Global science company with Derbyshire HQ recruiting engineers
A global company with a UK headquarters set in glorious Derbyshire countryside is actively recruiting for more engineers and technicians.
Lubrizol, whose technology is in products used by half the world’s consumers, wants to employ more people to work in its mechanical testing department based in Hazelwood, near Belper.
The company plans to welcome potential employees to a recruitment event where there will be the opportunity to visit its state-of-the-art site.
The roles would involve joining Lubrizol’s team of 66 mechanical engineering staff who test additive formulations for automotive and industrial lubricants and fuels that are being continually worked on by Lubrizol’s highly skilled scientists.
One member of the mechanical department is Chris Saxton, a test development engineer. A former student at the University of Derby, Chris first started working at Lubrizol while on placement in the third year of his motorsport engineering degree.
After finishing his placement, Chris worked with Lubrizol again on a project in his final year. He has been working full time for the company since applying for a job and being successful in 2017.
Chris said: “My first job with Lubrizol was as part of its field testing group, which involves testing our products in vehicles out on the road. Since 2019 I’ve been involved in engine testing. It’s our role to come up with different types of tests for our products within different applications. Some of it may involve testing products in engines, while other elements will involve different parts of a vehicle. My role is to design and run the tests.
“Some parts of the job are hands on, and involve working with the test cells, while other parts are very desk-based.
“The job is challenging and very interesting as well. It’s my role to work out how best to test a product. Does the oil need to keep pistons clean, for example? We also get to work with our chemists and scientists and it’s really interesting to work together with them to achieve the best result.
“The people here are one of the big reasons I enjoy the job. I had worked quite a few places previously to Lubrizol. As soon as I came here, the culture and how people are here struck me as such a positive. They are willing to help if I want to learn more about the chemistry side of things or what's going on with the oils. Everyone is friendly and helpful which is makes you really want to come into work.”
Working within the world of vehicles is a dream job for Chris, who has loved cars from a young age and regularly builds his own to take part in track racing at weekends.
He said: “One of the things I enjoy doing in my spare time is building cars as well as driving them. I’ve even taken a car off the road for three years and fully rebuilt it as a brand-new track car, painting it and everything.”
Lucy Cooper, from Lubrizol’s HR department, said: “This is a great place to work. You get good opportunities for career progression. People care and want to help. While we are a global corporation, it does feel like family here.
“While we do have a great set of staff benefits such as competitive salaries with a comprehensive benefits package including a discretionary annual bonus, excellent pension scheme and private medical cover, and 33 days of annual leave, it’s really our people who are our biggest asset.
“Half the consumers in the world use at least one product containing Lubrizol technology, along with half the planet’s vehicles, so anyone who comes to work here will know they are contributing to a company which has a huge role to play in the world. But despite all that, we do retain very much a family feel.”
Lubrizol is inviting anyone interested in its engineering and technician roles to come to a recruitment evening on September 27 at its offices, based in Knowle House, a stately home in Hazelwood near Belper. The event starts at 6pm and visitors will get the chance to visit the mechanical testing facility where engineers will be working. Anyone interested in attending is asked to register by September 21, by emailing recruitment@lubrizol.com