R&D Laboratory Coordinator - County Louth

R&D Laboratory Coordinator - County Louth.

Job Purpose
This is a position in industrial R&D which will play a central role in the company’s carbon reduction and circular economy strategies, in addition to the operational excellence programme.

In addition to research and development on products and process, the R&D Laboratory provides technical support to the sales team in assisting customers, and carries out routine specialist testing for the factory.

The successful applicant will be based in R&D Laboratory. The R&D Laboratory Coordinator reports to the Head of R&D.

Key duties and responsibilities:

Product & Process Development:
• Assess and evaluate potential new raw materials and fuels.
• Support product development programmes on new low carbon products.

Technical Marketing support:
• Assist the Technical Marketing department in providing technical assistance to customers and monitoring market performance of products.
• Investigate customer queries and complaints.
• Assist the Technical Marketing department in the introduction of new products to the market.

Production support:
• Support a programme of routine specialist testing to support the factory, including mineralogy, burnability, grindability, thermo-gravimetric analyses (TGA), x-ray diffraction (XRD) etc.
• Analysis of product and process data to advise on production improvements.

Laboratory:
• Ensure adherence to all Health & Safety guideline pertaining to R&D Laboratory activities.
• Conduct laboratory testing, analyse results and make recommendations.
• Liaise with specialist external laboratories as required to produce clear, concise, accurate and reliable reports.
• Work with equipment service providers to plan for servicing/upgrades and replacement of equipment.
• Maintain inventory of laboratory consumables and chemicals.

Key Skills required for this position:
• Extensive laboratory experience with powder and wet chemistry techniques.
• In-depth knowledge of chemistry, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent report writing and communication skills.
• Knowledge of safety data and practices associated with the use of chemicals and laboratory procedures/equipment.
• Competent IT knowledge, strong record keeping, organisational skills and attention to detail.
• The ability to work in a team, both with direct reports and in a collaborative manner.

• A 3rd level qualification (BSc or higher) in a suitable discipline such as Chemistry, Materials Science or Geology and experience in a similar or related role within industry.
• A work history of contributing and adding value to the overall performance of a previous employer.