Job Description

Applications for this role:

customersupport@clearwatersensors.com

Job title: Sensor Chemist

Date 09/01/2025.

Department:

Manufacturing and R&D

Location:

Southampton

Post Title:

Sensor Chemist

Hours:

Full time 37.5 hours per week

Guide salary:

29k-39k Pro-rata, depending on experience with pension plan, 8 public holidays + 25 days annual leave

Posts responsible to:

Head of Production

Context and Background:

Clearwater Sensors Ltd, a green growth sector start-up founded in 2019, develops and manufactures environmental sensors including Lab on Chip based microfluidic analysers for water chemistry analysis. Examples of applications include improvement of UK water quality, and study of rivers, lakes, oceans and industrial processes. Clearwater Sensors Ltd. licensed in Intellectual Property from the University of Southampton and the National Oceanography Centre in 2020 and is now fully financed from strong sales. The team has also been successful at winning research funding grants (5 grants for Innovate UK and the European Union Horizon Europe programme). We seek a skilled sensor chemist able to help the company consolidate and grow the scale, efficiency and reliability of chemical reagent and metrology standard manufacturing, as well as assisting customers, R&D and production departments with developments, testing, servicing, and deploying the sensors in trials and field applications.

Examples of applications for the sensing technologies include measurements of nutrients or pH on autonomous underwater vehicles for scientific and carbon sequestration applications as well as nutrient and water quality monitoring for UK regulators and the water industry. The sensors are robust (e.g. depth rated to 6000 m using oil filled pressure balanced design). They use microfluidics and reagent based analytical methods, almost exclusively with colorimetric readout. We will give you in depth training on the products, analytical methods, principles of operation and our current manufacture, reliability, quality, test and calibration processes.

What CWS Ltd offer

We offer flexible working, training and support to help the best candidates fulfil this role.

Note: This role will require fluidic and chemical preparation and use with CWS Sensors. Training will be provided for the right candidate as it is not expected that a candidate will possess all these attributes, experience or skills.

Duties include.

Working closely with the R&D team in development projects, including development of new assays, sensors, methods, quality improvements and applications.

Assist production engineering to convert or integrate new low volume and experimental assays and procedures to reliable methods suitable for volume production.

Performing testing, routine maintenance and calibration of complex multidisciplinary measurement systems, including safety checks, performance evaluation, fault inspections and recording results.

Help determine solutions for sensor, assay or reagent and associated chemical faults and quality control issues and develop preventative measures to prevent re-occurrence.

To develop and gain a competent understanding of CWS nutrient and wider environmental chemistry with colorimetric or fluorometric assays.

The preparation, testing and validation of reagents (analytical chemicals) as well as reference chemical standards for the manufacture and development of Sensors and associated parts.

To master and be responsible for shipping and labelling of hazardous chemicals, risk assessments and COSHH

Assist R&D and Production Engineering in New Product Introduction.

Assist customer care team and customers with technical queries, and deployments

Assist sales team with technical sales, technical queries and follow-up

Safely manage chemical stock and storage in compliance with CWS Lab Safety requirements, COSHH, MSDS, UK regulations and Risk Assessments.

Assist with the review, updating and creation of chemistry SOPs, and chemical and activity risk assessments, in accordance with CWS safe practices.

Support management by:

notifying delays, material stock quantities and shortages in a timely fashion.

working with fellow team members and management on continuous improvement projects or activities.

promoting and abiding by a tidy work environment mentality, help to implement and maintain a 5S working environment.

Key Accountabilities/Primary Responsibilities: % Time

Note: This is an indication of the typical work/time expectation, but not limited to this, as flexibility will be required.

R&D of assays and sensors 25%

Calibration testing and fault remedy 20%

Preparation of re-agents and metrology standards 20%

Deployment and fieldwork support 10%

Customer and sales technical queries / support 10%

H&S procedures and documentation 10%

Stock, Equipment & tool maintenance, housekeeping 5%

The candidate will get the best from the role if they are able to:

Maintain an accurate, methodical and documented work practice

Integrate with and support a multidisciplinary team

Become expert in sensor analysis and assist others with this knowledge through training

Communicate openly with customers and use feedback to improve practice and products

Character and approach expectations of the role:

Very reliable, committed and able to work to timelines

Works in an organised and tidy fashion

Works in a safe manner abiding by COSHH and Health and Safety Guidelines

Takes personal responsibility for the work assigned to them.

Always looks for high quality, robust and novel solutions to optimise product and company competitiveness.

Willingly creates documentation and provides training on analytical approaches.

Keeps a detailed logbook documenting analytical contributions, procedures guides, and user manuals

Works with users to develop analytical and operational requirements.

Performs sound experiments / tests using data to demonstrate the suitability of the developed solution.

The post holder will be self-motivated and able to tackle complex problems independently as well as excelling in a multidisciplinary team. They will be enthusiastic to learn new skills in a range of engineering and science disciplines and willing to make the extra effort to ensure they quickly become an expert.

They will have excellent analytical chemistry laboratory technique, as well as computer skills including Windows and MS Office as well as analytical software such as Matlab.

Expectations of all staff:

At all times comply with and ensure that duties are carried out in accordance with, relevant Clearwater Sensors ltd. business aims, contracts, service agreements, policies, procedures and guidance.

Promote and demonstrate a personal commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, teamwork, and working with respect.

Attend relevant training, maximise learning opportunities and maintain professional development by completing continuous professional development appropriate to the role.

Maintain a safe working environment by attending Health and Safety training as required and follow local codes of safe working practices and actively contribute to embedding a safety culture across Clearwater Sensors ltd.

Adopt and promote awareness of Clearwater Sensors ltd.'s ethical and environmental aims and other initiatives.

Carry out other duties within the scope, spirit and general purpose of the post and adopt a flexible approach to work.

As duties and responsibilities change this job description will be reviewed and revised in consultation with the post holder.

Undertake such other duties within the scope of the post as may be reasonably requested by your manager.

Personal Specification

Qualifications and Knowledge:

Essential

Degree or equivalent qualifications / experience in relevant discipline including metrology, measurement systems, chemical engineering, chemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, measurement systems engineering or related scientific or analytical discipline.

Skills and capabilities

Essential

Proven ability to undertake accurate metrology / testing methods for multidisciplinary and / or analytical chemistry devices.

Able to take initiative and to respond to customer queries

Ability to manage and deliver on multiple instrument types within a production environment

Ability to plan own work and adapt your schedule to optimise the productivity of colleagues and the team as a whole.

Behaviours:

Ability to support a team through accurate, professional and adaptable work practices that optimise company outputs.

Ability to manage own time effectively

Ability to provide training and constructive feedback to colleagues

Other requirements

Essential

Ability to meet the requirements of UK 'right to work' legislation [1]

Desirable

Willingness to work off-site and outside of normal hours from time to time as required

Willingness to work at sea for short periods, very occasionally, this will require mandatory training in Personal Survival Techniques and the ability to pass an ENG1 medical examination?

[1] In accordance with Home Office guidance and the Asylum, Immigration and Nationality Act 2006 ClearWater Sensors Ltd. has a responsibility to ensure all employees are eligible to work in the UK. Prior to commencing employment, the successful candidate will be asked to provide documentary evidence to this effect. For those who do not have a right to work in the UK, ClearWater Sensors Ltd. will need to apply to become a sponsor and support a visa application: success is not guaranteed. See further information about UK immigration requirements and working in the UK on the Home Office website

www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

Additional pay:

Performance bonus
Benefits:

Additional leave

Bereavement leave Casual dress Company events Company pension Cycle to work scheme. Flexitime Free parking On-site parking Sick pay Transport links

Ability to commute/relocate:

Southampton, SO15 0HW: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: In person.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: 29,000.00-39,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 37.5 per week

Benefits:

Casual dress Company events Company pension Cycle to work scheme Discounted or free food Employee discount Free parking On-site parking Sick pay Transport links
Schedule:

Monday to Friday Overtime
Experience:

laboratory methods / chemistry / environmental chemistry: 1 year (required) effective team working: 2 years (required) MS word and Excel (e.g. pivot tables, automation, formulas): 2 years (required) chemistry research: 2 years (required) measurement systems or instrumentation: 2 years (required)
Work authorisation:

United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 27/06/2025
Reference ID: CW Sensors Product and Applications Specialist