Senior Research Technician

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 has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Research Technician to join it’s established Colloid Science team within the wider Formulation technology team, at our state of the art National Formulation Centre in Sedgefield. The successful candidate will apply scientific and engineering principles to support laboratory operations and project delivery. Working closely with senior colleagues, the individual in post will contribute to the preparation, development, testing, and analysis of innovative formulation technologies in various markets, including pharmaceuticals, agritech, coatings and home & personal care.

Some exciting projects the team have recently worked on are:

• Intraceullar Drug Delivery Centre to accelerate advancement of RNA-based therapies
• UK Biofoundry to turbo-charge next-gen therapies
• Developing a thermostable solution to transport RNA vaccines
• Removing cold-chain dependence in antibody-based treatments
• Scaling up precision tools to transform cancer research

The Role

Key tasks in the role will include (but are not limited to the below), please download the job description for full details available on the CPI careers page:

• Maintaining compliance with Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Data Integrity (DI), quality and best practice requirements.
• Supporting senior colleagues in planning and executing experimental and pilot-scale runs, reporting results to agreed timescales.
• Presenting and formally reporting experimental conclusions and supporting data for internal peer review.
• Providing clear documentation of technical data, methodologies, calculations, and software use.
• Taking ownership of weekly workplans with managers and stakeholders, delivering to agreed schedules.
• Calibrating and administering technical equipment, ensuring safe and effective operation.
• Assisting with stock storage, SOPs, and Safety Risk Assessments.
• Acting as the first point of contact for technical areas (e.g., as a Laboratory Safety Supervisor), contributing to housekeeping and laboratory safety.

The successful candidate must be educated to A‑Level (Level 3 equivalent) (or equivalent qualification) with significant industrial experience, or HNC/​Foundation Degree (Level 4/5 equivalent) in a Scientific/​Engineering discipline and;

• Possess foundation knowledge in formulation science, with evidence of technical problem-solving.
• Have practical experience in technical/​scientific work within academic or industrial environments.
• Have the ability to apply theoretical and practical methods to contribute to business activities.
• Have strong communication skills, with the ability to present data clearly and concisely.
• Have a collaborative mindset, with evidence of knowledge sharing and network building.
• Demontrate commitment to safety, compliance, and quality standards.

It would also be advantageous if the successful candidate had;

• Developing confidence in applying judgement and initiative within standard scientific/​engineering practices.

Why Join Us?

At CPI, you’ll be part of a collaborative, innovative environment where your work directly contributes to advancing formulation technologies. We value diversity, integrity, and continuous improvement, and we’re committed to supporting your professional growth.

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.

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.