R&D Laboratory Apprentice

We are Reckitt, home to the world’s best loved and trusted hygiene, health, and nutrition brands. Our purpose defines why we exist: to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We are a global team united by this purpose.

In Research and Development, we’re full of highly skilled talents that include Scientists, Engineers, Medical, Clinical and Regulatory professionals - all working to create a cleaner, healthier world. With nine Centres of Excellence, we continually seek out new opportunities by using science, our entrepreneurial flare and our fearless innovation to develop and enhance our existing portfolio, never compromising on quality or performance.

We do the right thing, always, by ensuring we act with responsibility and integrity, by complying with regulatory legislation across the globe, whilst ensuring our products are safe for our consumers and are to the highest quality.

The size of our organisation means you'll have the opportunity to learn and work in different functions within R&D, giving you exposure to different disciplines, teams and environments. You will also have access to our Research and Development Academy, designed to develop our team and allow you to grow in our great organisation.

Join us as a Laboratory Apprentice within Research & Development (R&D) and gain a unique insight into the workings of an FMCG company. The 5‑year apprentice programme will provide you with an opportunity to gain experience across a wide range of R&D roles across multiple teams.

Focusing on our Health & Wellness R&D laboratory facilities, as an Apprentice you will provide essential preventative and reactive equipment maintenance as well as ongoing training for laboratory staff. Working at Reckitt’s state of the art £100m Science and Innovation Centre, the Apprentice Programme will give you a fantastic foundation of knowledge of Reckitt and a unique insight into the workings of a global FMCG company.

There are lots of opportunities to get stuck into different projects. You can expect hands on responsibility from day one working alongside highly experienced and knowledgeable industry experts, who will help you develop a whole range of new skills.

Alongside your day‑to‑day role you will also complete your apprenticeship qualification via distance learning at Kent University. This will build your theoretical knowledge and enable you to apply your learning into your role. At the end of the 5‑year programme you will be awarded a BSc in Applied Chemical Sciences.

Start Date: Early September 2026

Application closing date: 4th February 2026

Responsibilities:

• Your 5‑year apprenticeship will be based within the Research & Development function, primarily working on our Health brands.
• You will undertake a 2‑year placement initially, then rotate into different R&D teams in years 3 and 4; completing a total of 3 different rotations across R&D.
• Completing and taking ownership of laboratory tasks day to day.
• Supporting and then leading projects at various stages of the product lifecycle.
• Working closely with other Apprentices across different years on projects.

Qualifications:

• 5 GCSE passes (or equivalent), including English Language and Mathematics at Grade 4 or above.
• At least 2 subjects at A-Level (or equivalent) including Chemistry. Predicted A-Level (or equivalent) grades are suitable for the initial recruitment process.

Skills for Success:

• R&D, Product Lifecycle Management, Commercial Awareness, Business Partnership, Collaboration, Partnership building, Ability to challenge the status quo, Propose improvement, Accountability, Adaptability, Analytical, Formulation, Science, Chemistry.

Benefits:

With inclusion at the heart of everything we do, working alongside our four global Employee Resource Groups, we support our people at every step of their career journey, helping them to succeed in their own individual way. We invest in the wellbeing of our people through parental benefits, an Employee Assistance Program to promote mental health, and life insurance for all employees globally. We have a range of other benefits in line with the local market. Through our global share plans we offer the opportunity to save and share in Reckitt's potential future successes. For eligible roles, we also offer short‑term incentives to recognise, appreciate and reward your work for delivering outstanding results.

Equality: We recognise that in real life, great people don’t always 'tick all the boxes'. That’s why we hire for potential as well as experience. Even if you don’t meet every point on the job description, if this role and our company feels like a good fit for you, we still want to hear from you. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, disability or medical condition; colour, ethnicity, race, citizenship, religion, faith; pregnancy, family status and caring responsibilities; sexual orientation; sex, gender identity, gender expression, and transgender identity; protected veteran status; size or any other basis protected by appropriate law.