Analytical and Formulation Laboratory Technician Apprentice (Level 3), Seda Pharmaceutical Development Services, Greater Manchester

Your next step towards your dream career… Location: Cheadle Royal Business Park, SK8 3GX
Working for Seda Seda Pharmaceutical Development Services, provide Pharmaceutical Development and Clinical Pharmacology services to the Pharma and Biotechnology industry. Their team of experienced Pharmaceutical experts, help clients design and develop formulations with optimal in vivo performance, alongside robust manufacturability through a combination of laboratory, pharmacokinetic modelling and consultancy services. They have a newly built and designed laboratory and extensive formulation and analytical capabilities. Their suite of in-house equipment includes HPLC & UPLC, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), UV spectroscopy, plus a range of solid and liquid formulation processing and characterisation capabilities. As a company, their people underpin their values and they’re committed to continued development and growth both personally and professionally, within a collaborative working environment. There are a wide range of projects across all phases of development, and every day is varied, stimulating and challenging providing new experiences to help you develop. Seda Values:

• We drive to be the best at what we do and we deliver together to create value for our clients.
• We respect the individual and value diversity.
• We expect personal accountability in the context of a team environment.
• We believe passionately in the power of partnership and build relationships across boundaries.
• We have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination.

We are looking for a fearless apprentice to join this ambitious business, who isn’t afraid to be hands-on and has a desire to contribute to their goals long term, during this exciting time of growth and development. You’ll have the fantastic opportunity to join our team of scientists, supporting them with formulation development and analysis in their labs based in Cheadle, just outside of Manchester.
The Package
At Tiro, we make great things happen for people. And that starts with you. In this role you’ll receive:

• Starting salary of £17,000 per annum.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Workings hours are 37.5 hours per week (7.5 hours a day, Monday – Friday)
• Company pension scheme (6% employer contribution).
• Discretionary company performance related bonus.
• Regular training and CPD opportunities.

Seda recognise and reward their team actively and promote working practices for a healthy work-life balance.

What will I be doing as an Analytical and Formulation Laboratory Technician Apprentice?

As an Analytical and Formulation Laboratory Technician Apprentice with Seda Pharmaceutical Development services, you will have the opportunity to assist with formulation development and analytical testing of pharmaceutical drug products or drug substances.
You'll learn and assist in many aspects of the formulation and analytical scientist role. You’ll be working as part of a close-knit team, supported, and guided by a team of experts, each with diverse backgrounds and experiences you can learn from. It’s an amazing opportunity to get stuck in and no day will be the same! Being an apprentice is hands-on, so you’ll get the chance to learn things you might otherwise not have experienced in a university or college environment, and you’ll develop a good understanding of what it means to work to work in this sector. Our goal is to work with you, developing your lab skills, so you become competent in various test methods and in operating key pieces of equipment. What you’ll be doing:

• Participation in laboratory housekeeping and maintenance duties.
• Preparing and making different media, standard solutions, and mobile phases for formulation analysis.
• Perform formulation prototyping and analytical characterisation with appropriate supervision and guidance.
• Ensuring a high standard of Health & Safety in the workplace.
• Attend training courses and assessments as required by the apprenticeship standard and maintain training records.

You’ll have the opportunity to use some basic analytical techniques, including but not limited to HPLC, dissolution baths and UV-VIS.  
What could the future look like? There’s no limit to what you can achieve if you work for Seda Pharmaceutical Development services. Their team and business is growing, and they are looking for someone who wants to play a key part in that long term. Through ‘on-the-job’ training you’ll have the opportunity to learn new skills to provide competency and responsibility in carrying out testing and to help develop your career. There are opportunities to further develop and progress within the business after completion of the apprenticeship and you could build your career successfully through continued career development. Hard work and determination will be recognised!

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

Qualifications It’s about enthusiasm, not school results. In our experience the most successful apprentices are those who are driven to find out more about the sector, can be up front about what they do and don’t already know, are considerate, self-reflective, and impatient to learn the job role! Experience Whilst previous experience is great, we at Tiro are always open to wildcards. We’re not just interested in experience and qualifications; we’re looking for someone with the right attitude and aptitude to fit right in at Seda Pharmaceutical Development Services. About you We’re looking for someone who is able to speak up and isn’t afraid to ask for help when they need it. Being able to show attention to detail is also important.
You will have excellent communication skills and you’ll be ready to contribute to the team’s success on a daily basis, while also being able to work independently on your own initiative. Being motivated and passionate about learning is key so be ready to ask lots of questions!
This is a spectacular opportunity, for someone who is naturally curious and an analytical thinker! It’s an opportunity which is more chemically aligned, so a passion for this area of science would be a good match.
To succeed in this apprenticeship, you’ll need bags of enthusiasm, be a fantastic collaborator and be hungry to learn!
Even if this doesn’t sound quite like you, but you still think you could do a great job in the role, get in touch. We’re always open to wildcards.
Please note: While we never want to add obstacles to the application process, due to the needs of this role and activities, the employer has stated that applicants will need to be 18 or over for health and safety reasons.

So how does the apprenticeship work?

At Tiro we’re obsessed with changing lives through science and technology apprenticeships so we can’t wait to have you on board. Over 21 months, you’ll devote a minimum of 6 hours of your working week on ‘off the job’ training. This can include theory training (for example, virtual lessons & online learning), alongside practical training (for example shadowing, mentoring, & time spent writing assignments. Together this will count towards a Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship. You’ll be trained by an expert tutor from Tiro as well as an experienced mentor at Seda Pharmaceutical Development Services who together, will make sure you develop the knowledge, skills, and work habits you’ll need to succeed in your career. Being an apprentice is hands-on, so you’ll get the chance to learn things you might otherwise not have experienced in a university or college environment.
The best part? You’ll be earning a salary while you gain your qualifications, meaning no huge student loans to pay back at the end of the programme!

Want to know more. Check out the apprenticeship standards here.
 

Eligibility While we never want to hinder your job application process with obstacles, there are some minimum requirements you’ll need to meet in order to do an apprenticeship, these are rules set by the UK Government. You’ll need to be over 16, not in full time education, have lived in the UK for 3 years and have the right to work in the UK. If you don’t quite meet these minimum requirements yet, let us know you’re interested here and we’ll get in touch to discuss this further with you.

About Tiro

We're Tiro (pronounced ‘Tea-ro’ as in white, two sugars).
In Latin, it means novice, recruit, apprentice, beginner and soldier. The perfect name for a company that’s been helping fearless apprentices to join ambitious businesses since 2005.

We believe that great apprenticeships help everyone. There are remarkable apprentices out there just waiting to be found, and fantastic employment opportunities waiting to be filled.

Our work will never be just about getting bums on seats and pocketing our commission. In our own small way, we’re helping to change the world – finding people that are working on COVID vaccines, finding new ways for technology to help humanity and helping to tackle the big issues of the day, like climate change. As well as helping people – young and old – to find their way.