Chemical Engineer – Pilot Plant Operations in Derby

Location: Nottingham, UK

Remuneration : Competitive

Start Date : Immediate

Visa Sponsorship: Available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements.

The Role

We are seeking a highly practical, hands-on Chemical Engineer to operate, maintain, troubleshoot and continuously improve our CO₂ mineralisation pilot plant in Nottingham.

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.

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.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate the pilot plant safely and reliably on a day-to-day basis.
• Start up, run, monitor and shut down reactors, pumps, filtration systems, mixers and dryers.
• Prepare feedstocks and chemical solutions and manage material transfers.
• Monitor key process parameters including temperature, pressure, flow rate, pH and concentration.
• Carry out routine inspections, preventative maintenance and basic equipment repairs.
• Troubleshoot pumps, valves, filters, instrumentation and process-performance issues.
• Support installation, modification and commissioning of new equipment.
• Collect samples and record process conditions, yields, material consumption and equipment performance.
• Identify and implement improvements to reliability, throughput, yield and product consistency.
• Support the transition from batch toward more automated and continuous operation.
• Maintain operating procedures, maintenance schedules and plant documentation.
• Ensure the plant remains clean, organised and compliant with health and safety requirements.

Essential Requirements

• BSc or MSc in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Strong interest in hands-on plant operation and practical engineering.
• Good understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals and process operations.
• Comfortable working with pumps, reactors, tanks, pipework, filtration systems and other process equipment.
• Practical troubleshooting and problem-solving ability.
• Comfortable handling chemicals, powders and slurries in a pilot-plant environment.
• Willingness to carry out routine operation, cleaning and maintenance activities.
• Strong health and safety awareness.
• Ability to take ownership of day-to-day plant operation and technical problems.

Desirable Experience

• Experience operating a pilot plant, chemical plant or production facility.
• Hands-on experience with pumps, valves, reactors, pipework and instrumentation.
• Experience with filtration, filter presses, drying or solid-liquid separation.
• Basic mechanical maintenance or equipment-repair experience.
• Familiarity with PFDs, P&IDs, process instrumentation and data logging.
• Experience with precipitation, crystallisation, carbonation or mineral processing.
• Experience in a startup, scale-up or industrial R&D environment.
• Experience supporting commissioning or process improvement.

What We Offer

• A genuinely hands-on chemical engineering role operating and improving new industrial technology.
• Direct responsibility for an operating pilot plant.
• Experience with reactors, filtration, drying, pumps, instrumentation and process automation.
• Direct involvement in scaling technology from pilot to commercial operation.
• Close collaboration with chemists and senior engineers.
• Career progression toward Senior Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Production Engineer or Plant Manager.
• Visa sponsorship available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements.