QC Analytical Chemist

Adepto Technical Recruitment Ltd; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Adepto Technical Recruitment Ltd is seeking an experienced QC/QA Chemist to support the production and scale-up of calcium carbonate and potassium sulphate products. This is a laboratory-based role with 75% routine QC/QA and 25% method development.

You will work with operations and engineers to maintain product quality and advance automated analytical systems for pilot plants and future manufacturing. 5–10 years in industrial analytical chemistry is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Degree in Analytical Chemistry or a closely related field.
• 5–10 years of industrial analytical chemistry experience.
• Experience developing, validating or improving analytical methods is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine chemical analysis of feedstocks, intermediates and finished products.
• Assess new feedstocks for composition, impurities and production suitability.
• Monitor process samples, identify deviations and support troubleshooting.
• Develop, validate and improve analytical methods to increase accuracy and efficiency.
• Support implementation of automated analytical systems for continuous monitoring.

Skills

Analytical chemistry

QC/QA laboratory

Data interpretation

FTIR/NIR/XRD

Education

Degree in Analytical Chemistry

Tools

FTIR

NIR

XRD

SEM/EDS

TGA/DSC

ICP-OES/MS

Ion chromatography

GC-MS

LC-MS

Job description

We are looking for an experienced, hands‑on QC/QA Chemist to support the production and scale‑up of our calcium carbonate and potassium sulphate products.

This is primarily a laboratory‑based industrial role, combining 75% routine quality control and assurance with 25% analytical method development and improvement.

You will ensure consistent quality of raw materials, process streams and finished products, while helping develop faster, more reliable and automated analytical methods for our pilot and future industrial plants.

Working closely with the Operations Manager, chemists and process engineers, you will play an important role in maintaining production quality and improving analytical capabilities as our technology scales.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform routine chemical analysis of feedstocks, intermediate streams and finished products to ensure quality and consistency.
• Assess new feedstocks for chemical composition, impurities and suitability for production.
• Monitor process samples, identify deviations and support troubleshooting and corrective actions.
• Analyse impurities, corrosion products and chemical degradation within recycled process streams.
• Conduct gas composition analysis using FTIR and verify process water meets effluent specifications.
• Maintain analytical equipment, calibration records, SOPs, quality specifications and reliable laboratory documentation.
• Develop, validate and improve analytical methods to increase accuracy, efficiency and repeatability.
• Support implementation of in‑line, on‑line and automated analytical systems for continuous process monitoring.
• Collaborate with operations and engineering teams to improve product quality and support industrial scale‑up.

Candidate Profile

• Degree in Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or a related discipline.
• 5–10 years of relevant experience in industrial analytical chemistry, laboratory QC/QA or chemical production environments.
• Strong practical experience in routine chemical analysis, analytical equipment and quality‑control procedures.
• Experience developing, validating or improving analytical methods is highly desirable.
• Good understanding of process chemistry, impurity monitoring, analytical accuracy and data interpretation.
• Experience working in chemical manufacturing, specialty chemicals, advanced materials or industrial R&D is advantageous.
• Experience with automated, in‑line or on‑line analytical systems is beneficial.
• Highly organised, detail‑oriented and capable of working independently within a multidisciplinary industrial team.

Analytical experience: Hands‑on experience with several of the following is beneficial: FTIR, NIR, XRD, SEM/EDS, TGA/DSC, ICP‑OES/MS, ion chromatography, GC‑MS, LC‑MS and wet chemical analysis.

What We Are Looking For

We are particularly interested in experienced industrial analytical chemists who can deliver reliable routine testing while continuously improving analytical methods and laboratory efficiency.

The successful candidate should combine analytical accuracy, practical problem‑solving and a strong understanding of industrial quality requirements, with the ability to support increasingly automated production processes.

We value proven industrial experience and hands‑on technical capability over academic qualifications or university reputation.