Large Scale Chemist
📍 Onyx Scientific | Pharmaceutical CDMO | Location: Sunderland |Full-time | Permanent
Are you a chemist looking for a hands-on role where you can apply your technical expertise in a GMP-regulated environment and make a tangible impact?
At Onyx Scientific, we partner with academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical organisations worldwide, providing high-quality scientific support from early discovery through to commercial manufacture.
Due to continued growth, we’re looking for a GMP Chemist to join our manufacturing and scale-up teams.
The Role
As a Large Scale Chemist, you will play a central role in scale-up activities, operating reactors in the 50L–100L range while working in line with company safety standards and SOPs. You will support the delivery of reliable, high-quality outputs and collaborate closely with colleagues across the business.
This is a rewarding opportunity to work on complex pharmaceutical manufacturing projects while developing your experience within a successful and growing pharmaceutical organisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform kilo-scale chemistry with minimal supervision
- Operate large-scale reactor processes safely and effectively
- Maintain a high standard of cleanliness and housekeeping
- Write weekly reports with support and guidance
- Review completed documentation for accuracy and compliance
- Identify and report issues relating to paperwork or documentation
- Comply fully with company SOPs and training requirements
- Communicate delays, challenges, or issues clearly and constructively
About You
We’re looking for an enthusiastic and detail-oriented chemist who enjoys practical laboratory and manufacturing work within a structured, regulated environment.
You’ll be committed to working safely, maintaining high-quality standards, and ensuring documentation is completed accurately and on time. You’ll be comfortable working both independently and collaboratively while contributing positively to team objectives.
Essential Skills and Experience
- Degree in Chemistry or a related scientific discipline.
- Strong understanding of chemical techniques and laboratory practices.
- Experience working safely in laboratory or manufacturing environments.
- Excellent attention to detail, particularly relating to documentation and compliance.
- Strong organisational and time-management skills.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
- Commitment to Health, Safety and Environmental requirements.
- Ability to follow procedures accurately and work within regulated systems.
Desirable Experience
- Experience of kilo-scale or large-scale chemical processing
- Exposure to GMP-regulated environments
- Experience working within manufacturing, scale-up, or pilot plant operations
- Experience with advanced chemical processes such as gas reactions or air-sensitive chemistry
- Familiarity with SOP-driven quality systems and documentation requirements
What You’ll Bring
- A proactive and self-motivated approach
- Strong organisational and prioritisation skills
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Problem-solving ability and a continuous improvement mindset
- Flexibility and adaptability to meet operational requirements
- A collaborative attitude and willingness to support colleagues across teams
- A positive and enthusiastic approach to contributing to team success
What We Offer
🧪 The opportunity to work on meaningful manufacturing and scale-up projects
🤝 A supportive and collaborative scientific environment
📈 Career development within a growing pharmaceutical CDMO
Benefits
✨ Company events
🚲 Cycle to work scheme
🧠 Health & wellbeing programme
🛡 Life insurance
🏥 Private medical insurance
🚗 Free on-site parking
👉 If you’re passionate about chemistry and keen to make a meaningful contribution within a collaborative GMP manufacturing environment, we’d love to hear from you.