Advanced Skills Operator (ASO)

Hollybank Trustees Ltd; Crumlin; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Hollybank Trustees Ltd seeks an experienced Advanced Skills Operator to lead and expert for special surface treatments in the aerospace manufacturing environment. You will ensure robust process control, regulatory and customer compliance, and drive continuous improvement across plating, anodising and related processes.

The role requires strong problem-solving, leadership and coaching abilities, with a focus on safe, capable and sustainable treatment operations.

Qualifications

• HNC/HND or NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Surface Engineering or related discipline.
• Professional membership of the Institute of Materials Finishing.
• Relevant specialist qualifications in surface treatments, process controls or NDT desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for plating, anodising, chemical conversion, surface preparation and associated special processes.
• Own and maintain process standards, operating parameters, technical instructions and control plans for treatments processes.
• Provide expert support for hard chrome plating, sulphuric and hard anodising, and alternative anodising processes including TSA and BSAA.
• Provide technical support for electroless nickel, phosphating, pickling, passivation, cadmium plating and zinc nickel alternative processes.
• Ensure effective laboratory process control, including solution analysis, chemistry control, trend monitoring and corrective action.
• Lead technical troubleshooting and investigations into non-routine process occurrences, defects and treatment failures.
• Lead or support structured 3C and 8D problem-solving investigations, ensuring root causes and sustainable corrective actions are identified.
• Ensure compliance with customer specifications, aerospace chemical-processing requirements, internal quality systems and NADCAP requirements.
• Monitor REACH authorisations, restrictions and SVHC developments, assess business impact and develop plans to remain compliant beyond relevant sunset dates.
• Provide technical leadership and expert guidance in the assessment and control of chemical hazards, including the review and approval of risk assessments, COSHH assessments and MSDS/SDS, ensuring compliance with HSE, environmental and customer requirements.
• Provide technical oversight of effluent-treatment processes, including closed-loop and batch-treatment systems.
• Lead improvement projects and new product introduction activity relating to treatments and surface finishing.
• Support the qualification, validation and industrialisation of new or alternative treatment processes, equipment and materials.
• Provide expertise in primary surface preparation, including abrasive cleaning and vibratory rumble finishing.
• Work closely with Engineering, Operations, Quality, HSE, Laboratory and Supply Chain teams to resolve issues and improve process capability.
• Train, coach and mentor employees in treatment-process controls, technical standards and good practice.
• Maintain current technical knowledge and provide clear advice on emerging technologies, environmental requirements and industry developments.

Skills

Technical leadership

Process control

Root cause analysis

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Coaching & mentoring

NADCAP knowledge

Education

HNC/HND or NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

Institute of Materials Finishing membership

Specialist surface treatments qualifications desirable

Job description

The Advanced Skills Operator will provide technical leadership and subject matter expertise for special processes and surface treatments. The role will ensure robust process control, regulatory and customer compliance, effective problem solving, and the introduction and continuous improvement of safe, capable and sustainable treatment processes within the aerospace manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for plating, anodising, chemical conversion, surface preparation and associated special processes.
• Own and maintain process standards, operating parameters, technical instructions and control plans for treatments processes.
• Provide expert support for hard chrome plating, sulphuric and hard anodising, and alternative anodising processes including tartaric sulphuric acid anodising (TSA) and boric sulphuric acid anodising (BSAA).
• Provide technical support for electroless nickel, phosphating, pickling, passivation, cadmium plating and zinc nickel alternative processes.
• Ensure effective laboratory process control, including solution analysis, chemistry control, trend monitoring and corrective action.
• Lead technical troubleshooting and investigations into non-routine process occurrences, defects and treatment failures.
• Lead or support structured 3C and 8D problem-solving investigations, ensuring root causes and sustainable corrective actions are identified.
• Ensure compliance with customer specifications, aerospace chemical-processing requirements, internal quality systems and NADCAP requirements.
• Monitor REACH authorisations, restrictions and SVHC developments, assess business impact and develop plans to remain compliant beyond relevant sunset dates.
• Provide technical leadership and expert guidance in the assessment and control of chemical hazards, including the review and approval of risk assessments, COSHH assessments and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS/SDS), ensuring compliance with HSE, environmental and customer requirements.
• Provide technical oversight of effluent-treatment processes, including closed-loop and batch-treatment systems.
• Lead improvement projects and new product introduction activity relating to treatments and surface finishing.
• Support the qualification, validation and industrialisation of new or alternative treatment processes, equipment and materials.
• Provide expertise in primary surface preparation, including abrasive cleaning and vibratory rumble finishing.
• Work closely with Engineering, Operations, Quality, HSE, Laboratory and Supply Chain teams to resolve issues and improve process capability.
• Train, coach and mentor employees in treatment-process controls, technical standards and good practice.
• Maintain current technical knowledge and provide clear advice on emerging technologies, environmental requirements and industry developments.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• HNC/HND, NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification in Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Surface Engineering or a related discipline.
• Professional membership of the Institute of Materials Finishing
• Relevant specialist qualifications in surface treatments, process controls or non-destructive testing desirable.

Experience

• Proven experience leading a technical or operational team within the last five years.
• Significant experience in a chemical treatments, plating or aerospace finishing environment.
• Experience of process control, technical problem solving and continuous improvement activities.
• Experience of coaching, mentoring and developing employees.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong knowledge of chemical treatment processes including plating, anodising, passivation and surface preparation.
• Good understanding of aerospace customer specifications, NADCAP requirements and regulatory compliance.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including root cause analysis and structured corrective action methodologies.
• Ability to analyse process data and provide technical leadership across multiple disciplines.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management skills.