Brightsmith are pleased to be representing a climate technology company developing processes to recover and reuse high-value materials from industrial waste, supporting sustainable manufacturing in a broad range of sectors, including aerospace. This role owns the experimental programme to scale a lab-proven process into pilot operation, designing and running structured trials and translating results into clear process decisions. It sits at the interface between chemistry and engineering, combining hands-on pilot plant work with solving scale-up challenges and defining robust operating conditions.
Key Responsibilities:
Experimental Programme Ownership
- Define key process questions and design structured, hypothesis-driven experiments with clear outcomes
- Plan and manage a coherent trial roadmap, ensuring results translate into actionable process decisions
Process Scale-Up & Translation
- Translate lab-scale conditions into pilot-scale operation, accounting for real-world engineering effects
- Identify and resolve scale-up challenges (heat/mass transfer, mixing, residence time)
- Define process sensitivity and establish robust operating windows for consistent product quality
Pilot Plant Operations & Development
- Run and support pilot plant trials, working hands-on with equipment
- Support commissioning and integration of new systems
- Troubleshoot process deviations using structured root cause analysis
Process Engineering Contribution
- Support development of process design documentation (e.g. flow diagrams, mass balances)
- Provide input into equipment specification and system design
- Contribute to process safety activities (e.g. risk assessments, HAZOP)
Data, Documentation & Communication
- Capture, structure, and analyse experimental data to build a reliable process knowledge base
- Produce clear SOPs and technical reports with actionable insights
- Communicate findings effectively across engineering, chemistry, and operations teams
Cross-Team Collaboration
- Act as the link between lab, engineering, and plant operations
- Ensure lab insights are accurately tested at pilot scale and inform process decisions
Experience Required:
Essential
- Degree in Chemical/Process Engineering (or closely related field)
- Experience in process development or scale-up
- Ability to design and lead structured experimental programmes
- Hands-on experience with lab or pilot-scale equipment
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Clear technical documentation and reporting ability
Desirable
- Experience with reactive, solvent-based, or chemical processing systems
- Familiarity with process safety (e.g. HAZOP, risk assessments)
- Postgraduate qualification (MSc/PhD) in a relevant field
- Experience in early-stage or fast-changing environments
If you are interested please apply below, or reach out directly at a.knight@brightsmithgroup.com
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