Apprentice Process Operator
PALEUS CHEMICALS & POLYMERS LTD
NR DONCASTER (DN12 4LJ)
Closes in 13 days (Monday 22 June 2026)
Posted on 9 June 2026
Contents
Summary
This apprenticeship offers a structured pathway into process operations within a specialised chemical manufacturing environment, combining full-time off-the-job training at CATCH with hands-on experience at our Denaby Main site. You will develop technical, safety, and quality skills across a broad range of manufacturing activities.
- Wage
-
£17,000 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
The salary will be reviewed annually.
- Training course
- Process industry manufacturing technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
After an initial training period of day work, the role will be shift based, on a 24/5 shift pattern on 12 hour shifts. Repeated over 3 weeks, working 4 days, 3 days and 3 days to achieve 40 hour average over 3 weeks split between days and nights.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
-
3 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
The successful apprentice will learn to manufacture a range of water-based polymers, operating chemical reactors and associated equipment. Building on classroom learning in health, safety, environmental compliance, chemistry, and quality systems, they will develop practical skills across multiple reactor processes, maintenance activities, and stock management.
Duties will include:
- Under initial close shadowing of an experienced operator, you will learn the processes for preparing, charging and then reacting and monitoring polymerisation reactors.
- Packing finished product and cleaning processes.
- Learn how to handle various chemicals and the unique hazards associated with each of them.
- Assist with tanker loading and offloading.
- Learn and participate in the company processes such as batch recording, OEE recording, stock control, quality control and waste management.
Where you'll work
PITMAN ROAD
DENABY INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
OLD DENABY
NR DONCASTER
DN12 4LJ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
HCF CATCH LIMITED
Training course
Process industry manufacturing technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Review instructions or information to understand the task.
- Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
- Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow environment emergency procedures. For example, make area safe, evacuate.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Apply standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Check equipment.
- Select, check, and prepare raw materials for process for example, weighing, measuring, control and blending, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
- Set and adjust processing parameters such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance.
- Monitor process for example, take readings and conduct walk-arounds.
- Conduct the control of product streams to maintain specifics.
- Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, density checks, contaminant check, and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Apply intermediate or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
- Manage waste streams.
- Clean equipment for example, boil-outs, steam-outs, bake-outs, steam in place SIP, clean in place (CIP).
- Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Identify equipment for handover.
- Apply signage and access restriction measures.
- Shut down the process and equipment.
- Isolate process and systems.
- Complete isolation checks.
- Empty equipment for example, drain, purge, vent, and de-pressure.
- Purge, fill, pressurise and leak test.
- Complete post maintenance equipment checks.
- Line-up equipment.
- Connect service connections such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic for chemical or petrochemical processing.
- De-isolate process, mechanical and electrical systems.
- Complete pre-start up checks.
- Start-up plant and equipment.
- Re-start process.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
- Interpret drawings and graphs.
- Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
- Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements.
- Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Apply team working principles.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development (CPD) activities.
- Review instructions or information to understand the task.
- Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
- Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow environment emergency procedures. For example, make area safe, evacuate.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Apply standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Check equipment.
- Select, check, and prepare raw materials for process for example, weighing, measuring, control and blending, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
- Set and adjust processing parameters such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance.
- Monitor process for example, take readings and conduct walk-arounds.
- Conduct the control of product streams to maintain specifics.
- Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, density checks, contaminant check, and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Apply intermediate or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
- Manage waste streams.
- Clean equipment for example, boil-outs, steam-outs, bake-outs, steam in place SIP, clean in place (CIP).
- Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Identify equipment for handover.
- Apply signage and access restriction measures.
- Shut down the process and equipment.
- Isolate process and systems.
- Complete isolation checks.
- Empty equipment for example, drain, purge, vent, and de-pressure.
- Purge, fill, pressurise and leak test.
- Complete post maintenance equipment checks.
- Line-up equipment.
- Connect service connections such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic for chemical or petrochemical processing.
- De-isolate process, mechanical and electrical systems.
- Complete pre-start up checks.
- Start-up plant and equipment.
- Re-start process.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
- Interpret drawings and graphs.
- Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
- Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements.
- Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Apply team working principles.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development (CPD) activities.
Training schedule
The apprenticeship follows a 4-year programme, with the first year spent off the job at CATCH in Stallingborough. This would be Monday - Friday, 8.30am - 4.00pm.
The remainder of the apprenticeship is then completed onsite with the employer.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Attention to detail
- Team working
Other requirements
- Physically fit and able to lift up 25KG.
- Full driving license preferred.
About this employer
PALEUS are a Doncaster-based chemical manufacturer and developer of water based polymer emulsions and solutions for a wide range of applications including pressure sensitive adhesives, coatings, construction adhesives and water treatment.
https://paleus.com (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
A travel subsidy may be available dependent on candidate location.
After this apprenticeship
Successful completion of the apprenticeship could lead to a higher-level apprenticeship or full-time employment for the right candidate.
You will have developed a variety of interchangeable skills and have an in depth understanding of manufacturing and processes.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HCF CATCH LIMITED
Simon Hallissey
simon.hallissey@paleus.com
01709 861373
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000035689.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Monday 22 June 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.