Development Chemist - Tamworth - up to £40,000

Oakley Recruitment is working in partnership with an expanding organisation based in Tamworth. This is an excellent opportunity to join the team as a Development Chemist on a full-time permanent basis

Culture and Environment

Our client is a values-led organisation with a strong sense of identity and purpose at the heart of everything they do. Their core values are not just words on a page but are genuinely embedded into the day-to-day culture, guiding how the team works, collaborates, and supports one another.

Personality

The ideal candidate will be highly analytical with proven ability to discuss and resolve complex technical challenges in a fast-paced environment. You will work in conjunction with the Development Manager, to develop, optimize, and scale specialty chemical products and processes that meet defined performance, quality, and customer requirements. If you have a logical and investigative mind with a methodical/systematic approach to work and problem solving this could be the role for you!

Reward

• 5% Pension, Health care, Life Cover, Income Protection, Denplan – all available following successful completion of a 6-month probationary period

• 37.5 hours (8:30 – 17:00)

• Salary competitive basic salary plus quarterly and annual bonus

• Free use of our holiday homes in Tenerife, Padstow and St Ives with subsidised petrol/flight costs

• Charity events, match funding and volunteering opportunities

• Retail discounts and savings

• An extensive EAP suite to support health and financial well-being

Job Role:

• Supporting the development of new and existing products within the portfolio

• Contributing to innovation and continuous product optimisation initiatives

• Testing products, analysing results, supporting scale-up, and improving processes

• Liaising with cross-functional teams to implement technical solutions

• Maintaining accurate records and ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards

• Promoting a strong culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement

• Supporting investigations into product quality issues and providing analysis

• Assisting manufacturing and quality control teams to maintain consistent production quality

• Leading R&D and laboratory activities in the absence of the Development Manager

• Advising and supporting team members using technical expertise when required

• Collaborating with manufacturing, quality, regulatory, procurement, and commercial teams

• Providing technical support for customer enquiries, trials, and problem-solving

• Supporting customer visits, audits, and technical presentations

• Acting as a technical link between R&D and production teams

• Maintaining strong communication with the plant to resolve QC issues promptly

• Planning, organising, and overseeing production trials alongside the Development Manager

• Improving and modifying existing products and processes

• Implementing new or alternative raw materials

• Supporting plant trials and ensuring smooth handover of formulations to production

• Driving cost engineering initiatives while maintaining product quality and performance

• Keeping up to date with latest technologies and industry innovations

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with suppliers to support innovation and cost efficiency

• Maintaining laboratory records and data systems for assigned projects

• Continuously improving standard operating procedures within the work environment

• Investigating and testing new equipment

• Contributing to the creation and revision of technical documentation and product literature

• Liaising with technical, sales, and production teams

• Writing and reviewing technical papers, reports, and specifications

• Maintaining high standards of housekeeping across all work and storage areas

• Following all relevant management systems, procedures, and controls

Skills and experience

• 1-2 years lab experience preferred

• Educated to degree level within Chemistry or other relevant scientific discipline and/or significant experience of industry and products

• Proven technical leadership skills

• Experience using engineering/scientific/technical principles to develop or improve products and/or validate processes

• Effective communication

• Ability to write structured and concise reports

• Excellent IT skills, including window based software packages

Click here to apply

Please Note: We do not contact or write to unsuccessful candidates. If we have not contacted you within 48 hours of your application, you should presume that your application was unsuccessful. By applying for this vacancy, you are permitting for Oakley Recruitment to contact you and retain your details. In compliance with the regulations (April 2004) in place under the Employment Agencies Act, Oakley Recruitment will require proof of identification. A copy of your passport, birth certificate and NI number will be required, as part of your interview process.