Location: Merseyside / Wirral Area
Position: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: Competitive Pay & Great Benefits
About the Client
Our client is a leading, specialist manufacturer dedicated to innovation in advanced liquid and emulsion formulation. Operating across multiple sectors—including topical medical, personal care, household, and industrial applications—they pride themselves on delivering high-performing, safe, and compliant products for a global market. They are currently seeking a proactive and detail-focused Development Chemist to join their expanding technical team.
The Role
This is an exciting opportunity for a chemist with some years’ of industry experience to play a hands-on role in the development of liquid-based products. Supporting the technical department, the successful candidate will design, develop, and optimise formulations from early-stage laboratory testing through to scale-up and production support. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will develop your expertise in a specialist and evolving area of formulation chemistry.
Key Responsibilities
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Formulation & Design: Design, develop, and optimise liquid, gel, and emulsion formulations to meet performance, quality, and cost objectives.
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Testing & Evaluation: Conduct laboratory testing to assess product performance, rheology, stability, and compatibility with packaging components.
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Scale-up & Production: Support the transition of products from laboratory to pilot stage and into full production, including involvement in manufacturing and filling trials.
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Documentation: Maintain accurate laboratory records and prepare comprehensive technical documentation and reports.
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Troubleshooting: Assist with resolving formulation, processing, or production issues as they arise.
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Collaboration: Work closely with manufacturing, quality, and regulatory teams to ensure successful product launches.
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Innovation: Monitor developments in raw materials, innovative delivery systems, scientific literature, and relevant regulations.
About You
Our client is looking for a motivated chemist with a solid grounding in formulation and laboratory testing, ideally gained within personal care, household, or a related product environment.
Essential Skills & Experience:
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Degree in Chemistry or a related scientific discipline.
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Industry experience in formulation or product development.
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Hands-on laboratory testing experience and understanding of analytical techniques (e.g., viscosity, pH, stability, and particle size analysis).
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Familiarity with standard laboratory analytical equipment, such as FTIR.
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Strong problem-solving, data analysis, and organisational skills with high attention to detail.
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Clear communication skills and the confidence to collaborate with internal manufacturing and quality stakeholders.
Desirable Experience:
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Experience working with complex fluid delivery systems, dispensing mechanisms, or specialized packaging components.
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Exposure to pilot plant trials or scaling up batch manufacturing.
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Experience in personal care, household, automotive, industrial, or FMCG formulations.
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Knowledge of relevant regulations (e.g., CLP, REACH, and cosmetic/chemical compliance).
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Familiarity with stability testing protocols and accelerated ageing studies.
Why Join Our Client?
This role offers an exceptional opportunity to build a long-term career within a specialist technical sector. You will gain exposure to a broad range of product development projects and have the opportunity to progress into senior formulation or technical leadership positions. You will be at the forefront of industry innovation, including:
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Advanced topical and fluid delivery systems.
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Sustainable product development (green chemistry and eco-friendly packaging technologies).
Benefits
Our client offers a competitive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, work-life balance, and professional growth, including:
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Performance-related bonus scheme.
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Generous annual leave allowance, plus the option to purchase additional days.
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Scheduled Christmas factory shutdown.
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Company pension scheme & accident insurance.
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Comprehensive healthcare cash plan and employee assistance programme.
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Cycle to Work scheme.
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Excellent professional development and training opportunities.
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Free on-site parking.
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Regular company social events.