Location: Impact Technology Centre, Livingston
Job type: Full-time, Laboratory based
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Reports to: Analytical / Technical Management Team
About Impact Solutions
Impact Solutions is a UKAS accredited testing laboratory and innovation centre based at the Impact Technology Centre in Livingston. For over 20 years, we have supported clients across industry, academia and innovation-led businesses with materials testing, analytical chemistry enquiries, failure analysis, product development, sustainability assessment, and bespoke technical problem solving.
Our analytical capabilities support clients working with polymers, recycled materials, consumer products, packaging, regulated substances, contamination issues, and complex material-performance questions. We routinely work beyond standard test methods, developing practical analytical approaches for client-specific technical problems.
We are now looking to strengthen our analytical chemistry capability by hiring an experienced GC-MS specialist who can lead bespoke method development, expand our capacity, and help build new services in emerging contaminant analysis, including PFAS testing.
The opportunity
Demand for GC-MS and advanced chemical analysis is increasing across our client base. We are seeing growing interest in the detection of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, additives, and contaminants, as well as odour investigations, recycled material characterisation, identification of degradation products, and regulated chemical substances.
At the same time, PFAS analysis is expected to become a major area of market demand. Impact Solutions wants to develop the technical capability, method-development expertise, and commercial confidence to lead this area.
This role is intended for someone who can do more than operate an instrument. We are looking for scientist with demonstrable experience designing, developing, validating, and troubleshooting analytical methods for complex matrices.
The successful candidate will take ownership of GC-MS capability development and will play a central role in shaping Impact Solutions’ future analytical services.
The role
You will be responsible for developing, optimising, and delivering analytical methods in chromatography (GC-MS, HPLC, GPC) and spectroscopy (MS, FTIR, UV-Vis) for a wide range of client projects. This will include both routine and non-routine analytical work, with a strong emphasis on bespoke method development.
You will work with technical, commercial and innovation colleagues to assess incoming client enquiries, determine whether a robust analytical approach is possible, design appropriate methods, interpret results and communicate findings clearly to clients.
A key part of the role will be developing Impact Solutions’ capability in emerging contaminant analysis, including PFAS. This may include reviewing market requirements, identifying appropriate analytical routes, advising on equipment and consumables, developing extraction and clean-up methods, assessing external standards and guidance, and supporting the business case for future investment.
Key responsibilities
- Lead analytical method development including GC-MS and pyGC-MS. Lead sample preparation, extraction, derivatisation where appropriate, method setup, sequence planning, data analysis and reporting.
- Develop bespoke analytical methods for volatile, semi-volatile and chemically complex samples across polymer, environmental, consumer product, recycling, and industrial matrices.
- Troubleshoot analytical methods, chromatographic performance, carryover, sensitivity, repeatability, library matching, calibration, and matrix interference issues.
- Support the development of quantitative and semi-quantitative methods, including calibration strategies, internal standards, detection limits, recovery assessment and method robustness.
- Build Impact Solutions’ technical capability in PFAS and other emerging contaminants, including recommending appropriate analytical approaches and future capability requirements.
- Interpret data using appropriate software and spectral libraries, including clear assessment of confidence, limitations, and uncertainty.
- Prepare high-quality technical reports for clients, explaining methods, results, limitations, and conclusions in a clear and defensible way.
- Work within Impact Solutions’ quality system and contribute to method documentation, SOPs, validation records and quality-control procedures.
- Support commercial colleagues by advising on feasibility, scope, pricing assumptions, timescales, and technical risk for incoming analytical enquiries.
- Train and mentor colleagues in GC-MS operation, sample preparation, good laboratory practice and analytical interpretation.
- Maintain safe working practices in line with SHE requirements and laboratory procedures.
- Help identify equipment, consumable, software and training requirements needed to grow Impact Solutions’ analytical chemistry services.
What we are looking for
The successful candidate will have strong practical experience in analytical techniques including GC-MS analysis and a proven record of developing methods rather than simply running established protocols.
You should be confident working with complex and variable sample types, particularly where no standard method is immediately available. You should be able to make technically sound decisions, explain limitations, and produce analytical outputs that clients can rely on.
Essential experience
- Degree, MSc or PhD in analytical chemistry, chemistry, forensic science, environmental chemistry, materials science, or a closely related discipline.
- Demonstrable firsthand experience with analytical method development, particularly chromatography techniques.
- Strong understanding of chromatography, mass spectrometry, sample preparation, calibration, method optimisation and data interpretation.
- Experience analysing complex matrices such as polymers, recycled materials, consumer products, environmental samples, industrial residues, additives, contaminants, or unknown compounds.
- Ability to troubleshoot analytical methods and instrumentation issues.
- Experience preparing technical reports for internal or external clients.
- Clear understanding of quality systems, traceability, good documentation practice and analytical method control.
- Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain complex analytical findings to non-specialist clients or colleagues.
- Ability to work independently and take ownership of technical problem solving.
Highly desirable experience
- PFAS analysis experience, especially sample preparation, extraction, contamination control or LC-MS/MS method development.
- Experience with LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, HRMS, thermal desorption GC-MS, purge-and-trap, headspace GC-MS, SPME or pyrolysis GC-MS.
- Experience developing or validating methods for regulated substances, POPs, phthalates, brominated compounds, additives, odour compounds, or extractables.
- Experience working in a UKAS / ISO 17025 laboratory or equivalent regulated laboratory environment.
- Knowledge of REACH, POPs, RoHS, environmental contaminants, polymer additives or recycled-material compliance.
- Experience supporting commercial proposals, feasibility reviews or client scoping discussions.
- Experience training junior analysts or developing laboratory capability from an early stage.
The person
- We are looking for someone technically rigorous, commercially aware and comfortable with ambiguity. Much of the work will involve unusual client problems, incomplete starting information and samples that do not fit neat textbook methods.
- You should be able to move from first principles to practical method design, then to defensible results and clear client communication.
- You will suit this role if you are:
- A practical analytical chemist who enjoys method development.
- Confident making technical decisions and explaining the reasoning behind them.
- Detail-focused, organised and quality-conscious.
- Able to balance scientific rigour with commercial delivery.
- Interested in helping build a new analytical service area.
- Comfortable working with clients, technical teams, and business-development colleagues.
- Motivated by sustainability, materials innovation, and emerging regulatory challenges.
Why join Impact Solutions?
This is an opportunity to shape a growing analytical capability within an established UKAS accredited laboratory and innovation centre. You will not simply inherit a narrow routine testing role. You will help decide what Impact Solutions’ future services look like.
You will work across diverse client problems involving materials, polymers, recycling, contamination, product performance, regulated substances, and sustainability-led innovation.
Application process
Applications should be made via Indeed with a CV and covering letter.
Your covering letter should include specific examples of GC-MS method development work you have led or materially contributed to. Where relevant, please also describe any experience with PFAS, LC-MS/MS, emerging contaminants, regulated substances, complex matrices, or ISO 17025 laboratory work.
We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate how they have taken an analytical problem from initial feasibility through to a working method, validated result or client-facing report.
Pay: £35,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Private medical insurance
Work Location: In person
