Job description
About CPI
CPI helps make great ideas and inventions a reality. We’re a team of intelligent people using advances in science and technology to solve the biggest global challenges in healthcare and sustainability.
Through our incredible people and innovation infrastructure, we collaborate with our partners in industry, academia, government, and the investment community to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative products.
From health technologies and pharmaceuticals to sustainable food and materials innovations, we turn the entrepreneurial spirit and radical thinking of our people and partners into incredible impact that makes our world a better place.
Why this role is important for CPI’s work
The Process Engineering team at CPI has a broad remit to support the scale up of novel processes using a combination of process engineering and modelling & simulation skills. We translate good science into engineering reality by applying creative thinking in the development of concept designs & feasibility studies for new, interesting and technically diverse processes, applying techniques from a broad range of industry and technology areas to identify effective, economically beneficial and environmentally sustainable designs, and then taking those processes and the companies behind them through to pilot scale and on to commercialisation. Some examples of the incredible projects our team get to work on our below:
Helping Deep Branch Biotechnology to scale up their novel CO2 to protein process
Design, build and operation of a demonstration facility for Calysta’s new methane to protein process
Helping to assess the process economics of next generation sustainable aviation fuels
The Role
You will be responsible for the delivery of engineering design projects, feasibility studies and other technical assessments of novel processes including techno-economic analysis to ensure processes stand the best chance of being both technically feasible and economically viable.
This is an exciting opportunity to work almost exclusively with processes which have never been done before. This is not a “copy & paste” engineering role, the opportunity for creativity is significant as whilst our customers have generally invented the science, it’s down to us to invent the process to deliver that science at scale and also to help develop our customers’ knowledge of engineering as we work with them.
Key tasks in the Process Engineer role will include (but are not limited to) the below:
- To provide engineering support to the business unit and to the wider CPI as required, including the development of engineering calculations, flowsheets, P&IDs, etc.
- To use process engineering expertise to add value to the projects and technologies run by CPI, working closely with customers (both internal and external to CPI) in order to understand their needs and deliver work programmes, working mostly independently but with support of senior engineers as required.
- To collaborate closely with the process engineering, asset engineering and plant operations teams to ensure flexible and efficient organisation of work and ongoing development of skills.
- To manage contribution to the delivery of own projects to ensure all process engineering deliverables are met, coordinating with other resources as required.
- To present and formally report calculation results, designs, conclusions, recommendations and supporting data for internal peer review and submission to clients, to agreed timescales and standards, using appropriate documentation format and storage procedures, and following checking and approval processes.
- To take ownership of Continual Personal Development (CPD), identifying training opportunities and discussing ongoing training requirements with line manager.
- To keep self up to date with developments in areas relevant to role, and/or legislative and SHE related changes, ensuring understanding of these and any associated new best practice, methods or techniques.
- To actively engage in hazard studies / SRA studies and discussions, as appropriate to role level.
The person we are seeking
It is essential you are educated to HNC or Foundation Degree level (or equivalent) in a Chemical / Biochemical Engineering discipline plus significant industrial experience, OR educated to Degree level (or equivalent) in a Chemical Engineering or similar, plus relevant industrial experience.
It would be desirable that you are educated to Masters level (or equivalent) in a Chemical Engineering or similar, plus relevant industrial experience. Chartered status with a relevant professional institution is also desirable.
The successful candidate will also have a good working knowledge of chemical engineering design and process safety, ideally familiar with the early stages of design development in concept & pre-FEED. Familiarity with bioprocesses would be beneficial but is not essential.
What does CPI offer you?
At CPI, we offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, this includes:
- Up to 36 days holiday, including bank holidays – Plus a holiday purchasing scheme
- Generous pension scheme
- Life assurance and accident insurance schemes
- Flexible working
- Learning and Development Opportunities
- Free parking
Find out more about our culture and benefits.
Additional information
CPI is an organisation based in the UK. Commencement of employment is conditional to demonstrating right to work in the UK, sponsorship may be available.