The Company
Imerys is the world’s leading supplier of mineral-based specialty solutions for the industry with €3.4 billion in revenue and 12,300 employees in 40 countries in 2025. The Group offers high value-added and functional solutions to a wide range of industries and fast-growing markets such as solutions for the energy transition and sustainable construction, as well as natural solutions for consumer goods. Imerys draws on its understanding of applications, technological knowledge, and expertise in material science to deliver solutions which contribute essential properties to customers’ products and their performance. As part of its commitment to responsible development, Imerys promotes environmentally friendly products and processes in addition to supporting its customers in their decarbonization efforts.
Imerys is listed on Euronext Paris (France) with the ticker symbol NK.PA.
The Position
Process Technician
Job Summary
Process Improvement Technician
Location: St Austell, Cornwall
Salary: Up to £35,000 per annum
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday, Flexible starts: 07:00, 07:30, or 08:00 am
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
What We Offer
At Imerys, our Dry Processing operations are constantly evolving. We're committed to improving efficiency, reducing energy consumption, enhancing product quality and creating safer, more effective ways of working.
As a Process Engineering Technician, you'll play a key role in driving these improvements while developing valuable technical, analytical and Continuous Improvement skills in a supportive environment.
In return, you'll receive:
- Competitive salary and benefits package
- 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
- Generous pension scheme
- Private Medical Insurance
- Life Assurance and Income Protection
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Employee Discounts Portal
- Career development opportunities
- Lean Six Sigma training and development pathways
- Exposure to a wide range of manufacturing and minerals processing operations
About Our Opportunity
We are looking for a Process Engineering Technician to join our Dry Processing team, supporting multiple operations across Cornwall.
This is a varied and hands-on role for someone who enjoys solving problems, analysing data and identifying opportunities to improve processes.
Working closely with operators, engineers and production teams, you'll help optimise plant performance, reduce energy consumption, support new product introductions and deliver improvements that positively impact safety, quality, efficiency and cost.
No two days will be the same. One week you may be supporting a new product trial, the next analysing process data to improve drying performance, investigating production challenges or working with operational teams to implement improvements that make a measurable difference.
What You'll Be Doing
Process Performance & Improvement
- Monitoring plant performance and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency.
- Supporting Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement projects.
- Helping optimise drying processes, product quality and production performance.
- Using process data to identify trends, investigate issues and recommend solutions.
- Supporting improvements that reduce energy consumption and improve operational efficiency.
Trials & Technical Development
- Assisting with new product and process trials.
- Supporting the introduction of new materials and consumables.
- Collecting, analysing and interpreting trial data.
- Providing recommendations based on factual evidence and results.
Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis
- Investigating operational challenges and process issues.
- Supporting root cause analysis activities.
- Working with site teams to identify, test and implement solutions.
- Helping operators overcome process-related challenges through practical improvements.
Health, Safety & Compliance
- Promoting a strong safety culture and supporting Imerys' commitment to Zero Harm.
- Working in accordance with all Health, Safety and Environmental policies and procedures.
- Carrying out activities in line with Risk Assessments, Safe Systems of Work and site standards.
- Supporting investigations into process and operational issues where safety performance could be impacted.
- Identifying opportunities to improve both process efficiency and operational safety.
- Ensuring process improvements are developed and implemented with safety at the forefront.
- Maintaining accurate records, reports and improvement documentation in line with company requirements.
Stakeholder Collaboration
- Building strong relationships with production and operational teams.
- Supporting implementation of new processes and ways of working.
- Communicating technical information clearly and confidently.
- Working collaboratively across engineering, operations and quality functions.
What Good Looks Like
You enjoy understanding how processes work and are naturally curious about how they can be improved.
You are comfortable using data to support decisions and have the confidence to challenge existing ways of working when opportunities for improvement exist.
You take ownership of your work and enjoy seeing projects through from initial idea to final implementation.
Most importantly, you enjoy working with people and building positive relationships to help drive change successfully.
What You'll Bring
Essential Criteria
- Experience within manufacturing, production, processing, industrial or technical environments.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to interpret data and use findings to support decision making.
- Experience using spreadsheets and data analysis tools.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
- A proactive and Continuous Improvement mindset.
- Experience identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity or operational performance.
- Experience using Minitab or other statistical analysis tools.
- Knowledge of root cause analysis techniques
- Experience of Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence or Lean Manufacturing.
- Knowledge of Six Sigma, DMAIC or structured problem-solving methodologies.
- Experience delivering cost-saving or energy-saving initiatives.
- Legally allowed to drive in the UK and willingness to travel between operational sites.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of process optimisation within manufacturing or processing operations.
- Six Sigma or similar methodologies qualifications
- Degree or qualification in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Materials Science or a related discipline.
Why Imerys?
This is an excellent opportunity to join a team where your input and expertise genuinely matter.
You'll be encouraged to identify opportunities, take ownership of improvement projects and see the direct impact of your work on plant performance, product quality, energy efficiency and operational effectiveness.
If you're looking for a role where you can combine technical thinking, practical problem-solving and Continuous Improvement within a supportive and collaborative team, we'd love to hear from you
Position Type
Full time
and
Permanent
Only technical issues will be monitored through the below inbox:
recruiting.support@ imerys.com
PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT RESUMES OR APPLICATIONS TO THIS EMAIL, AS THEY WILL NOT BE REVIEWED.
To ensure fairness and legal compliance in our recruitment processes, only applications received through the online application process will be considered.
IMERYS is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and it is our policy to not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local laws.
