Placement Student — Complex Particles

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.

CPI is delighted to be recruiting for a placement opportunity who will join the established and growing Complex Particles team within the National Formulation Centre based at NETPark, in Sedgefield.

This role gives you the opportunity to join an established team already working in the powder technology space. During this placement, you will support and strengthen the current capabilities of the team in support of exciting new capabilities that are being developed at CPI in the areas of powder science, process engineering and digital. 

The Complex Particles team works across a broad range of powder science and technology related projects. Our reach spans across food, pharmaceutical technology, agricultural technology, battery technology, sustainable materials and fast moving consumer goods. We exist because the composition of most formulated products includes powders. Powdered materials are also multifaceted in nature, and so the complex particles team work with solid materials such as powders and powder mixtures to deliver novel manufacturing processes and process learning for existing processes in both intermediates and products. The lab has utility to a range of industrial applications across a wide variety of particle and material attributes, integrating computational models such as CFD & DEM, integrated sensors, and Quality by Design learning tools to create scalable product control strategies which will optimise formulation performance and production efficiency. 

The team specialises in four key areas:

1. Particle prototyping by use of processes such as mixing, milling, coating and tabletting
2. Particle characterisation by use of techniques such as rheology, granulometry, particle density, dissolution and powder flow testing
3. Process optimisation by use of process analytical tools (PAT) for inline analysis, model-based control and computational modelling such as CFD and DEM
4. Process scale-up such as tabletting and battery slurry mixing

Some exciting projects the team have recently worked on are:

Modelling powder flow — Accelerating powder process design using discrete element modelling

Powder processing — Driving new and improved powder-based consumer products

Advanced Materials Battery Industrialisation Centre (AMBIC) – working towards the upcoming opening of the AMBIC facility. This will provide a series of exciting opportunities in the battery manufacturing and development space, at laboratory to pilot-scale. 

The Role:

To present and formally report experimental conclusions and supporting data for internal peer review and submission to clients, to agreed timescales and standards.

To actively engage in hazard studies / SRA studies and discussions, as appropriate to role level. 

To support the set-up, plan and execute experimental / pilot scale runs and analyse, interpret, and report the results of these within agreed timescales and quality standards, and following project/​client requirements. 

To take ownership in agreeing to weekly work plans with the line manager, project manager(s) and other relevant stakeholders, and delivering the plan to the agreed schedule.

To support the maintenance and calibration of equipment to ensure it operates in a safe and efficient manner and is available to meet customer needs.

To maintain consistent and documented compliance with all relevant Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE), quality and best practice requirements.

To keep self up to date with developments in areas relevant to role, and/​or legislative and SHE related changes as communicated by senior colleagues, ensuring understanding of these and any associated new best practice, methods, or techniques. 

To take responsibility for general housekeeping of technical areas, to contribute to a safe and healthy workplace. 

You will be studying (or have recently completed) a minimum of HNC or Degree level (or equivalent) in a Scientific/​Engineering discipline. 

You will have demonstrable skills in technical problem solving, with the ability to demonstrate evidence of knowledge sharing and network-building practice across teams or groups. You will be able to apply your own judgement and initiative to the role, as well as an understanding of when to seek advice from colleagues. 

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.

The Company

At CPI we work with our partners to translate inventions into products and processes that enhance health and well-being, protect, and improve our environment and increase productivity across industries.

With a deep understanding of innovation processes and funding, outstanding technical expertise, and industry relevant assets, we enable products and processes to be quickly and cost-effectively brought to market. This supports the development of next-generation manufacturing, highly skilled jobs, and economic growth for the UK.

Our partners operate across many diverse markets including pharmaceuticals, speciality chemicals, food and drink, electronics, and transportation. 

The Benefits

At CPI, we offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, including family friendly policies, flexible holidays and holiday purchasing schemes, opportunities for learning and development, generous pension plan, life assurance and accident insurance schemes. 

How to Apply

If you wish to apply for this position, please submit your Cover Letter and CV through our careers page at www​.uk​-cpi​.com/​c​a​reers.

The closing date is Sunday 20 October 2024 at 23:59pm

Interviews are due to be held week commencing 04 November 2024

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.