Apprentice Process Technician

Thermulon; Greater London; In loco; GBP 18.000 - 24.000; Tempo pieno

Vantaggi offerti da questo lavoro

30 days holiday

Private medical insurance (Vitality)

Health/wellbeing allowance

Ride to work scheme

Descrizione del lavoro

Thermulon, a UK aerogel insulation innovator, is hiring an Apprentice Process Technician to learn to run a 25 L pilot reactor from start to finish. You'll prepare chemicals, perform reactions, and produce aerogel powder, testing properties like thermal conductivity and density.

Training is on-site in London with full apprenticeship support. You will complete the Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship over ~18 months, with weekly live online teaching and a workplace mentor.

Competenze

• Interest in science and willingness to learn a technical trade.
• Ability to follow written instructions precisely.
• Reliability and good timekeeping.

Mansioni

• Handle chemicals following risk assessments, COSHH and PPE rules and keep the work area clean.
• Run batches on the 25 L pilot reactor from start to finish including weighing reagents and monitoring the reaction.
• Record process data accurately and follow SOPs/batch records.
• Sieve, weigh, blend, package and label aerogel powder safely, controlling dust and contamination.
• Measure product properties such as thermal conductivity and densities and log results.
• Maintain inventory and batch records in the LIMS and track powder stock.

Conoscenze

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Hands-on work

Excel basics

Formazione

Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship

Strumenti

LIMS

Excel

Descrizione del lavoro

About the role

Thermulon is a UK aerogel insulation company developing a cost-competitive manufacturing process. We are scaling from pilot into commercial-scale production to serve European and global customers.

The Apprentice Process Technician will learn to run Thermulon's 25 L pilot reactor from start to finish: preparing the chemicals, carrying out the reactions and producing a finished aerogel powder. You'll then handle and test that powder, measuring properties such as thermal conductivity and density. This is a hands-on role in a small, lean organisation, where you'll be trained on the job by our chemists and engineers while working towards a nationally recognised Level 3 Laboratory Technician qualification.

No degree or previous lab job is needed. We are looking for someone curious about science, careful with detail and keen to learn a hands-on technical trade.

Location: Thermulon laboratories, Westbourne Studios, London W10

First round interviews will take place w/c 16th November

What this role needs from you

You'll live Thermulon's Values: Safe, Collaborate, Impact, Pace, Innovate and Grow. In practice that means:

• A careful, safety-first approach: following procedures closely and speaking up if something doesn't look right.

• Enjoyment of working as part of a team, sharing the workload and helping colleagues.

• Pride in doing a job properly, because others rely on your results.

• Genuine energy for hands-on work, and seeing a task through to the finish.

• Curiosity about why things work, and willingness to suggest better ways of doing them.

• Keenness to learn, take on feedback and build a long-term technical career.

Key accountabilities

With full training and supervision, building up to working independently, you'll:

• Handle chemicals in line with risk assessments, COSHH and PPE rules, and keep the work area clean and organised.

• Run batches on our 25 L pilot reactor from start to finish, including weighing and preparing reagents and stock solutions, charging the reactor, and carrying out and monitoring the reaction through to finished powder.

• Work to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and batch records, recording process data accurately at every step.

• Sieve, weigh, blend, package and label aerogel powder safely, keeping dust and contamination under control.
• Measure product properties, including thermal conductivity and bulk and tapped density, and log the results.
• Track powder stock, transfers and shipments, keep inventory and batch records up to date, and enter data into our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
• Set up, clean and carry out routine checks on the reactor, sieves and test equipment.
• Flag problems and deviations early, and suggest improvements to procedures.

Your apprenticeship

You will complete the Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship, delivered by Skills4Science, over about 18 months: 15 months of training plus the final assessment.

• Weekly 2-hour live online teaching sessions on Microsoft Teams, during your paid working hours.

• A dedicated Skills4Science tutor, plus a workplace mentor at Thermulon.

• On-site observations and progress reviews every 10-12 weeks.

• Most of your learning happens on the job: learning new techniques, equipment training, shadowing colleagues and project work.

• Support to gain GCSE-level English and Maths if you don't already have them.

• On completion, you'll be eligible to register with the Science Council as a Registered Science Technician (RSciTech).

Essential

• A genuine interest in science, chemistry or how things are made.

• Careful attention to detail and the ability to follow written instructions precisely.

• Reliability and good timekeeping.

• Comfort with practical, hands-on work, including standing for periods and lifting and moving containers safely.

• Good communication, and willingness to ask questions and speak up.

• Basic computer skills for recording data, such as Excel.

Desirable

• GCSE Maths and English at grade 4/C or above (or willingness to work towards them during the apprenticeship).

• Any experience of practical work, such as school or college labs, manufacturing, a workshop or a kitchen.

Job Type: Full-time, London-based, Permanent

Wellbeing

• 30 days holiday for everyone

• Private Medical insurance - Vitality for you and your dependents (Medical, Dental, Mental Health, Wellbeing, Alternative treatments and Travel Insurance)

• Health/wellbeing allowance - £600 per year to spend on activities which lead to better physical / mental health (it may be the gym, it may be a spa day, it may be a membership to headspace or some sessions with a therapist, you know you best).

• Ride to work scheme - new bike and equipment with the government contributing tax to help pay for it B2W

You'll be supported by a workplace mentor, with a clear progression route within the Thermulon Career Path, for example to Process Technician on completing your apprenticeship.

We are especially keen to encourage applications from people underrepresented in the deep tech and climate space. Climate change and climate justice are both social and inclusion issues. We especially welcome applicants with experience across all equality and inclusion challenges, and applicants whose experience differs from exactly what is specified here.