Chemical Engineer – Pilot Plant Operations

Vateris; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Visa sponsorship after 12 months

Job summary

Vateris in Nottingham is seeking a highly practical Chemical Engineer to operate and maintain a CO₂ mineralisation pilot plant. This hands-on, plant-based role involves working directly with reactors, pumps, filtration, mixers and instrumentation to improve reliability and throughput.

The ideal candidate holds a BSc or MSc in Chemical Engineering (0–3 years experience) and enjoys practical engineering with a strong safety mindset. Immediate start possible, with visa sponsorship after 12 months.

Qualifications

• BSc or MSc in Chemical Engineering or related discipline.
• Strong interest in hands-on plant operation and practical engineering.
• Good understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals and process operations.
• Comfortable working with pumps, reactors, tanks, pipework and equipment.
• Willingness to perform routine operation, cleaning and maintenance.
• Health and safety awareness with ownership of day-to-day plant issues.

Responsibilities

• Operate the pilot plant safely on a day-to-day basis.
• Start up, run, monitor and shut down reactors, pumps and dryers.
• Prepare feedstocks and manage material transfers.
• Monitor key process parameters such as temperature and pressure.
• Carry out routine inspections and basic equipment repairs.
• Troubleshoot equipment and performance issues.
• Support installation and commissioning of new equipment.
• Collect samples and record process conditions and yields.

Skills

Hands-on operation

Practical engineering

Health & safety

Troubleshooting

Ownership mindset

Chemical handling

Process equipment

Education

BSc in Chemical Engineering

MSc in Chemical Engineering

Job description

Location

Nottingham, UK

Remuneration

Competitive

Start Date

Immediate

Visa Sponsorship

Available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements.

The Role

We are seeking a highly practical, hands-on Chemical Engineer to operate, maintain, troubleshoot and continuously improve our CO₂ mineralisation pilot plant in Nottingham.

This is primarily a plant-based operational role, not a desk-based position. You will spend most of your time working directly with reactors, pumps, filtration systems, mixers, dryers, pipework and instrumentation.

The role would suit someone with a BSc or MSc in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline, ideally with 0-3 years of experience, who enjoys practical engineering and wants to work directly with industrial equipment.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate the pilot plant safely and reliably on a day-to-day basis.
• Start up, run, monitor and shut down reactors, pumps, filtration systems, mixers and dryers.
• Prepare feedstocks and chemical solutions and manage material transfers.
• Monitor key process parameters including temperature, pressure, flow rate, pH and concentration.
• Carry out routine inspections, preventative maintenance and basic equipment repairs.
• Troubleshoot pumps, valves, filters, instrumentation and process-performance issues.
• Support installation, modification and commissioning of new equipment.
• Collect samples and record process conditions, yields, material consumption and equipment performance.
• Identify and implement improvements to reliability, throughput, yield and product consistency.
• Support the transition from batch toward more automated and continuous operation.
• Maintain operating procedures, maintenance schedules and plant documentation.
• Ensure the plant remains clean, organised and compliant with health and safety requirements.

Essential Requirements

• BSc or MSc in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Strong interest in hands-on plant operation and practical engineering.
• Good understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals and process operations.
• Comfortable working with pumps, reactors, tanks, pipework, filtration systems and other process equipment.
• Practical troubleshooting and problem-solving ability.
• Comfortable handling chemicals, powders and slurries in a pilot-plant environment.
• Willingness to carry out routine operation, cleaning and maintenance activities.
• Strong health and safety awareness.
• Ability to take ownership of day-to-day plant operation and technical problems.

Desirable Experience

• Experience operating a pilot plant, chemical plant or production facility.
• Hands-on experience with pumps, valves, reactors, pipework and instrumentation.
• Experience with filtration, filter presses, drying or solid-liquid separation.
• Basic mechanical maintenance or equipment-repair experience.
• Familiarity with PFDs, P&IDs, process instrumentation and data logging.
• Experience with precipitation, crystallisation, carbonation or mineral processing.
• Experience in a startup, scale-up or industrial R&D environment.
• Experience supporting commissioning or process improvement.

What We Offer

• A genuinely hands-on chemical engineering role operating and improving new industrial technology.
• Direct responsibility for an operating pilot plant.
• Experience with reactors, filtration, drying, pumps, instrumentation and process automation.
• Direct involvement in scaling technology from pilot to commercial operation.
• Close collaboration with chemists and senior engineers.
• Career progression toward Senior Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Production Engineer or Plant Manager.
• Visa sponsorship available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements.