Senior R&D Chemist: Lead NPD & Processes (Ebbw Vale)

Candour Talent Ltd; Ebbw Vale; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Pension Scheme

Excellent benefits

Job summary

Candour Talent are recruiting a Senior Research and Development Chemist to join their client’s team in the Ebbw Vale area. The role is full time and permanent, with a salary of £38-43k plus annual bonus.

You will lead R&D projects, drive new product development, manage cross-functional teams, and ensure compliance with ISO 13485 and internal stage-gate processes. A degree in Chemistry or related field is essential, with at least 5 years of industrial experience.

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemistry or related field.
• Minimum 5 years industrial experience in product development and project management.
• Project Management certification (e.g. Prince 2, Agile) or proven experience.
• Lean Systems Green Belt or equivalent Lean/OPEX.
• Good understanding of HSE and chemical safety regulation (COSHH, COMAH, REACH).
• Good understanding of ISO 13485 Medical Device Standard and Regulatory Requirements.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of Operational Excellence (OPEX) tools.
• Experience working in a laboratory environment.
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver R&D projects, overseeing the design and development of new materials and the optimisation of manufacturing processes through laboratory and production-scale trials.
• Organise and manage business continuity projects, including dual sourcing of key raw materials, by coordinating activities with internal stakeholders, customers, and suppliers.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to drive site improvement initiatives, leading and supporting projects focused on process enhancement, operational efficiency, and the introduction of new equipment.
• Prepare and approve documentation supporting design control and validation activities, ensuring compliance with ISO 13485, customer requirements, and internal stage-gate processes (e.g., CIC).
• Provide technical leadership and project management support to team members, departments, and sites, ensuring activities align with the FPM strategy and are supported by appropriate project documentation.
• Act as a mentor to new team members, including placement students, providing guidance and support on project delivery and professional development.
• Identify and champion new opportunities through technological awareness (e.g. literature and patent reviews) and market insights gained from trade shows, conferences, supplier engagements, and customer visits, translating these into innovative product and process development opportunities.
• Ensure all R&D documentation, including work instructions and forms, is regularly reviewed, maintained, and improved in compliance with internal procedures, ISO standards, and industry best practices.
• Support the planning, prioritisation, and scheduling of laboratory and manufacturing trials across all site R&D projects.
• Manage the site COSHH system, ensuring chemical records, risk assessments, and associated documentation are maintained, compliant, and up to date, while providing support to system users across the site.
• Complete routine project administration activities for assigned projects, including product costing and the creation and maintenance of product data within SAP and QPDC

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical leadership

Communication

Mentoring

Education

Chemistry degree

Chemical engineering degree

Polymer science degree

Tools

SAP

QPDC

Job description

Candour Talent are recruiting a Senior Research and Development Chemist to join their client’s team in the Ebbw Vale area. The role is full time and permanent, with a salary of £38-43k plus annual bonus.

You will lead R&D projects, drive new product development, manage cross-functional teams, and ensure compliance with ISO 13485 and internal stage-gate processes. A degree in Chemistry or related field is essential, with at least 5 years of industrial experience.