle Accountabilities

1. Organise and carry out the manufacture of batches in accordance with the set written procedures.
2. Report to the Team Leader as appropriate to ensure that any changes to production requirements are implemented and that any plant delays or problems are communicated.
3. Organise and carry out the packing of non-bulk powders in accordance with the set procedures, in order to maintain Production requirements.
4. Organise and carry out the packing of liquids to kegs, drums and IBC’s in accordance with the set procedures, in order to maintain Production requirements.
5. Organise and carry out the acceptance and transfer from road tanker to storage vessel of liquid raw materials delivered in bulk in accordance with the set procedures.
6. Organise and carry out the release and transfer of bulk finished product or waste from storage vessel to bulk road tanker in accordance with the set procedures.
7. Liaison with the Team Leader to ensure that the fork lift truck requirements of the plant are met, i.e. to ensure that the Raw Materials / Intermediates required are available on the plant and that Finished Products are promptly transferred to the designated storage areas.
8. Ensure that good standards of housekeeping on the Site are adhered to at all times
9. Liaison with Production Management and Engineering to ensure that any equipment breakdowns are reported and rectified as rapidly as possible.
10. Ensure that all paperwork associated with manufacture and packing of batches is completed correctly according to Company procedures.
11. Ensure that all labelling requirements associated with manufacture and packing of batches is completed according to Company requirements.

Qualification and Experience

• Must be literate, numerate, able to communicate clearly and follow both verbal and written instructions accurately and consistently.
• A formal qualification in science (preferably chemistry), such as a GCSE, A Level, HND or BSc would be an advantage, although experience in a relevant manufacturing industry is fully acceptable. Full training will be given to all successful candidates.
• Preferably some experience of the operational requirements of a manufacturing environment, or an ability to demonstrate a sound understanding of the key issues.
• Preferably some knowledge of COSHH and the Health & Safety at Work Act.
• Ability to operate, or be trained to operate a counterbalance forklift truck.

Working Pattern — 12 hours shifts — rotating pattern of one week of 4 days (Monday to Thursday) followed by one week of 3 nights (Monday to Wednesday)

Salary — Process Operator salary bands start at 20,000 for Grade 1 rising to 36,000 for Grade 4.

Electrical Engineer

Joining a team of skilled Engineers maintaining multi-purpose reactors and ancillary equipment used for chemical manufacture.

Work will be a mixture of new projects, improvements and general maintenance of existing equipment, plus scheduled checks/preventative maintenance including Atex inspections.

Principle Accountabilities

Qualification and Experience

• Must be literate, numerate, able to communicate clearly and follow both verbal and written instructions accurately and consistently.
• A formal qualification in Electrical Engineering NVQ or HNC.
• Ideal candidates will have experience within a DSEAR environment and/or Atex equipment would be an advantage. Additional training will be given to the successful candidate if required.
• 18th edition wiring regulations (training will be given if required)
• Instrument setting, fault finding – level radar, pressure transducers, thermocouples etc. (training will be given if required)
• Installation and commissioning of variable speed drives (training will be given if required)

Working  – 4 days Monday to Thursday – 10 hours – 6.45am until 16.45pm