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Chemical Process Engineer / Process Development Engineer – R&D to Production
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Working Hours: Days, with some shift cover required during plant trials
Contract: Permanent, full-time
The Opportunity
- Are you a Chemical Engineer with experience in process development, scale-up or industrial manufacturing?
- Are you interested in taking new and developing processes from laboratory and pilot-scale trials through to full-scale industrial production?
- We are recruiting on behalf of our client, a specialist manufacturing business, for a Chemical Process Engineer to play a key role in developing, scaling up and industrialising new manufacturing processes at its Ellesmere Port facility.
- This is an exciting opportunity to work at the interface between Research & Development and Production, translating technical developments into safe, reliable and commercially viable manufacturing processes.
- You will be involved in process development, pilot plant trials, production scale-up, commissioning and continuous improvement, working closely with R&D, Production, Engineering and Quality teams.
- With significant investment in new process capacity and the development of a 24/7 manufacturing operation, this position offers the opportunity to influence the introduction and optimisation of specialist industrial processes.
The Role
Reporting to the R&D Director – Manufacturing, you will take responsibility for progressing new and improved processes from research and development through to full-scale production.
You will ensure processes are properly designed, trialled, optimised and transferred into manufacturing, delivering safe, reliable and efficient production performance.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Leading and supporting the scale-up of chemical and metallurgical processes from laboratory and pilot plant trials into full-scale production.
- Working with specialist processes including molten salt electrolysis, reduction and alloying operations.
- Developing process designs, mass and energy balances, Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs) and operating parameters.
- Planning, coordinating and conducting plant trials, analysing results and recommending process improvements.
- Translating trial findings and technical developments into standard operating procedures (SOPs) and manufacturing instructions.
- Working closely with Production, Engineering and Quality teams to commission new equipment and successfully transfer processes into operational manufacturing.
- Identifying opportunities to improve production yield, product quality, energy efficiency and manufacturing costs.
- Leading or supporting HAZOP studies, process risk assessments and Management of Change (MOC) activities.
- Providing technical support and training to production operators and supervisors when introducing new or modified processes.
- Monitoring process performance and using production data to identify opportunities for ongoing optimisation.
About You
- You will be a qualified Chemical Engineer or similar engineering professional with experience in process development, process engineering or manufacturing scale-up.
- Ideally, you will have worked in a chemical, metals, materials or other process manufacturing environment, with experience taking processes from laboratory or pilot scale through to industrial production.
- You will be comfortable working across both technical development and operational manufacturing, combining engineering knowledge with practical problem-solving and data analysis.
Essential experience and qualifications:
- Degree in Chemical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
- Experience scaling up processes from laboratory or pilot plant environments into full-scale production.
- Background in chemical, metals, materials or other process-based manufacturing.
- Good understanding of process engineering principles, including process design and optimisation.
- Experience with mass and energy balances, process parameters and technical data analysis.
- Knowledge of process safety, including HAZOP studies, risk assessments and Management of Change.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.
Desirable experience:
- Experience with electrochemical processes, molten salt electrolysis, high-temperature processing or metallurgical operations.
- Exposure to reduction, alloying or specialist metal manufacturing processes.
- Experience commissioning new processes or equipment within a manufacturing environment.
- Chartered Engineer status through IChemE, or actively working towards professional registration.
- Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing or other continuous improvement training.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
- Join a specialist manufacturing business investing in new production capacity and advanced manufacturing processes.
- Work at the interface between R&D, process development and full-scale industrial production.
- Take ownership of bringing new technologies and processes into operational manufacturing.
- Gain exposure to specialist chemical, electrochemical and metallurgical processes.
- Work closely with multidisciplinary technical and operational teams.
- Play an important role in developing and optimising manufacturing capabilities within a growing business.
If you are a Chemical Engineer, Process Development Engineer or Process Engineer with experience in industrial scale-up and manufacturing, we would welcome your application.
Your CV will be forwarded to Jonathan Lee Recruitment, a leading engineering and manufacturing recruitment consultancy established in 1978. The services advertised by Jonathan Lee Recruitment are those of an Employment Agency.
In order for your CV to be processed effectively, please ensure your name, email address, phone number and location (post code OR town OR county, as a minimum) are included.
7219664 – Lee Elwell