Pharmaceutical Operator Apprentice

Summary

We are recruiting for Pharmaceutical Operators to join our Pilot Plant in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. This team-based, shift-working role will give you the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge, while using a variety of equipment to run chemical syntheses at plant scale (up to 1600 litres).

Wage

£22,000 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Shift allowance of £8,196 per annum

Training course

Scientist (level 6)

Hours

12-hour shifts (days & nights) including paid breaks 28-day shift pattern cycle: week 1: 2 dayshifts, 2 nightshifts, 3 days off week 2: 2 days off, 2 dayshifts, 3 nightshifts week 3: 4 days off, 3 dayshifts week 4: 2 nightshifts, 5 days off (exact shifts TBC)

42 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

4 years

Positions available

3

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

Responsibilities include:

Operate the Pilot Plant reactors and ancillary equipment following all current procedures (operating procedures, batch process guides, etc.)
Maintain high standards of safety, housekeeping, hygiene, and quality
Ensure written instructions are always adhered to
Notify your supervisor or Manager immediately of any irregularities so that corrective actions can be planned and implemented
Promptly and accurately complete documents as directed and record all irregularities
Support emissions monitoring and report/record information
Carry out routine maintenance and re-configuration of reaction vessels and ancillary equipment to ensure production is carried out in a timely and safe manner, complying with Health and Safety obligations
Participate fully and diligently in all training schemes.
Participate fully and diligently in project schemes to support continuous improvement in working practices

Where you’ll work

111
Innovation Drive
Milton Park
Abingdon
OX14 4RZ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

Your training course

Scientist (level 6)

Equal to degree

Course contents

Identify and apply scientific approaches to solve problems, support investigations and recommend any follow-up experiments.
Evaluate scientific experiments using an appropriate level of qualitative and quantitative numerical analysis.
Critically analyse data, relevant literature and input from colleagues to inform investigations.
Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific data and present the results in written and oral form.
Manage record keeping to ensure data integrity, traceability, confidentiality and adherence with appropriate regulatory requirements.
Promote, enact, document, and monitor the application of quality standards, safe working practices and compliance with risk management systems relevant to the role.
Identify opportunities to challenge assumptions and apply influencing skills to make improvements, make new proposals and build on existing ideas.
Manage work plan, prioritise tasks and evaluate progress against objectives.
Contribute to the development of technical projects across multi-skilled teams and share best practice across the wider business.
Conduct complex (chemical, or physical, or biological) scientific investigations in accordance with defined company procedures and legislative requirements.
Identify and implement continuous performance improvement using appropriate techniques.
Ensure work meets environmental, risk management and sustainability requirements and regulations of the business sector.
Evaluate own performance and knowledge, and set personal development goals.
Troubleshoot equipment selection and implement sustainable solutions.
Identify and collaborate with key stakeholders and provide technical support and advice where required.
Identify how other roles in the organisation can contribute to achieving sustainability goals.
Select and apply equipment, techniques, and methods to ensure reliable and accurate results.
Undertake practical analyses and measurement and communicate the outcomes using appropriate terminology and mathematical and graphical notation.
Use appropriate digital solutions for the collection and analysis of data, and the retrieval of appropriate information.
Use communication methods suited to objective and audience.
Use theoretical models, often involving approximations, to make quantitative predictions.
Apply chemical concepts and theories to investigations.
Design, develop and carry out chemical science investigations.
Recommend synthetic pathways to target-compounds and design experimental activities to test predictions.
Design and deploy purification, isolation and characterisation strategies, taking account of physicochemical properties of elements and compounds.
Design, develop and carry out qualitative and quantitative sample preparation, chemical measurement, and analysis.
Critically compare the results of theoretical or computational modelling with those from experiment and observation.
Apply physics theories to solve problems that cross scientific discipline boundaries.
Apply computational techniques to analysis and model physical behaviour.
Apply physics concepts and theories to investigations.
Design, develop and carry out physics based investigations.
Use mathematical techniques and theories to solve physics problems.
Use computer programming software to solve physics based problems.
Critically analyse current and emerging developments in the biosciences and the contribution of Biosciences to the wider industry.
Apply Biological concepts and theories to investigations.
Design, develop and carry out biological investigations
Perform tasks related to sample preparation and culturing techniques.
Use of laboratory automation systems.
Perform sampling with consideration for sample variation.
Identify and apply scientific approaches to solve problems, support investigations and recommend any follow-up experiments.
Evaluate scientific experiments using an appropriate level of qualitative and quantitative numerical analysis.
Critically analyse data, relevant literature and input from colleagues to inform investigations.
Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific data and present the results in written and oral form.
Manage record keeping to ensure data integrity, traceability, confidentiality and adherence with appropriate regulatory requirements.
Promote, enact, document, and monitor the application of quality standards, safe working practices and compliance with risk management systems relevant to the role.
Identify opportunities to challenge assumptions and apply influencing skills to make improvements, make new proposals and build on existing ideas.
Manage work plan, prioritise tasks and evaluate progress against objectives.
Contribute to the development of technical projects across multi-skilled teams and share best practice across the wider business.
Conduct complex (chemical, or physical, or biological) scientific investigations in accordance with defined company procedures and legislative requirements.
Identify and implement continuous performance improvement using appropriate techniques.
Ensure work meets environmental, risk management and sustainability requirements and regulations of the business sector.
Evaluate own performance and knowledge, and set personal development goals.
Troubleshoot equipment selection and implement sustainable solutions.
Identify and collaborate with key stakeholders and provide technical support and advice where required.
Identify how other roles in the organisation can contribute to achieving sustainability goals.
Select and apply equipment, techniques, and methods to ensure reliable and accurate results.
Undertake practical analyses and measurement and communicate the outcomes using appropriate terminology and mathematical and graphical notation.
Use appropriate digital solutions for the collection and analysis of data, and the retrieval of appropriate information.
Use communication methods suited to objective and audience.
Use theoretical models, often involving approximations, to make quantitative predictions.

Your training plan

Apprentices work full-time whilst studying towards a BSc (Hons) Scientist (Chemical Science) degree from Manchester Metropolitan University, as well as a Level 6-degree apprenticeship
Students study a tutor-supported e-distance learning curriculum and attend residential schools. The work-based projects, negotiated with employers, offer students the opportunity to apply their learning directly to their organisation
The programme is primarily taught through tutor-supported online study, part-time over four years
Apprentices will attend a two-day induction at the University to help them get to know each other and balance undergraduate study with working full-time. They will also attend a week-long residential at our campus in central Manchester once a year, in addition to a two-day mini-residential in the first year

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

Maths and English (grade A*-C/9-4)

A Level or equivalent in:

Various (with one being Chemistry) (grade BCC (104 UCAS Points))

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Team working
Awareness of cGMP
Time management skills
Manage multiple tasks
Flexible

Other requirements

This role is shift-based and includes night shifts. The job itself can be very manual, although manual-handling aids are provided. Uniform and all required PPE are provided. Company Benefits • Company Pension Scheme. • 22 shifts holiday & an additional 1 shift every 18 months completed up to a maximum of 25 shifts. • Private Health Insurance under the company scheme. • Private Dental Care Scheme. • Health Insurance providing 75% of base salary after a qualifying period. • Wellbeing support 24/7 and counselling services. • Eligibility to participate in the Company Bonus Scheme. • Cycle to work scheme. • Refer a friend scheme, team and annual company events, recognition awards and many more! • Great transport links from Oxford and the surrounding areas. • Milton Park also offers great cycling, running & walking routes as well as annual events. • We have excellent training and support and continuing professional development opportunities.

About this company

Evotec, Aptuit’s parent company, is a leader in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics with operational sites in the UK, Europe (Germany, Italy and France) and the US. Aptuit (Oxford) provides integrated chemistry and manufacturing capabilities to support drug substance development and GMP manufacturing on both laboratory and commercial scales for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients.

http://www.evotec.com (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Full training will be given.

This role can lead on to a career in Pilot Plant management or in another of our departments (including Health & Safety, Chemistry, QA, QC, Engineering).

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000317943.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 31 July 2025

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