Quality Control Technician Degree Level Apprenticeship - Arxada
Cogent Ssc Limited
Huddersfield (HD2 1FG)
Closes in 17 days (Monday 6 July 2026)
Posted on 19 June 2026
Contents
Summary
This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a high-performing laboratory environment where your work directly supports the safety, quality, and performance of products manufactured on site.
- Wage
-
£26,000 a year
- Training course
- Scientist (level 6)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 35 hours p.w. 08:00 – 16:00 with a 1 hour unpaid lunch break.
25 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
4 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
This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a high-performing laboratory environment where your work directly supports the safety, quality, and performance of products manufactured on site. As a QC Apprentice, you will gain hands-on experience in essential analytical testing, helping ensure that every product meets strict customer expectations and regulatory standards.
Working alongside experienced scientists and technicians, you will learn how to operate within robust site safety systems, quality frameworks, and analytical procedures that underpin world-class manufacturing. Your contribution will play a key role in maintaining product integrity and supporting continuous improvement across the site.
The role will include training within the QC laboratory, performing in-process and finished batch analysis, including the following:
- High Performance Liquid Chromatography
- LCMS
- X-Ray Fluorescence
- Titrimetric analysis
- Gravimetric analysis
- Viscometry
- Thermal analysis
- UV/Vis
- Working within the international quality standard, ISO 9001.
The successful candidate will be enrolled on a Level 6 Laboratory Science Degree programme with Manchester Metropolitan University, gaining a full BSc (Hons) degree in Chemical Science. You will benefit from online tutorial day release, one university residential per year, whilst receiving on-the-job training with the QC team for the remainder of the working week.
Additionally, the successful applicant will join a strong apprenticeship network, fostering mutual learning and support among peers.
ABOUT ARXADA
Arxada is a global science-based specialty chemicals business creating innovative chemistry and solutions. The company aims to solve the world’s toughest preservation challenges by enhancing sustainability with cleaner, greener solutions.
Arxada focuses on multiple end-markets primarily in: Human Health & Nutrition, Home & Personal Care, Paints & Coatings and Wood Protection, providing a broad portfolio of differentiated products and solutions, supported by its science and innovation capabilities, in-depth regulatory know-how and track record in manufacturing and process development.
With its headquarters in Basel Switzerland, Arxada employs 3100 associates across 24 production sites and 14 R&D centres.
Arxada (Arch) Huddersfield is a manufacturing site operating 24/7 to produce solutions for the wood protection, and paints and coatings sectors.
Our vision for solving the world’s toughest preservation challenges can only be achieved through the hard work and dedication of our highly valued employees. We strive to create an environment that is collaborative, inclusive and unlocks each individual’s unique talents. Our employees are empowered to learn and grow, while bringing their best skills and abilities to work every day.
Where you'll work
Ashgrove Road
Bradley
Huddersfield
HD2 1FG
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
Training course
Scientist (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
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.
Training schedule
- Qualification to be delivered: BSc (Hons) Chemical Science
- Apprenticeship Standard: Level 6 Laboratory Scientist
- Training Provider: Manchester Metropolitan University
- Delivery model: Blended (mixture online and in person): blended distance learning (weekly online sessions), 2-day induction and 2-day mini-residential (Year 1), annual skills bootcamp at Manchester Met Campus (5 days per year). Exams conducted in the workplace (with a nominated invigilator)
Requirements
Essential qualifications
A Level in:
Desirable qualifications
BTEC 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
- Analytical skills
- Logical
About this employer
As the specialists in skills for science and technology, our purpose is to make sure your business; your people and our industry are future ready. We are a not-for-profit charitable organisation with a family of commercially focused companies committed to supporting the skills, needs and ambitions across the UK science and technology sector.
https://cogentskills.com/vacancies/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Holiday Allowance - 25
- Days Holiday Allowance, plus Bank Holidays
- Pension - Employee 5%, Employer 3%
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
This role is part of our talent planning for the future. For the right person, we are looking to continue to develop the apprentice upon successful completion of the apprenticeship. Subject to satisfactory completion of the apprenticeship, the candidate may be considered for any available permanent positions.
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will be eligible to apply for Registered Scientist (RSci) status through a shortened application route.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Cogent Ssc Limited
Caroline Lees
caroline.lees@cogentskills.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000038277.
Apply now
Closes in 17 days (Monday 6 July 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.