Johnson Matthey Jobs in 2025: Your Complete UK Guide to Building Tomorrow’s Catalysts, Batteries & Hydrogen Technologies
Founded in 1817 and now employing more than 13,000 people across 30+ countries, Johnson Matthey (JM) has reinvented itself repeatedly—from precious‑metal assayer to global leader in clean‑air catalysts, hydrogen fuel‑cell components and circular‑materials recycling. In 2024 the company opened its first gigafactory‑scale fuel‑cell membrane‑electrode‑assembly (MEA) plant in Royston and announced a £200 m investment in green‑hydrogen catalyst capacity on Teesside. With climate policy accelerating and automotive OEMs racing to decarbonise, JM’s order book—and hiring plan—have never looked stronger.
Whether you are a PhD in heterogeneous catalysis, a process‑safety engineer itching to scale bench chemistry to kiloton plants, or a commercial analyst passionate about critical‑minerals strategy, this guide explains how to land a Johnson Matthey job in 2025.
Why Johnson Matthey Is a Top Employer for Materials Scientists in 2025
1. Mission‑Driven Sustainability
JM’s strategy, "Catalysing the Net‑Zero Transition", builds business units around Hydrogen Technologies, Clean Air, Circularity & Recycling and Decarbonisation of Chemicals. Employees know their daily work cuts CO₂ or enables green‑hydrogen adoption.
2. Heavy Capital Investment in the UK
The Royston fuel‑cell gigafactory (3 GW annual MEA capacity) reached Phase 1 production in late 2024, while the HyRefine project in Billingham secured UK Government funding to process 6,000 t of spent fuel‑cell material annually by 2027. More plants mean more jobs—from R&D chemists to maintenance electricians.
3. End‑to‑End Value Chain On‑Shore
JM owns the loop: precious‑metal sourcing, catalyst design, scale‑up, manufacture, and recycling. UK employees can rotate from lab to pilot to plant without changing employer.
4. Flexible & Inclusive Culture
The company’s “Ways of Working” policy offers hybrid schedules for knowledge roles, a 37‑hour standard week, and global employee‑resource groups for Women in STEM, LGBTQ+ Allies and Early Careers.
2025 Hiring Outlook: Growth in Hydrogen, Recycling & Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Johnson Matthey’s FY 2024/25 guidance forecasts high‑single‑digit revenue growth, led by hydrogen catalysts and circular‑materials recycling. HR plans to hire over 600 people globally, with 250 new UK roles across R&D, scale‑up engineering and operations.
Recent UK job adverts include:
Senior Fuel‑Cell Test Engineer – Royston (Hybrid)
Process Safety Specialist – Billingham Hydrogen Plant
Precious‑Metals Recycling Scientist – Brimsdown
Data Scientist (Catalyst Modelling) – London HQ / Remote
Hard‑to‑fill roles in fuel‑cell manufacturing and electro‑catalysis now carry £4,000 sign‑on bonuses.
Hot‑Demand Skills for 2025
• Heterogeneous & homogeneous catalysis (NH₃, methanol, SAF) • Electro‑catalysis for PEM & SOFC (Pt, Ir, Ru nanostructures) • Process scale‑up & techno‑economic assessment (Aspen Plus, HYSYS) • Materials characterisation (SEM/EDS, XRD, BET, TEM) • Battery‑materials recycling & hydrometallurgy • Process safety & HAZOP for hydrogen systems • Data science & machine learning for catalyst discovery (Python, ChemCatML)
Key UK Sites and What Happens There
• Royston, Hertfordshire – Global R&D centre for hydrogen MEAs, plus new gigafactory production lines. • Billingham, Teesside – Clean‑air catalyst plant and forthcoming HyRefine recycling facility. • Brimsdown, Enfield – Precious‑metal refining and battery‑materials recycling pilot line. • Sonning, Berkshire – Technology centre for emission‑control catalysis and analytical sciences. • London HQ, Farringdon – Corporate strategy, data science hub and venture team.
Core Job Families Explained
Below is a quick tour of JM job families and ATS‑friendly keywords you should embed in your CV.
1. Research & Development (Catalysis & Materials)
Keywords: Density‑Functional Theory, High‑Throughput Experimentation, ICP‑OES, Catalyst Screening
Scientists design nanostructured catalysts, characterise them with advanced microscopy and translate lab hits into pilot samples.
2. Process & Scale‑Up Engineering
Keywords: Aspen Plus, P&ID, HAZOP, Six Sigma, Continuous‑Flow Reactors
Engineers bridge lab and plant, optimise yield, model heat‑and‑mass transfer and ensure safe, efficient production.
3. Manufacturing & Operations
Keywords: Lean, Kaizen, TPM, PLCs, ISO 45001
Operators and technicians run calciners, coating lines, MEA roll‑to‑roll equipment, maintaining OEE > 90 %.
4. Analytical & Characterisation Science
Keywords: XRD, XPS, BET, TEM, ISO 17025
Analysts provide rapid feedback on catalyst morphology, dispersion and contaminants to speed iteration.
5. Commercial, Strategy & Sustainability
Keywords: LCFS, LCA, Critical‑Minerals, Market Intelligence, TCFD
Teams quantify policy drivers, craft go‑to‑market plans and assess ESG impacts for investors.
6. Digital & Data Science
Keywords: Python, MLflow, Dask, ChemProp, Tableau
Data scientists mine decades of catalyst data to predict activity and longevity, accelerating discovery cycles.
7. Quality, EHS & Regulatory Affairs
Keywords: ISO 9001, REACH, COMAH, ATEX, Process Safety Management
Specialists ensure JM’s plants meet rigorous safety and environmental standards.
The Johnson Matthey Hiring Process (UK Specific)
Online Application & CV Screen – ATS filters for skills; HR confirms right‑to‑work and relocation needs.
HireVue Video Interview – competency and motivation questions.
Technical/Panel Interview – can include a 30‑minute presentation on previous projects.
Assessment Centre (graduates) – group exercise, technical quiz and site tour.
Offer & Pre‑Employment Checks – references, medical questionnaire and, for certain sites, drug screening.
Tip: Bring a one‑page summary of a project linking lab discovery to commercial scale—it resonates with JM’s innovation pathway.
Graduate, Placement & Apprenticeship Routes
• JM Graduate Development Programme (GDP) – Two‑year rotation across R&D, scale‑up and commercial teams; includes international secondment to continental EU site. • Summer Internship Scheme – 10 weeks; typical projects in catalyst screening, fuel‑cell coating process or LCA studies; stipend ~£2,200/month. • Degree Apprenticeships – Chemical Engineering BEng via Teesside University; 4‑year scheme at Billingham.
Applications open every September; video interviews begin January and offers roll out by March for an autumn start.
Experienced Hires & Technical Career Ladders
JM supports a dual career ladder: Technical Specialist and People Leader. Technical talent can reach Global Science Fellow with publishing, patents and conference allowances. • Senior Hydrogen Catalyst Scientist – £60k–£72k base + 10 % bonus. • Principal Process Engineer (Scale‑Up) – £75k–£90k base + car allowance. • Global Sustainability Manager – £80k–£95k base + LTIP share plan.
What Salary & Benefits Can You Expect in 2025?
• Graduate Materials Scientist – £34k–£36k base + £2k welcome bonus. • Manufacturing Technician (Royston MEA line) – £30k–£35k base + shift premium. • Data Scientist (Catalysis) – £48k–£58k base + 8 % bonus.
Benefits: 25 days’ holiday + option to buy 5, private medical (single or family), 7 % pension match, share incentive plan, annual volunteer day, and £500 learning wallet.
Remote, Hybrid & Visa Considerations
• Hybrid Work – Most R&D and digital roles are 50 % on‑site; manufacturing & EHS roles are site‑bound. • Visa Sponsorship – JM holds a Skilled‑Worker licence; sponsorship available for niche catalysis or electrochemistry experts. • Global Mobility – Short‑term (3–12 month) secondments to US, Germany or China plants available for high‑performing staff.
Stand‑Out Application Tips
Quantify Impact – “Increased catalyst activity by 22 % while reducing PGM loading 15 %.”
Link Lab to Scale – show awareness of heat balance, mass‑transfer or supply‑chain constraints.
Show Safety Mindset – reference COMAH compliance, LOPA or PHA work.
Publish & Patent – cite DOIs or WO patent numbers to prove innovation.
How MaterialsScienceJobs.co.uk Can Help
• We index every Johnson Matthey vacancy daily and tag skills like “Catalysis”, “Hydrogen” and “Recycling” for hyper‑targeted alerts. • The 2025 UK Materials Salary Survey benchmarks JM against BASF, Umicore and Lucideon.
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FAQ (2025)
Does Johnson Matthey hire international graduates?Yes—visa sponsorship is available for critical skills; English fluency is required for UK roles.
Which software should I learn for process‑engineering roles?Aspen Plus or HYSYS for simulation, plus PI Vision or Seeq for plant‑data analytics.
Is a PhD mandatory for R&D roles?Not always; strong MSc or BEng with industry experience can suffice, but PhD preferred for fundamental catalysis.
How long is JM’s hiring process?Typically four to six weeks from application to offer for experienced hires; graduates may take longer due to assessment centres.
Can I work remotely full‑time?Only digital‑focused roles are remote‑first; lab and plant positions require on‑site presence.
Conclusion: Be the Catalyst for a Net‑Zero Future
From cleaner air to green hydrogen, Johnson Matthey offers UK materials scientists and engineers the chance to solve some of the world’s toughest decarbonisation challenges. Whether you’re formulating catalysts, scaling processes or decoding data, your expertise can catalyse global impact.
Ready to react? Browse the latest Johnson Matthey jobs on MaterialsScienceJobs.co.uk or head straight to JM’s careers portal (matthey.com/careers). Tomorrow’s sustainable materials start with today’s application.
