Laboratory Technician Apprentice (Level 3) - Actikem

Department: Science Apprenticeship - Chemistry L3

Location: Warrington

Compensation: £18,000 - £22,000 / year

Description



Location: Bewsey Industrial Estate, 1 Lilford St, Warrington, WA5 0LE

Working for Actikem Ltd

Actikem enhance the lives of our customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders and local community through our chemistry and by creating added value products and services that solve everyday problems, create great employment opportunities and generate wealth that provides financial security.

We do this by providing bespoke outsourced chemical manufacturing and repackaging services to the UK & European chemical supply chain, with a focus on delivering an unrivalled service. Our vision is to be recognised as the preferred chemical manufacturing and repackaging partner for the UK & European chemical industry, delivering long term innovative and sustainable solutions for all our customers.

Our client base ranges from global chemical companies to small independent chemical distributors. Clients of Actikem may not have their own manufacturing facilities or are looking to outsource some of their operations to a third-party provider. Actikem also supply bespoke products to industry because of end of live/divestment of products from major manufacturers.

Innovation sits at the centre of what we do, and we believe everything can be improved. For our customers, we make their ambitions a reality, delivering tailored solutions to our clients and career development opportunities for our people. We believe relationships are key to building a successful business. We offer our customers a safe pair of hands and gain their trust to do an important job well without making mistakes.

We invest in our employees and our technologies to be the best of show, and are building a great team of experts, so now have an exciting opportunity for a Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprentice to join the team! The Package

• Starting salary: £18,000 - £22,000 per annum


• Quarterly attendance bonus (£500)


• Annual company performance bonus


• 23 days annual leave, plus bank holidays


• Extra 2 days of annual leave available (if company objectives are achieved)


• Monday – Friday, 8.00 – 16:00 (with 30 min break)


• Pension scheme


• Regular training and CPD opportunities

What will I be doing as an apprentice?

Actikem are pleased to be able to offer you the opportunity to both earn a salary and study towards a nationally recognised qualifications through our Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship.

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will help coordinate and maintain the daily running of the QC laboratory as well as aiding and supporting the QC Technician, Development Chemist and Production Department in testing, analysing and recording data on a wide variety of specialty formulated chemical products and raw materials.

• Calibrate laboratory instruments according to SOPs to maintain ISO9001:2015 certification.


• Perform routine tests on formulated products following predefined methods and parameters, including viscosity, specific gravity, water content, pH, acid value, color analysis, suspended solids, and refractive index.


• Interpret test results and report deviations to the QC Technician.


• Maintain a clean, organized workspace, ensuring health and safety in compliance with GLP (Good Laboratory Practice).


• Contribute to quality assurance improvements and procedure development within the organization.


• Identify risks or non-conformance in the quality management system and take preventive or corrective actions to meet standards.


• Operate various laboratory equipment to test and analyze specialty chemicals.


• Keep accurate written records.


• Support the Production Department during product formulation.


• Evaluate alternative raw materials from different chemical suppliers.


• Assist in developing and testing new products.


• Work with the QC Technician to manage workload in the QC lab and collaborate with the Managing Director and Development Chemist on technical projects.


• Perform routine wet chemical analysis within the Quality Management System.


• Record laboratory QC data, generate certificates of analysis, manage retained samples, report and correct non-conformances, and maintain laboratory procedures and analysis methods.


• Prepare and package samples for shipment and customer evaluation.


• Maintain supplier safety data sheets and ensure safe disposal of chemical samples.


• Assist in improving laboratory safety systems to ensure ongoing regulatory compliance.

What could the future look like?

There's no limit to what you can achieve while working with Actikem. Their team is at the heart of what they do, and they are looking for someone who wants to play a key part in that long term. As a successful applicant, you have the potential to secure a permanent position at the end of your apprenticeship and truly progress within the business!

Through practical 'on-the-job' training you'll have the opportunity to learn new skills to provide competency and responsibility in carrying out testing and to help develop your career.

This apprenticeship program serves as a stepping stone towards a rewarding career in the chemistry field. This enables you to take on more specialised roles or progress into leadership positions. You can look forward to a range of potential career paths in all industries, as there is a growing demand for skilled professionals across all areas of business!

Rest assured, your hard work and determination will be recognised!

What will you bring?

Qualifications

It's about enthusiasm, not school results. In our experience, the most successful apprentices are those who have drive to find out more about the sector, can be up-front about what they do and don't already know, are considerate, self-reflective and impatient to learn the job role!

Experience

Whilst previous experience is great, we're not just interested in experience and qualifications; we're looking for someone with the right attitude and aptitude to fit right in at Actikem.

About you

• You will bring strong written and verbal communication skills, combined with excellent interpersonal skills which will allow you to collaborate effectively with the team!


• You will have an absolute passion for chemistry, with a desire to start a long-term career in the field.


• We are looking for someone who is focused and meticulous in all aspects of work. It's crucial that you will have good attention to detail, as our customers depend on the data you will generate for their processes.


• You will be working with hazardous chemicals so safety will be an important consideration!

To succeed in this apprenticeship, you'll need bags of enthusiasm, be a fantastic collaborator and be hungry to learn!

Please note, because of the location of this position, you will require a drivers license and access to your own car and will need to be aged 18 or over.

Even if this doesn't sound quite like you, but you still think you could do a great job in the role, get in touch. We're always open to hearing from you!

So how does the apprenticeship work?

At Tiro we're obsessed with changing lives through science and technology apprenticeships so we can't wait to have you on board.

Over 21 months, you'll devote a minimum of 6 hours of your working week on 'off the job' training. This can include theory training (for example, virtual lessons & online learning), alongside practical training (for example shadowing, mentoring, & time spent writing assignments. Together this will count towards a Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship. You'll be trained by an expert tutor from Tiro as well as an experienced mentor at Actikem who together, will make sure you develop the knowledge, skills, and work habits you'll need to succeed in your career.

Being an apprentice is hands-on, so you'll get the chance to learn things you might otherwise not have experienced in a university or college environment.

The best part? You'll be earning a salary while you gain your qualifications, meaning no huge student loans to pay back at the end of the programme!

Want to know more. Check out the apprenticeship standards here.


Eligibility


While we never want to hinder your job application process with obstacles, there are some minimum requirements you'll need to meet in order to do an apprenticeship, these are rules set by the UK Government.

You'll need to be over 18, not in full time education, have lived in the UK for 3 years and have the right to work in the UK.

If you don't quite meet these minimum requirements yet, let us know you're interested here and we'll get in touch to discuss this further with you.