Graduate Chemist 2025

We have opportunities in our Technical and R&D Stream in locations throughout UK, Ireland, North America and Mainland Europe and are keen to hear from graduates wishing to join the global leader in high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions.

As well as getting the opportunity to work on interesting projects that make a real difference to our planet you will join our highly regarded Graduate Development Programme “Yours to Shape”.

What you could be doing

Some of the tasks involved in this role are:

• Planning:
  • Plan, organise and progress your own chemical research and development projects to meet objectives agreed with the Senior Chemical Team and the Chemical R and D Manager.
• Ikon:
  • Research all past work and available information on the project to understand the project and identify possible solutions.
    • Internet search, for example academic journals.
    • Discussions with chemical suppliers.
• Production and analysis of samples:
  • Initial screening of possible formulations and chemicals in the laboratory.
  • Reactivity testing and adjustment to meet standard reactivity times.
  • Box Moulds to produce samples for testing.
  • Analysis of samples for any of the following:
    • Fire and Smoke performance.
    • Lambda value.
    • Mechanical strength and density.
    • Further analytical tests.
  • Develop methods for the production and analytical testing of IKON development samples.
    • Production of new or improved formulations in panels or boards produced in IKON’s prototype production facility.
    • Work with Chemical Process Engineers to produce panels or boards.
    • Carry out a full analysis of the foam produced as detailed above.
• Record keeping and reporting:
  • Record formulations and test data on the IKON shared drive.
  • Write comprehensive reports to keep the management team up to date on all projects.
  • Write comprehensive reports for Grant and Tax Claims.
  • Attend meetings with the senior management team and with the Chemical R and D Manager to discuss the progress of these projects.
    • Produce presentations for these meetings.
• Attend trade fairs and conferences, meet chemical suppliers to uncover new chemicals and new technology.
• Health, Safety and Environmental:
  • Handle mix and process chemicals in a safe and responsible manner. This will include writing and following Risk and COSHH assessments plus SOPs.
  • Ensure all your work areas are kept in a tidy and safe manner.
  • Work in a safe manner, not compromising your own or anyone else’s health and safety.
  • Conduct housekeeping audits when requested.
• IKON support
  • Support the other members of the chemical team where required either for production of samples or analysis.
  • Help in the training of new IKON chemical team members.
  • Support other departments and divisions in Kingspan where required either for production of samples or analysis.
  • Order chemical, consumables and PPE.
  • Support IKON, completing any other tasks requested by the Senior Chemical Team and the Chemical R and D Manager.

Candidate requirements

• You should be no more than 12 months post-graduation and available to take up a position no later than 30 September 2025
• You should have no more than 12 months’ work experience (not including university placements, internships, summer jobs, etc.)
• You must be eligible to live and work permanently in Ireland
• You will need to have a Degree and/or Masters in a relevant discipline i.e.:
  • Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Inorganic chemistry
  • Biomedical

Kingspan welcomes graduates from many disciplines, but whatever your area of study, we are looking for graduates that are ready to take responsibility, be challenged and work on their own initiative. In return we will support you in developing a career that really matters, give you the opportunity to work and live around the world and of course offer a competitive salary and benefits.

The skills and competencies you will need

• Ability to cope with pressure and challenging situations
• The commitment to deliver the job and go beyond what is expected
• The motivation to want to explore agile learning and advance your knowledge to make projects work
• Ability to process, evaluate and interpret results and make informed decisions
• Excellent communication; verbal and written

What we can offer you

• You will be a Kingspan employee from Day 1
• The opportunity to live and work across the globe and in any of our 5 divisions:-
  • Insulation
  • Insulated Panels
  • Light, Air and Water
  • Data and Flooring
  • Waterproofing and Roofing
• Competitive salary
• A graduate development programme aimed at supporting you as you transition from university to the world of work and accelerating your career development
• Access to business leaders
• A dynamic, fast-paced work environment

Our recruitment process

• The first stage is to complete our online application form. This can be found on our application portal via the “Apply” buttons below.
• You can only submit one application so think about which role you are most interested in. You will be given the option of indicating your other role preferences on the application form.
• If shortlisted, you will be invited to complete an online Psychometric test, i.e., Arctic Shores’ task-based assessments.
• If successful at that stage, you will be invited to submit a short video interview.
  • Advice for GenAI usage: GenAI can be used to help practice and structure your responses, but should not be used create your responses. For example, you could use GenAI by showing it the job description and asking it to generate mock interview questions to practice with, but it should not be used to simply answer the questions for you. Remember, the goal of using GenAI in your job application is to augment your natural abilities and showcase your best self. It's not about creating a persona that isn't you. We value authenticity and want to understand who you are, your experiences, and what you bring to the table.
• If successful at that stage, you will be invited to attend a Virtual Assessment Centre comprising of a group exercise, individual presentation and final competency-based interview. Depending on the role, there may be a follow-up call/visit.