Role Profile
Research and Development Manager
Typical job description:
A chemical development engineer creates and develops industrial processes and plant to make the products on which modern society depends. These products include fuels, food and drink, artificial fibres, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, plastics, toiletries, energy and clean water.
They may focus on one or more of the following: researching and developing new or improved product lines; bringing these new products and processes to an industrial scale; developing and modifying the manufacturing and processing plant that produces the products; designing and commissioning new plant.
Protecting the environment and safety are significant concerns for the chemical development engineer.
They may focus on one or more of the following: researching and developing new or improved product lines; bringing these new products and processes to an industrial scale; developing and modifying the manufacturing and processing plant that produces the products; designing and commissioning new plant.
Protecting the environment and safety are significant concerns for the chemical development engineer.
Key Processes:
The exact nature of the work will depend on the size of the employing organisation.
However, it will almost certainly involve:
- working closely with process chemists and control engineers to ensure the process plant is set up to provide the maximum possible levels of output, whilst maintaining the smooth and efficient running of the production facility;
- instituting scale-up and scale-down processes when the transfer of technology from one plant to another requires manufacture at a new scale, and with equipment configured differently;
- applying new technologies, including: supercritical fluid chromatography; molecular recognition methods; hydrolytic kinetic resolution technology; solid phase synthesis; and novel hydrogenation methods;
- optimising production by analysing processes and identifying the conditions for the best process (and utilising the optimum equipment to carry it out);
- designing, installing/constructing and commissioning new production plant, monitoring developments and troubleshooting existing processes, all within tight financial control (many chemical engineers, especially at consultancies, will work full-time on plant design);
- assessing options for plant expansion or reconfiguration by developing and testing process simulation models to examine each option;
- developing multi-purpose synthesis plants (for instance in pharmaceutical production) to accelerate changeover between batches or new products;
- designing plant and equipment configuration so that they can be readily adapted to suit the product range and the process technologies involved at the plant;
- undertaking small and intermediate-scale manufacturing and packaging activities in pharmaceutical product development and the manufacture of approved products for clinical trial (CT) purposes;
- considering the hazards and the importance of exploiting nuclear technology safely, eg developing new methods of nuclear energy production (typical projects range from conceptual design and simulation, constructing test rigs and desktop studies, through to detailed design and operations support);
- determining the most economic method to exploit remote reserves, eg developing new reserves of oil and gas and bringing them to the surface, optimising the conditions that will maximise the output of raw material, providing solutions to problems as they arise and making accurate forecasts of future production;
- providing solutions for environmental considerations, especially in plant design, such as lowering emissions while maintaining production levels;
- ensuring that operator, environment, process and product safety aspects are considered at all stages of the project.
Entry Level:
Degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering or related subject
Related Job Experience
Search for related degrees or courses:
Industry Standard:
Degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering or related subject
N/SVQ in Management L4
ISOH Managing Safety
Chartered Engineering/Chemist Status
Competencies:
- Conceptual Thinking
- Flexibility
- Interpersonal Awareness
- Concern for Impact
- Strategic Influencing
- Results Orientation
Knowledge needed for the role:
- good oral and written communication skills;
- an understanding of engineering principles;
- an aptitude for and interest in chemistry;
- a careful and methodical approach;
- analytical and problem-solving ability.
Pay and conditions:
Average earnings of £39,000.
Other information:
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