Principal Chemical Engineer

Role title: Principal Chemical Engineer

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Package: £62,020 - £85,000 (depending on your suitability, qualifications & level of experience)

Closing date: 25th March 2025

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

Let us introduce the role

AWE is currently recruiting for an experienced Principal Chemical Engineer to provide chemical production expertise and lead the design and development of chemical processes as part of the Engineering team. This role encourages applicants with experience from different production environments who can bring that to an explosive environment.

This role is ideally suited to someone that could Lead the application of capability analysis techniques and evidence-based data to establish and communicate the current manufacturing capability for all explosives production and processing.

Working within the Explosives Technology Centre, this role will strategically deliver engineering solutions that will maximise productivity, reliability, innovation and quality to the business. You would also establish statistical process control parameters for all stages of manufacture, to ensure explosive products are manufactured to specification - this is to include undertaking manufacturing trials, real time monitoring and material analysis and historical data recording.

Within this role, you would provide support to the Group Leader Engineering in supplying capability analysis data output to all relevant stakeholders whilst providing guidance and mentoring to inexperienced engineers about the practical use of Engineering methods, tools and processes.

Who are we looking for?

We do need you to have experience in:

Developing and providing knowledge and expertise in linking process variability and the effect on the safety and quality of explosives materials
Establishing process parameter monitoring requirements and material analysis records
The provision of summarised trend data showing the relationship between process control data and explosives material analysis results
Highlighting any areas of process control concerns and collaborate with the Production Engineering team to develop control improvements
Developing and managing trend data base to enable full historical traceability
Providing process control requirements for all new or upgraded plant and facilities
Safety and quality justifications for Changes over all explosive manufacturing process parameters (Plant, Process and materiel's)
Providing expert input to any changes to and deviation applications for explosive products, plant and process
Providing expert input to risk assessments, PFMEAs and event investigations
The provision and delivery of training material to improve wider understanding and appreciation of the linkage between process control and potential effect on explosives safety and quality
Maintaining and promoting high personal standards in environment, safety, health, security and quality

Whilst not to be considered a check list, key Responsibilities of the role will include:

Delivering Chemical Engineering solutions in relation to defined requirements, across the full engineering lifecycle, to a high standard
Leading effective stakeholder management to engage others in order to have a positive impact on decisions and programme delivery, in particular with the explosives materials science team
Supporting and mentoring developing engineers in the production of engineering solutions and their career progression. Including undertaking the role of professional mentor
Identifying and supporting opportunities for cost savings, efficiency and business improvement
Identifying appropriate resources and where they need to be allocated to deliver engineering solutions
The Company may require you to fulfil any other reasonable duties aligned to your position from time to time in line with business needs
Ensuring compliance with Licence/Authorisation Conditions, Legislation and Regulations

We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.

Some reasons we think you'll love it here:

AWE has wide range of benefits to suit you. These include:

9-day working fortnight - meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions)
Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay
Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body
Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
Life Assurance (4 x annual salary)
Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending
Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring

The 'Working at AWE' page on our website is where you can find full details in the 'AWE Benefits Guide'.

You must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the security clearance required for the role (more information on this can be found on our website) and be willing and able to travel within the UK and overseas if required

Due to the classified nature of the work involved, there are limited opportunities to work from home in this role. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will spend the majority of their time working on site at AWE Aldermaston or Burghfield.

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