Chemical Recruitment Expertise

We have over 20 years’ experience in the Process and Chemical Manufacturing sector sourcing and managing personnel for a complete range of contract and permanent (search) placements

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Elevate your Chemical career

NES Fircroft places personnel across all facets of the Chemical market, from plant shut-downs and CAPEX projects, to commercial roles and Board-level hires.

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As a specialist chemical recruiter with a global presence, we have a deep understanding of the market and have built an excellent network of candidates; our international experience and reach has enabled us to recruit the best candidates for top-level chemicals businesses. Our teams cover all disciplines and a broad range of seniority, from Commercial, Procurement and Supply Chain, to R&D Technology Development, Project Engineering / Management and Maintenance & Operations.

We recruit for the full value chain in Chemicals

Working across the full value chain of Bulk Chemicals (Petrochemicals / Hydrocarbons), Speciality (Fine Chemicals), and across the full Circular Economy of the sector, including chemical and mechanical recycling. Our knowledge of process development and project execution combined with our specialist understanding of regulations such as COMAH & ATEX help us to find the best candidates for our clients’ projects.

Polymers, Petrochemicals & Hydrocarbons

We've supported a high number of major operators for key hires in new technology development / R&D.​ Our support encompasses:

  • Bulk polymer & olefin operators
    High volume commodity chemical manufacturing facilities need to have strong operations, maintenance and project talent to satisfy their every changing workforce strategies. NES Fircroft currently work with 50% of the top 10 global bulk manufacturers in a variety of markets including bulk petrochemicals, polymers, inorganic chemicals, fertilizers and other derivatives.
     
  • Refineries
    We understand that the hydrocarbon market is one of the most effected when it comes to meeting net zero targets. We’ll source expertise to optimise your refining operation, whether your processes involve catalytic cracking, thermal cracking or hydrocracking. The talent we supply work across hydrocarbon separation, conversion and treatment to ensure that knowledge is shared and competitive advantage gained for your business in reaching your carbon reduction and product output targets. Our recruitment teams know exactly what goes into a successful plant turnaround and will get the expertise you need to site to ensure a seamless turnaround project execution with minimal downtime.
     
  • Agrochemicals (ammonia, fertilisers)
    We know that the global agriculture industry depends on synthetic chemicals, and that pesticides, fertilisers and soil conditioners are an integral part of maintaining the food supply chain. Our candidate networks will ensure a healthy operational output and that your agrochemicals are commercially sound. From plant-growth hormones to plant protection chemicals, we’ll secure your talent pipeline to maintain a sustainable agrochemical output.
     
  • Industrial gases
    The majority of chemical sites require large volumes of gas to support the manufacturing process and often the infrastructures required can create a major challenge in itself. Our team has experience in the project development and ongoing maintenance of cryogenic equipment, air separation units and advanced gas processing equipment. Our specialist teams within project Engineering and maintenance can quickly engage and mobilise hard to find talent anywhere in the world.

Our recruitment teams are poised to support businesses manufacturing high volume products with busy production teams and commercial functions. Our support encompasses:

  • Fine chemicals 
    The multi-billion global speciality market is made up of coatings, functional polymers, adhesives, additives and pigments. As one of the most competitive and higher margin sectors of the chemicals industry, we understand companies are looking for the next generation of talent to ensure it embraces the opportunities within the market to improve sustainability goals. Our speciality chemicals experts have an in-depth knowledge of what is required at all stages of the product life cycle.
     
  • Chemical distribution 
    Our talent pools are well versed in managing large product portfolios and know what it takes to stand out from the competition to ensure the market-access of your chemicals. We’ve supported chemical distribution businesses on a global level and through leveraging our international reach have helped businesses to break into new geographies. From pharmaceuticals to the FMCG market, we’ve supplied staff to a huge variety of chemical distributors and helped them to grow their business.
     
  • Lithium production
    We are a key supplier to the lithium industry. We provide staffing services to major lithium extraction operations and processing facilities, recruiting for a variety of different jobs from project management to mechanical engineering.

The future of the chemical industry relies on the utilisation of all available global resources, reducing waste products and protecting the planet. This global need is supported by national and international legislation, for example the EU Circular Economy Directive; as an international business NES are keen to be at the forefront of this challenge. As our industry develops new technologies and principles, we ensure our consultants, network and expertise keep pace with the requirements of our clients to support growing challenges in R&D, process development, global procurement and plant efficiencies.

We understand that it’s more important than ever to find the right mix of technical knowledge, forward thinking mind sets and behavioural excellence in the recruitment process. Our discipline-specific recruiters hire for:

  • Advanced recycling (polymer, monomer, naptha, syngas, plastics)
  • Thermochemical recycling
  • Chemical recycling
  • Mechanical recycling
  • Waste to chemicals

Focus technologies include:

  • Bio Catalysis
  • Bio Hydrocarbons
  • Bio Materials
  • Food Waste to Chemicals
  • Packaging
  • Pilot Plants
  • Polymer Recycling
  • Battery Materials
  • Renewable Feedstocks
  • Technology Development
  • Vegetable Oil Refining

Executive Search

As the world strives for a more sustainable future, we are witnessing major businesses undergoing significant transformations with major managerial and Board changes.

The right leader will dramatically alter your company’s innovation and drive culture from the top down; hiring a new Board member therefore is a pivotal and potentially risky time. With international candidate reach, we will find leaders with agility, courage and the tenacity to address complex challenges that deliver a tangible business outcome and maintain stakeholders integrity.

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Executive Search Services

Broad Experience

We have supported companies of all sizes, from supplying staff to mega projects for major chemicals operators, to building core functions within start-up companies and shaping the hiring strategies of technology providers.

Our areas of recruitment expertise include:

  • Corporate / C-suite
  • Commercial
  • Procurement & Supply Chain
  • Production, Operations & Maintenance
  • Technical Engineering
  • Project Management
  • R&D and Process Technology Development
LNG Contractor

Chemical recruitment experience

Our search methodology is a detailed process during which time we develop an in-depth understanding of our clients' requirements and culture to effectively allow us to operate as an extension of their business.

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