Industrial Chemist
Company: Ribble Technology Ltd
Location: Garstang PR3
Hours: Full-time, permanent
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Reports to: Operations Manager
About Ribble Technology
Ribble Technology is a UK manufacturer and supplier specialising in industrial paint-stripping chemicals, equipment and associated products. With more than 30 years of industry experience, we support customers across the powder-coating, alloy-wheel refurbishment and wider surface-finishing sectors.
As part of our continued development, we are looking for an experienced Industrial Chemist to help improve our existing chemical products, develop new formulations and strengthen our laboratory testing and quality-control methods.
The Role
This is a practical, hands-on position for someone with previous experience in industrial chemical formulation or a broad understanding of solvent-based and water-based chemical products.
The successful candidate will lead the development and improvement of our industrial paint strippers, as well as supporting the expansion of our range into products such as degreasers, cleaners, pre-treatment chemicals and other specialist industrial formulations.
You will work closely with our operations, production and sales teams, taking products from initial laboratory trials through to production and customer use. The role will also involve investigating technical issues, developing reliable testing methods and helping us respond to changes in raw-material availability and chemical regulations.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop new solvent-based and water-based industrial paint-stripping formulations.
- Review and improve the performance, stability, safety and commercial viability of existing products.
- Develop industrial degreasers, cleaners, surface-preparation products and other specialist chemicals.
- Design laboratory and practical testing methods to assess stripping performance, chemical condition and product life.
- Plan and conduct controlled laboratory trials and accurately record the results.
- Scale successful formulations from laboratory trials into full production.
- Establish product specifications, quality-control limits and batch-testing procedures.
- Investigate product-performance issues and identify their root causes.
- Provide technical support for customer applications and site-based product trials where required.
- Assess alternative raw materials and suppliers to improve product performance, cost or supply-chain resilience.
- Monitor product stability, contamination, evaporation, water balance and chemical degradation.
- Work with production staff to ensure formulations are manufactured safely and consistently.
- Produce and maintain technical documentation, including formulations, test methods, product specifications and technical data sheets.
- Support the preparation and review of safety data sheets, product labels and regulatory information.
- Ensure products and development work comply with relevant UK chemical legislation, including UK REACH, GB CLP and COSHH requirements.
- Keep up to date with developments in industrial cleaning, paint stripping and surface-treatment chemistry.
- Maintain high standards of laboratory safety, chemical storage and housekeeping.
- Protect confidential formulations and other commercially sensitive information.
Experience and Qualifications
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate a strong understanding of industrial chemistry. Previous experience specifically within paint strippers would be highly desirable, although candidates with broader industrial formulation experience will also be considered.
The successful candidate should ideally have:
- A degree, HNC, HND or equivalent qualification in chemistry, applied chemistry, chemical engineering or a related scientific discipline.
- Previous experience in industrial chemical formulation, product development or applied laboratory work.
- Knowledge of solvents, surfactants, hydrotropes, acids, alkalis, corrosion inhibitors, thickeners and other functional chemical additives.
- Experience developing or working with paint strippers, degreasers, industrial cleaners, coatings, metal-treatment chemicals or similar products.
- An understanding of both water-based and solvent-based formulations.
- Experience planning trials, analysing results and producing clear technical reports.
- An understanding of laboratory testing, quality control and product specifications.
- Awareness of SDS requirements, COSHH, UK REACH and GB CLP.
- The ability to take a formulation from laboratory development through to production scale.
- Confidence working independently and taking ownership of development projects.
Desirable Experience
Experience in any of the following areas would be particularly valuable:
- Industrial paint and powder-coating removal.
- Surface preparation and metal treatment.
- Powder coating or industrial coatings.
- Formulating products for use at elevated temperatures.
- Chemical bath analysis and replenishment methods.
- Identifying causes of sludge, contamination or reduced chemical performance.
- Manufacturing scale-up and batch production.
- Customer site trials and technical troubleshooting.
- Safer or more environmentally responsible alternatives to established chemical technologies.
Personal Qualities
The successful candidate will be:
- Practical and comfortable combining laboratory work with production and site-based testing.
- Naturally curious, methodical and commercially aware.
- Able to investigate problems thoroughly and turn findings into practical solutions.
- Confident working independently while collaborating with colleagues across the business.
- Accurate when recording formulations, test conditions and results.
- Capable of balancing product performance with safety, cost, availability and regulatory requirements.
- Willing to challenge existing methods and introduce new ideas.
What We Offer
- The opportunity to lead meaningful product-development projects.
- A varied role combining chemistry, manufacturing and real-world industrial applications.
- The freedom to develop new ideas and influence the future direction of our chemical range.
- Direct involvement in products from initial formulation through to customer use.
- Salary based on qualifications and relevant experience.
How to Apply
Please submit your CV along with a short covering letter outlining your experience in industrial chemical formulation, product development or related areas. Candidates should also explain how their existing knowledge could be applied to the development of industrial paint strippers, degreasers and cleaning products.
Pay: From £36,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
