Research & Development Placement (2025)

Job Details

Research & Development Placement 2025

The opportunity

We are seeking an intern to join our Research & Development department, based in Folkestone, Kent on a 12-month contract starting in Summer 2025.

As a Development Chemist Intern, you will work on a diverse range of tasks which will further your knowledge and skills as well as adding value to our business. During the internship you will receive a tailored induction as well as regular feedback and reviews with your supervisor.

Responsibilities & Opportunities

As part of our Research & Development Team, you will be working on tasks such as:

• Checking and carrying out calibrations of equipment and carrying out routine checks of equipment.
• Understanding how the equipment works and when to use it.
• Performing tests and experiments according to established protocols.
• Preparing chemical solutions and reagents.
• Placing products on stability and compatibility both from new developments and existing production runs over a variety of formats e.g. aerosols, liquids, lotions, tubes.
• Filling samples – preparation of formulations for testing so gaining understanding the formulation of a range of products.
• Maintaining lab tidiness and assisting with the general running of the lab.
• Assistance of pilot manufacture when required.
• Individual projects/joining a specific team (Batiste, Nair, Femfresh etc...)
• Exposure to project meetings and discussions with marketing, project managers, production etc.

Who we are looking for

We welcome applications from current students looking to undertake an industry placement year and also graduates seeking their first Development Chemist opportunity.

The ideal candidate will:

• Be an undergraduate/postgraduate ideally in Cosmetic Science / Chemistry.
• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Be able to demonstrate a “can do” attitude and desire to continuously improve.
• Have the ability to work as part of a team.
• Have an enquiring mind.
• Be competent in MS Office, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• A valid UK driver’s license (travel required between Folkestone sites)

About Church & Dwight

You may be more familiar with our products than with our company name. Batiste dry shampoo, Pearl Drops Whitening tooth polish, Arm & Hammer baking soda toothpaste, Femfresh Intimate wash, Orajel toothache & ulcer relief, Sterimar natural sea water nasal spray and Nair hair removal products all of which form part of our exciting brands. We are continuing to grow our portfolio each year with new exciting acquisitions our newest including Hero Mighty Patch and The Breath Co Mouthwash.

Church & Dwight UK Ltd are based in Folkestone, Kent, where we develop, produce & distribute many of our products and work with Sofibel in Paris and Church & Dwight GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany to form the European team. We are part of Church & Dwight Co. Inc. based in New Jersey, USA.

In the UK we employ over 450 people who undertake a range of roles from Research & Development & Marketing through to Purchasing, Production and Supply Chain. These teams are supported by departments such as Finance, IT & Human Resources.

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button.

Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.