Process Development Engineer

Brightsmith are pleased to be representing a climate technology company developing processes to recover and reuse high-value materials from industrial waste, supporting sustainable manufacturing in a broad range of sectors, including aerospace. This role owns the experimental programme to scale a lab-proven process into pilot operation, designing and running structured trials and translating results into clear process decisions. It sits at the interface between chemistry and engineering, combining hands-on pilot plant work with solving scale-up challenges and defining robust operating conditions.

Key Responsibilities: Experimental Programme Ownership Define key process questions and design structured, hypothesis-driven experiments with clear outcomes Plan and manage a coherent trial roadmap, ensuring results translate into actionable process decisions Process Scale-Up & Translation Translate lab-scale conditions into pilot-scale operation, accounting for real-world engineering effects Identify and resolve scale-up challenges (heat/mass transfer, mixing, residence time) Define process sensitivity and establish robust operating windows for consistent product quality Pilot Plant Operations & Development Run and support pilot plant trials, working hands-on with equipment Support commissioning and integration of new systems Troubleshoot process deviations using structured root cause analysis Process Engineering Contribution Support development of process design documentation (e.g. flow diagrams, mass balances) Provide input into equipment specification and system design Contribute to process safety activities (e.g. risk assessments, HAZOP) Data, Documentation & Communication Capture, structure, and analyse experimental data to build a reliable process knowledge base Produce clear SOPs and technical reports with actionable insights Communicate findings effectively across engineering, chemistry, and operations teams Cross-Team Collaboration Act as the link between lab, engineering, and plant operations Ensure lab insights are accurately tested at pilot scale and inform process decisions Experience Required: Essential Degree in Chemical/Process Engineering (or closely related field) Experience in process development or scale-up Ability to design and lead structured experimental programmes Hands-on experience with lab or pilot-scale equipment Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Clear technical documentation and reporting ability Desirable Experience with reactive, solvent-based, or chemical processing systems Familiarity with process safety (e.g. HAZOP, risk assessments) Postgraduate qualification (MSc/PhD) in a relevant field Experience in early-stage or fast-changing environments If you are interested please apply below, or reach out directly at a.knight@brightsmithgroup.com41bf1e1f-b16b-4260-a40a-17c77a06fd15