Clearwater Sensors Ltd. (www.clearwatersensors.com), a start-up founded in 2019, develops and manufactures environmental sensors including Lab on Chip based microfluidic analysers for water chemistry analysis: helping to achieve a more sustainable future for aquatic environments and industries. It licensed IP from the University of Southampton and the National Oceanography Centre in 2020 and within 10 months had delivered first product to customers. We now sell products internationally with strong growth self-funded from sales, and have benefitted from three research / innovation grants and two EU Horizons Europe grants that expand our product offer and enable improvements.
We seek a skilled and adaptable professional chemist / technician with a strong chemistry, instrumentation, metrology or test and calibration background who is also able to:
Job Description:
- Prepare, test and validate reagents (analytical chemicals) as well as reference chemical standards
- perform accurate tests of sensor components to ascertain quality and reliability
- Test, calibrate and measure performance of complete chemical sensors and analysers
- Follow and develop structured testing schema to identify faults in chemistry and/or sensor systems (including customer returns) to inform refurbishment and redesign as appropriate
- Develop and provide feedback on testing methods, equipment and setups.
- Communicate with customers regarding sensor servicing, returns and shipments.
- Keep and analyse records to enable quality management and continuous improvement
- Assist with or manage chemical health and safety including COSHH
- Assist in sensor production and other duties as required
Examples of applications for the sensing technologies include measurements of nutrients or pH on autonomous underwater vehicles for scientific and carbon sequestration applications as well as nutrient and water quality monitoring for UK regulators and the water industry. The sensors are robust (e.g. depth rated to 6000 m using oil filled pressure balanced design). They use microfluidics and reagent based analytical methods, almost exclusively with colourimetric readout. We will give you in depth training on the products, analytical methods, principles of operation and our current manufacture, reliability, quality, test and calibration processes.
The candidate will get the best from the role if they are able to:
- maintain an accurate, methodical and documented work practice
- Integrate with and support a multidisciplinary team
- Become expert in sensor analysis and assist others with this knowledge through training
- Communicate openly with customers and use feedback to improve practice and products
Job Purpose:
To work as a team member in a production and metrology settings providing expert technical skills the following areas:
- Measurement methods for chemistry and engineered components
- Accurate and traceable analytical chemistry work practice
- Structured fault analysis
- Testing and calibration of complex multidisciplinary measurement systems
- Customer communications regarding technical servicing and performance queries
In addition, it would be extremely advantageous to work in the team providing proficiency or better still domain expertise in several of the following areas.
- Nutrient and wider environmental chemistry with colourimetric assays
- Analytical and calibration system development
- Testing and quality management in a production environment
- Shipping and labelling of hazardous chemicals, risk assessments and COSHH
- To learn skills as above and adapt to new requirements as required.
Expectations of the role:
- To take personal responsibility for the work assigned to them.
- To always look for high quality and robust as well as novel solutions to optimise product and company competitiveness.
- To create documentation and provide training on analytical approaches developed by the team.
- To keep a detailed logbook documenting your analytical contribution, write procedure guides, user manuals and work with users to develop analytical and operational requirements.
- To perform sound experiments / tests demonstrating the suitability of the developed solution.
- The post holder will be self-motivated and able to tackle complex problems independently as well as excelling in a multidisciplinary team. They will be enthusiastic to learn new skills in a range of engineering and science disciplines and willing to make the extra effort to ensure they quickly become an expert.
- They will have excellent analytical chemistry laboratory technique, as well as computer skills including Windows and MS Office as well as analytical software such as Matlab.
Key Accountabilities/Primary Responsibilities: % Time
- 20% Prepare, test and validate reagents (analytical chemicals) as well as reference chemical standards
- 15% perform accurate tests of sensor components to ascertain quality and reliability
- 20% Test, calibrate and measure performance of complete chemical sensors and analysers
- 10% Follow and develop structured testing schema to identify faults in chemistry and / or sensor systems (including customer returns) to inform refurbishment and redesign as appropriate
- 5% Develop and provide feedback on testing methods, equipment and setups.
- 5% Communicate with customers regarding sensor servicing, returns and shipments.
- 5% Keep and analyse records to enable quality management and continuous improvement
- 10% Assist with or manage chemical health and safety including COSHH
- 10% Assist in sensor production and other duties as required
Expectations of all staff:
- At all times comply with, and ensure that duties are carried out in accordance with, relevant Clearwater Sensors ltd. business aims, contracts, service agreements, policies, procedures and guidance.
- Promote and demonstrate a personal commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and working with respect.
- Attend relevant training, maximise learning opportunities and maintain professional development by completing continuous professional development appropriate to the role.
- Maintain a safe working environment by attending Health and Safety training as required and follow local codes of safe working practices and actively contribute to embedding a safety culture across Clearwater Sensors ltd..
- Adopt and promote awareness of Clearwater Sensors ltd.’s ethical and environmental aims and other initiatives.
- Carry out other duties within the scope, spirit and general purpose of the post and adopt a flexible approach to work.
- As duties and responsibilities change this job description will be reviewed and revised in consultation with the post holder.
- Undertake such other duties within the scope of the post as may be reasonably requested by your Manager.
Personal Specification
Qualifications and Knowledge:
Essential
Degree or equivalent qualifications / experience in relevant discipline including metrology, measurement systems, chemical engineering, chemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, measurement systems engineering or related scientific or analytical discipline
Desirable
Experience related to position:
Essential
Pay: £25,000.00-£37,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Education:
Experience:
- Calibration of measuring Systems : 1 year (required)
- Process Quality Improvement : 1 year (required)
- Analysis of Chemical Solutions and formulations: 1 year (required)
- Validation of Chemical Standards/ reference materials: 1 year (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
