Principal / Senior Scientist - Colloid Science

CPI has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Principal or Senior Scientist to join the established and growing Colloid Science team within the National Formulation Centre based at NETPark in Sedgefield.

The Colloids team win and deliver a broad range of commercial and collaborative R&D projects in the area of paints & coatings, agritech, food & feed, FMCG and pharmaceuticals.

You will be responsible for providing technical expertise, capability and input contributing to the delivery of projects in the broad area of Colloid Science. You will act as a technical lead, leading small to medium/large scale (some complex) projects ranging from initial proof of concept projects lasting only a few weeks to multi-year projects/programs. You will draw upon your technical skills and experience to provide carefully thought through advice and expertise to a range of stakeholders across CPI.

You will work closely with the Business Development and Bid writing teams to secure new public and privately funded projects in the Colloid Science space. You will have the opportunity to work at the interface of academia and industry, with a large number of projects, partners, technologies, and market sectors. This variety will give you the opportunity to work on fundamental science/R&D as well as product development and commercialisation.

While reporting to the team manager, it is also expected you will work as first line management to a small number of colleagues (up to 5) within the wider team (total team members approx. 20), ensuring delivery of departmental goals, through delegation and providing feedback and motivation to team members. This will include working alongside the team manager in managing allocation of resource to ensure project delivery and development of the team.

This role is ideal if you are committed to and actively seek opportunities to develop yourself, can quickly adapt to different aspects of a role and enjoy working in a dynamic and collaborative environment.

Please use the below links to view some projects the team have delivered,

• To supervise the team, ensuring delivery of departmental goals, through appropriate delegation and providing feedback and motivation to team members. This includes providing first line-management support, allocation of resource to ensure project delivery and short-term planning of deliverables.


• To undertake line manager activities to ensure the smooth running of the group. This will include:

+ Short term (daily / weekly / monthly) planning of activities and objectives
+ Assisting the area manager in setting team and individual objectives to meet technology team and company objectives
+ Supporting the area manager with performance management activities, and leading on these where appropriate
+ Providing training and coaching to team members to enable delivery of objectives
+ Act as a point of contact for team members' queries and escalations
+ Conduct regular meetings and one to one sessions with team members to ensure good communication across the team

• To identify new technical developments and trends, translate these into building blocks for opportunities across and outside of CPI and initiate the creation of (new) technological innovations/applications.


• To build, influence and exploit a network of relevant (inter)national external stakeholders, customers, partners, research organisations and authorities, to represent CPI as the technical expert in networks and discuss and lobby for projects and future developments.


• To actively contribute to a culture of continuous capability development within teams, in alignment with company strategy and project deliverables. This will be achieved by coaching and developing colleagues, (both technically and behaviourally) to help them reach their potential and acting as a mentor to senior colleagues across the organisation, providing a strategic perspective.


• To work collaboratively with Business Development and technical colleagues, providing support relating to proposal / project development and direct customer engagement. Seek out and engage in business development opportunities where appropriate.


• To act as a credible partner to Bid Development teams, actively involved in defining and advising on the technical elements of a bid, in order to develop a programme of works.


• To set up, plan and execute experimental / pilot scale runs and analyse, interpret, and report the results of these, translating obtained findings and knowledge.


Senior Scientist I

• To supervise the team, ensuring delivery of departmental goals, through appropriate delegation and providing feedback and motivation to team members. This includes providing first line-management support, allocation of resource to ensure project delivery and short-term planning of deliverables.


• To undertake line manager activities to ensure the smooth running of the group. This will include:

+ Short term (daily / weekly / monthly) planning of activities and objectives
+ Assisting the area manager in setting team and individual objectives to meet technology team and company objectives
+ Supporting the area manager with performance management activities, and leading on these where appropriate
+ Providing training and coaching to team members to enable delivery of objectives
+ Act as a point of contact for team members' queries and escalations
+ Conduct regular meetings and one to one sessions with team members to ensure good communication across the team

• To identify new technical developments and trends, translate these into building blocks for opportunities within the technology team, initiating the creation of (new) technological innovations/applications.


• To build, maintain and exploit a network of relevant external stakeholders, customers, partners, research organisations and authorities, to represent the technology team as a credible specialist in networks, identifying opportunity for future projects and developments.


• To actively contribute to a culture of continuous capability development through coaching, mentoring and/or developing colleagues within the technology team, providing insights into areas of specialism. This may include coaching and developing junior colleagues (both technically and behaviourally) to help them reach their potential.


• To work collaboratively with Business Development, Bid Proposal, and technical colleagues to contribute to proposal / project development and direct customer engagement. Engage in business development opportunities where appropriate.


• To set up, plan and execute experimental / pilot scale runs and analyse, interpret, and report the results of these, translating obtained findings and knowledge.


Senior Scientist II

• To supervise the team, ensuring delivery of departmental goals, through appropriate delegation and providing feedback and motivation to team members. This includes providing first line-management support, allocation of resource to ensure project delivery and short-term planning of deliverables.


• To undertake line manager activities to ensure the smooth running of the group. This will include:

+ Short term (daily / weekly / monthly) planning of activities and objectives
+ Assisting the area manager in setting team and individual objectives to meet technology team and company objectives
+ Supporting the area manager with performance management activities, and leading on these where appropriate
+ Providing training and coaching to team members to enable delivery of objectives
+ Act as a point of contact for team members' queries and escalations
+ Conduct regular meetings and one to one sessions with team members to ensure good communication across the team

• To identify new technical developments and trends, translate these into building blocks for opportunities within the technology team, initiating the creation of (new) technological innovations/applications.


• To build, maintain and exploit a network of relevant external stakeholders, customers, partners, research organisations and authorities, to represent the technology team and self as a credible expert, identifying opportunity for future projects and developments.


• To actively contribute to a culture of continuous capability development through coaching, mentoring and/or developing colleagues across the technology team and organisation, providing insights into areas of specialism. This may include coaching and developing colleagues (both technically and behaviourally) to help them reach their potential and acting as a mentor to colleagues across the organisation, providing an expert-level perspective.


• To work collaboratively with Business Development, Bid Proposal, and technical colleagues to contribute to proposal / project development and direct customer engagement. Seek out and engage in business development opportunities where appropriate.


• To set up, plan and execute experimental / pilot scale runs and analyse, interpret, and report the results of these, translating obtained findings and knowledge.
  
  Applications are particularly welcome from candidates with experience in paints & coatings, agritech, food & feed and FMCG. It is desirable that candidates have experience in more than one of these areas.


Applications are also welcome from candidates with expertise in pharmaceuticals with a view to involvement in on-going and future projects in, for example, encapsulation of pharmaceutical actives in lipid nanoparticles.

Successful candidates will be educated to HNC, Foundation Degree, Degree, master's degree or PhD level (or equivalent) in a Scientific/Engineering discipline, plus relevant industrial experience and;

Principal Scientist

• Possess significant industrial expertise in Colloid Science as well as compelling evidence of complex technical problem-solving and leadership.


• Exhibit professional mastery of principles and practices in Colloid Science gained through career to date in area of expertise.


• Be able to demonstrate evidence of building cross industry and organisational knowledge sharing and network building.


• Can provide examples of actively building cross-organisation collaboration to achieve desired results.


• Actively demonstrate in-depth technical and theoretical knowledge of Colloid Science and can participate at a high level in more than one area. Is viewed as an authority in at least Colloid Science by peers and managers.


• Take responsibility for diverse or complex technical activities where it is necessary to use own initiative and judgement, implementing innovative solutions in complex situations.


• Be flexible and can adapt, simultaneously working on multiple projects and enjoys working in a dynamic and collaborative environment, with effective influencing and communication skills.


• Is a recognised industry expert in Colloid Science, as well as having broader technical knowledge and capability, and ability to apply in a variety of contexts., Possess technical expertise in Colloid Science as well as compelling evidence of complex technical problem-solving and leadership.


• Be able to demonstrate evidence of building knowledge sharing and network building practice across teams and organisations to achieve desired results.


• Actively demonstrate in-depth technical and theoretical knowledge of Colloid Science and can participate at a high level in more than one area. Is viewed as an authority in at least Colloid Science by peers and managers.


• Can provide examples of actively building cross-team and business area collaboration to achieve desired results.


• Actively participates in diverse or complex technical activities where it is necessary to use own initiative and judgement.


• Be flexible and can adapt, simultaneously working on multiple projects and enjoys working in a dynamic and collaborative environment, with effective influencing and communication skills.


It is also desirable that candidates have experience with line management responsibilities, supervising a small team and ensuring delivery of departmental goals.

CPI helps make great ideas and inventions a reality. We're a team of intelligent people using advances in science and technology to solve the biggest global challenges in healthcare and sustainability.

Through our incredible people and innovation infrastructure, we collaborate with our partners in industry, academia, government, and the investment community to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative products.

From health technologies and pharmaceuticals to sustainable food and materials innovations, we turn the entrepreneurial spirit and radical thinking of our people and partners into incredible impact that makes our world a better place., CPI is an organisation based in the UK. Commencement of employment is conditional to demonstrating right to work in the UK, sponsorship may be available.

At CPI, we offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, this includes:

• Up to 36 days holiday, including bank holidays - Plus a holiday purchasing scheme


• Generous pension scheme


• Life assurance and accident insurance schemes


• Flexible working


• Learning and Development Opportunities


• Free parking


Find out more about our culture and benefits.