Synthetic Chemist (Automation & Standardisation Team)

Job description

Job Title: Synthetic Chemist (Automation & Standardisation Team)
Salary: £27,731 to £31,497
Benefits: Performance Bonus, BUPA, Career Average Plan Pension, Share Scheme + Site Benefits
Location: Port Sunlight Research Lab

ABOUT THE ROLE

As part of our ongoing pursuit for advancing research and development, Unilever in partnership with the University of Liverpool are building a new four-storey £65 million Materials Innovation Factory (MIF) which will contain state-of-the-art equipment and greatly increased capability for accelerated manufacturing and discovery of new materials. The Automation and Standardisation Team, as part of the Enabling Science Group, based at the Centre of Materials Discovery will be a core interface for the MIF in terms of designing linked workflows between synthesis and enhanced formulation and benefit measurement for the MIF. This team will be at the forefront of developing new and innovative ingredients for future Unilever products. The Synthetic Chemist will join the Automation and Standardisation Team during a formative period and benefit from an exciting and ambitious journey ahead.

The key objective of the role is to develop and utilise future automated capabilities for synthetic chemistry and characterisation of home and personal care applications. Specifically, the applicant would be responsible for developing automated methods to enable the design and preparation of libraries of polymers/biomaterials for the evaluation of structure/property relationships.

The role will be based mainly in the Centre for Materials Discovery (CMD) at the University of Liverpool.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• To work independently as well as alongside CMD staff to develop new automated synthetic capabilities
• Define and develop assays for physical measurements
• New idea generation for the automation of synthetic workflows
• Delivering product development through third parties and/or knowledge transfer

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Team working: requires good interaction and teamwork with other chemists, University of Liverpool staff and project teams
• Communication – requires good communication and presentation of scientific data to team members and stakeholders
• Practical creativity – Versatility to develop new methods of automated synthesis as well as design of new materials

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Academic qualifications: Minimum of BSc/MSc in chemistry (PhD preferable)
• Proven ability in practical synthetic chemistry including:
o Knowledge of polymer and small molecule chemistry
o The use of supported reagents and enzymes maybe advantageous
o Knowledge of all current practical processes and techniques
o Understanding of how ingredient physical chemical properties can affect formulation/ingredient interactions/stability/benefit etc
o Ability to analyse & interpret datasets and provide logical conclusions
• Good working knowledge of automated, high throughput and parallel systems in an academic or industrial environment (desirable)
• Translation of standard synthetic protocols to automated systems (desirable)

REQUIRED LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOURS

• Bias for Action
• Accountability and Responsibility
• Growth Mindset

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Unilever is a global Fast-Moving Consumer Goods company in the UK and Ireland. We are already on target to achieve our huge ambition to double the size of our business globally whilst reducing our environmental impact. We are growing our business and also doing what is right for our consumers, community and environment. We are developing brands for people's lives today and for the changing environment tomorrow - making sustainable living commonplace.

Working at Unilever means that you get to take part in this exciting journey and work with amazing people who are really passionate about our large portfolio of famous brands. We want to improve billions of lives and you too can join us in making a sustainable difference.

HOW TO APPLY

Hear stories from our Unilever Makers and understand how you can start your own Unilever career at: http://www.unilever.co.uk/careers-jobs/professionals/.

Or to apply now, click on “Apply to this job”. All candidate applications are reviewed in accordance with the criteria outlined for the job role. Please note that the closing date for the receipt of applications is 29/04/2016

Candidates who have applied online can track their application through the candidate tracking link or, if you have any additional queries, you may contact the Recruitment hotline number on 0800 0284390.