Analytical Chemist (GC-MS)

NSF; Blackwood; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health cover

Company sick pay

Income protection

Employee Assistance Programme

Mental Wellness Day

Volunteering day

Flexible start times

Professional development

Job summary

NSF's Oakdale site in the UK hosts a leading water fittings and materials testing laboratory. We are seeking an Analytical Chemist to apply expertise across varied testing projects that ensure materials used in drinking water are safe.

The role blends hands-on lab work, method development, client support, and ISO/IEC 17025 compliance. The successful candidate will be a confident GC-MS user, with relevant regulated-lab experience, and excellent communication skills to liaise with clients and

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemistry or related field; strong practical experience
• GC-MS knowledge including unknowns screening and targeted analysis
• Experience in ISO 17025 laboratory environments
• Ability to interpret mass spectra and troubleshoot methods

Responsibilities

• Carry out analytical testing across a wide range of methods
• Oversee leaching studies on materials in contact with drinking water
• Develop and optimise test methods and support accreditation
• Interface with clients, guiding testing projects and resolving queries
• Evaluate data, author reports, and produce technical documentation
• Prepare samples, operate instruments, and perform maintenance
• Support KPI generation, quality systems, and workflow improvements
• Collaborate with teams to plan testing activities and risk assessments

Skills

Analytical chemistry

Communication skills

Troubleshooting

Regulatory awareness

Education

Degree in Chemistry or related field

ISO 17025 laboratory experience (preferred)

Tools

GC-MS

Mass spectral interpretation

Job description

Job Description

Are you a skilled analytical chemist who thrives in a hands‑on laboratory environment? Do you want your work to help ensure the safety and quality of materials and products used across the UK’s water supply network? NSF's Oakdale site is home to the UK's largest independent water fittings and materials testing laboratory, where we assess a wide range of products that come into contact with drinking water. We are looking for an Analytical Chemist to join our analytical testing team, applying scientific expertise across a range of testing projects that help ensure materials used within the drinking water supply network are safe for use. The role offers a blend of hands‑on laboratory work, method development, technical problem solving and client‑facing project support. The ideal candidate will be a confident GC-MS user, preferably with experience gained within a regulated laboratory environment. Working closely with colleagues across the laboratory, technical review and account management teams, you'll support the delivery of high‑quality testing services, maintain ISO/IEC 17025 compliance and provide technical support to clients throughout the testing process.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive Benefits: Health cover, company sick pay, income protection
• Wellbeing Support: Access to our Employee Assistance Programme and an annual paid Mental Wellness Day
• Volunteering Time: A paid volunteering day each year to support causes you care about
• Flexi‑time policy: Opportunities for flexible start and finish times to support work‑life balance, in line with business needs
• Professional Development: Grow your technical skills through exposure to a wide range of analytical methods, instrumentation, quality processes and laboratory systems

Responsibilities

Including, but not limited to:

• Carry out analytical testing activities across a wide range of test methods used within the lab
• Oversee Regulation 31 leaching studies on materials and products intended to come into contact with drinking water
• Develop and optimise test methods while supporting laboratory accreditation requirements
• Act as a liaison between the laboratory and commercial clients, providing technical guidance, managing testing projects and resolving technical queries
• Evaluate and assess analytical data and authorise technical reports
• Perform sample extraction, preparation and instrument operation, including maintenance and troubleshooting
• Review analytical data, compile reports for external clients, and respond to technical enquiries
• Support monthly forecasting, AQC checks, KPI generation and quality system compliance
• Work closely with Account Management, Technical Review and laboratory colleagues to plan and prioritise testing activities
• Contribute to continuous improvement and identify opportunities to optimise workflow efficiency
• Ensure risk assessments and safe working procedures are up to date and adhered to

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Chemistry or a related scientific field, or strong equivalent practical experience
• Experience with GC-MS including full‑scan screening for unknown compounds and targeted quantitative analysis of organic compounds
• Ability to identify unknown compounds and interpret mass spectral data
• Experience in method development, optimisation, validation and troubleshooting
• Experience working in an ISO 17025 laboratory environment
• Strong understanding of relevant technical and regulatory requirements
• Strong troubleshooting skills and experience maintaining analytical instrumentation
• Confident communicating with customers, laboratory staff and leaders to accurately define requirements and determine laboratory capabilities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Prior experience within water testing, materials testing or another regulated industry would be advantageous

Our Culture

• Do the Right Thing,
• Treat People Well
• Relentlessly Pursue Excellence
• We are one NSF.

About Us

With a legacy spanning more than 80 years, NSF leverages science and innovation to improve human and planet health. We provide science‑driven, independent testing, inspection, certification, and advisory services and develop the very standards that drive the food, water, and life sciences industries worldwide. We empower our clients to navigate shifting regulations to improve consumer health, safety, and quality of life.

One of our core values is We Are One NSF. This means that while we’re one team, we embrace the cultural, ethnic, language, and demographic diversity that reflects the societies in which we live and work.

Come join a team that makes a difference in the world. More information about NSF can be found at nsf.org.

NSF is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, status as a protected veteran, or disability.

Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives: Please note that NSF is not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies/search firms for this role. Resumes submitted to an NSF employee by a third‑party agency without a valid written & signed search agreement between NSF and said third‑party agency will become the sole property of NSF. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you.

About The Team

NSF's global network of state‑of‑the‑art laboratories is the "backbone" of NSF's comprehensive testing and certification services. Staffed by engineers, chemists, microbiologists and toxicologists, we offer world‑class technical expertise across the food, water and life sciences industries.