R&D Technologist

The Flooring Systems division offers a broad and attractive range of environmentally friendly natural linoleum, high-quality vinyl floors, entrance matting systems for cleaning and drying shoes, carpet tiles, needle felt, and Flotex, the washable high-tech textile flooring. Thanks to their excellent technical properties and attractive design, these flooring products are invariably the first choice for public buildings, department stores, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities, schools, libraries, commercial and office spaces, leisure centers, shops, hotels, restaurants, and cafeterias as well as for applications in the residential market. With a market share of about 70 percent, Forbo is the world leader in linoleum.

Flooring Systems also provides ready-made adhesives for floor covering installations, parquet flooring, and ceramic tiles, leveling compounds for the construction industry as well as liquid floors under the trade name Eurocol.

With 15 sites across 26 countries and 3000 employees, the flooring division has 4 sites in the United Kingdom. Further information at http://www.forbo.co.uk/

Location : Ripley, Derbyshire

The Ripley site produces a range of flocked floor coverings in sheet, tile and plank formats. With a manufacturing footprint of 12000sqm and a 9000sqm warehouse, Ripley’s manufacturing processes include polyamide yarn cutting, dyeing, drying, electrostatic flocking, rotary and digital printing, backing application and final cutting/conversion. The Ripley site has ISO14001, ISO9001, ISO45001 and ISO 5001 (the first manufacturing site in the UK to achieve this) quality accreditations.

R&D Technologist

The Role

We’re looking for a curious and driven R&D Technologist to join our close-knit team of three at our Ripley site, working directly with the Head of QA & Development for BU Textiles.

In this full-time, hands-on role (36.5 hrs/week), you'll play a pivotal part in shaping the future of Flotex by leading raw material evaluations, supporting Flotex production and helping to solve production challenges, and developing new Flotex products and innovations.

Key Responsibilities For The Position Include

• Ensuring safe working practices across lab and factory environments
• Applying expertise in colour theory, dyeing techniques, and colourfastness
• Evaluating raw materials using knowledge of their properties and how they react to different processing conditions
• Supporting production with problem solving, technical insights and guidance
• Operating lab and pilot equipment with sound understanding of lab protocols
• Driving R&D projects independently and collaboratively to meet deadlines
• Communicating effectively and use available tools to develop innovative textile solutions
• Using available resources to investigate, recommend and develop innovative products/ solutions and contribute to continuous improvement
  
  

The Successful Candidate Must

• Education: Have a science-based degree level or above
• Technical Proficiency: Have a strong understanding of raw materials, R&D processes, and lab equipment, including safe lab practices and experimental design
• Project Management: Have project management experience and be skilled at planning, prioritising, and delivering R&D projects on time, often juggling multiple tasks
• Communication: Deliver clear and effective communication in sharing ideas, writing reports, and collaborating across departments
• Attention to detail: Demonstrate precision in lab work, documentation, and quality control is essential
• Analytical thinking: Have the ability to interpret data, troubleshoot issues, and draw meaningful conclusions from experiments
• Innovation mindset: Demonstrate curiosity and creativity to explore new ideas, develop novel solutions, and improve existing products
• Adaptability: Be comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities and new challenges
• Teamwork and independence: Be able to work autonomously when needed, but also thrive in cross-functional teams utilising collaboration skills
• IT: Have proficiency in Microsoft office
• Experience in a manufacturing environment is preferable
• Experience in textile dying or colourist experience is preferable
  
  

Salary: £47,000

Bonus target: £1,880

Fully site based

Stakeholder Pension Scheme, with death in service benefit

34 days holiday [including bank holidays]

Cash plan Scheme

Occupational Health provision

Employee Assistance Programme

Free on site parking facilities

To apply, please forward on a cover letter explaining how you meet the above requirement along with a current CV detailing your current & expected salary/benefits package to Sarah McMasters, HR Business Partner (Ripley site)

[email protected]