Apprentice Research Scientist – Fuel Specialities
INNOSPEC LIMITED
Ellesmere Port (CH65 4EY)
Closes in 28 days (Friday 19 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 20 August 2025
Contents
Summary
We are seeking an Apprentice Research Scientist to join our Fuel Specialties business. The Research team are responsible for developing new products for Innospec’s Fuel Specialties division. The team work on short-, medium- and long-term research projects to develop innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of the industry.
- Wage
-
£15,500 a year
- Training course
- Scientist (level 6)
- Hours
-
37.5 hours per week, 30-minutes unpaid lunch break, exact working days and hours TBC
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 6 October 2025
- Duration
-
5 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
Initially, the successful candidate will learn laboratory techniques including synthesis, analysis and application testing. They will support the senior Chemists with the aim of developing detailed knowledge over the course of the five-year apprenticeship. It is hoped upon completion the successful candidate will understand Innospec’s product range, fuel Chemistry, production methods for legacy/alternative fuels and an insight into how Innospec’s products influence the performance of engines.
Main responsibilities:
- Undertake scientific work to aid in the development of new products
- Carry out laboratory experimental work including synthesis, analysis and testing in accordance with in-house and Industry standard methods
- Carry out laboratory work in accordance with local Innospec safety procedures
- Collate and communicate experimental results with peers and management
- Undertake calibration and quality checks to maintain laboratory instrument performance
- Be able to focus on deliverables and to work well within a small team
- Ensure laboratory areas are safe and tidy according to local standards
Where you'll work
Innospec Manufacturing Park Oil Sites Road
Ellesmere Port
CH65 4EY
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT
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
Scientist Level 6.
The apprentice will spend one day per remotely studying.
There are two 'Summer Schools' each one weeklong in duration at our Canterbury Campus, one in first year and a second in the second year (Innospec will provide accommodation for this residential stay).
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4/C)
- Maths (grade 4/C)
A Level in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Organisation skills
- Team working
About this employer
Innospec is a global specialty chemicals company focused on bringing innovative new technologies to market combined with a fast and responsive service. We serve a range of industries across the world, bringing our products to customers in markets from oilfields, fuels, refineries and power stations to personal care and performance chemicals. Our global team of approximately 2,000 employees spans 25 countries, applying their extensive experience and market understanding to customers’ local needs. Integrating our global footprint with local service capability enables us to supply quality products that meet and anticipate changing market dynamics.
After this apprenticeship
Possible career progression to Junior Research Chemist.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000338151.
Apply now
Closes in 28 days (Friday 19 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
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