Industrial Chemist

Job Description:

Technical Support Chemist

Are you a hands-on chemist with a passion for problem-solving and technical excellence? This role offers the opportunity to lead laboratory operations for a dynamic industrial solvents business, ensuring high-quality, safe, and compliant processes. You’ll be at the heart of technical decision-making, supporting customers, sales teams, and internal stakeholders with expert knowledge, while keeping the lab running efficiently and effectively.

Role Overview

As a Technical Support Chemist, you’ll spend approximately 90% of your time in the laboratory, managing quality control processes, conducting testing, and maintaining compliance with safety and environmental standards. The remaining 10% will involve travelling with the sales team to customer sites to provide technical support, troubleshooting, and product demonstrations. This role requires a full UK driving licence due to location and travel commitments.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee laboratory operations, ensuring all equipment is calibrated, maintained, and repaired promptly.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative testing of raw materials and products, liaising with accredited third-party labs where needed.
• Maintain and optimise laboratory quality standards, ensuring accurate, efficient, and compliant processes.
• Join the sales team on customer visits to provide on-site technical advice, troubleshooting, and support for product trials.
• Collaborate with technical and sales teams to provide expert guidance to customers and support product development projects.
• Diagnose and resolve technical and quality issues related to solvent production and application.
• Deliver training on safe handling, storage, and disposal of solvents.
• Stay informed on industry trends, technologies, and regulations affecting industrial solvents.
• Conduct internal ISO audits and support external compliance inspections.
• Generate lab performance metrics and reports to support business decisions.

Skills & Experience

Essential:

• Degree in chemistry or a related discipline ( or equivalent experience)
• Laboratory experience in an industrial quality control environment, ideally from the solvents sector, but applications are welcome from allied industries such as polymers, cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent organisational, communication, and teamwork abilities.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of regulations governing solvent use.
• Customer-facing experience and the ability to translate technical information for diverse audiences.

• Location: Rugby
• Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 per annum

Why Apply?

This is an excellent opportunity to combine your technical expertise with real-world problem-solving in a supportive and collaborative environment. You’ll have the autonomy to make meaningful contributions while working closely with customers and colleagues to deliver innovative and compliant solutions — both in the lab and out in the field.