Laboratory Quality Technician in Grangemouth

The Laboratory Quality Technician is responsible for planning and carrying out all laboratory analytical and routine activities, supporting the laboratory team, production and commercial teams by preparing blend samples and providing expertise on liquid and blend continuity.

The role is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all laboratory and spirit testing equipment used within the production areas and coordinating routine quality and sampling on various instruments (gas chromatography machine, alcolyser, pH and colour meters, etc).

A major responsibility within this role is processing and preparing liquid sample requests for the blending and marketing teams of new blends, dummy liquid for display purposes as well as processing small batches of liquid for production use (i.e. rare whiskies).

Key responsibilities include:

• Running routine quality samples on gas chromatography (GC) instrument for monitoring of blend continuity through established congeners (higher alcohols analysis, esters, aldehydes, acetate, etc).
• Ensuring any new blends have had GC analysis carried out and available for issuing certificates of analysis.
• Responsible for the daily running, maintenance and upkeep of the GC instrument and other non-routine analysis such as strength testing and distillation for aged whisky and other spirit types.
• Organising instrument maintenance and calibration for all spirit testing equipment on the production sites.
• Running the Alcoholic Drinks Proficiency Testing scheme (DAPS) that ensures that all analysis falls within the expected parameters for reporting in certificates.
• Conducting the analysis, collating results from the laboratory and reporting these online to DAPS.
• Reporting and discussing the DAPS results with the Quality and Compliance Manager.
• Maintaining spirit laboratory methods (SOPs) and risk assessments.
• Continuing to build method development, calibration of instruments, method validation.
• Supporting other laboratory QA roles and tasks, particularly in the Production Laboratory, when cover and assistance is required.
• Ensuring general laboratory housekeeping including consumables stock control.
• Maintaining the laboratory analytical database and the laboratory spirit sample library under Custom and Excise guidelines with appropriate paperwork for these samples.

Skills and experience that will help you be a success:

• Significant hands-on experience working in a laboratory environment, ideally as an analytical or quality technician within the drinks, pharmaceutical, chemical, or wider scientific sectors.
• Practical experience operating Gas Chromatography (GC) equipment — including sample preparation, running routine analyses, data handling, troubleshooting, and interpreting results - Desirable.
• A solid chemistry background (degree, HNC/HND, or equivalent industry experience). Distilling, spirits analysis or similar product-based chemistry experience would be advantageous.
• Demonstrable experience of preparing procedures, instructions, or laboratory methods.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage routine testing, maintain equipment, and ensure regulatory compliance (SOPs, calibration, DAPS participation, etc.).
• Confidence working with analytical instruments such as alcolysers, pH/colour meters, and other spirit testing equipment.
• Good communication skills.

We believe that everyone has the potential for growth in our roles! You may feel you don’t tick every box for this role, but if you believe you have relevant experiences that could help you succeed we’d much rather you apply rather than rule yourself out based on any self-limiting beliefs.

We offer a competitive salary, bonus package, life assurance, competitive pension, excellent product allowance, 35 days annual leave, plus enhanced family friendly policies.

If you like what you’ve read and want to explore this opportunity further, please apply before the closing date listed at the top of the advert.