Contributing tens of billions of pounds in revenue and gross added value to economies annually, and a sector at the heart of scientific innovations and material discoveries, the chemical industry is a cornerstone of global commerce, and an industry that is constantly evolving.  

Yet, as the chemicals landscape changes, and the influence of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and automation grows within it, the need for talented individuals with the skills, expertise, passion, and inventiveness to drive progress remains.  

As such, effective and efficient chemicals recruitment plans and strategies are not just nice to have; discovering, hiring and nurturing talent for the industry is a must.  

Here we explore the current and future chemicals recruitment landscape, to understand the mix of challenges and opportunities within the sector, highlight trends to keep an eye on, and discuss how, with the help of chemical recruitment specialists and industry experts, organisations can navigate the competitive chemicals talent market.  

The State of Chemical Industry Recruitment: Now and Next 

The global chemical industry is in the midst of cautious resurgence in 2025, following years of volatility driven by pandemic disruptions, supply chain instability, and inflationary pressures in recent years. Deloitte projects a 3.5% increase in global chemical production this year, up from just 0.3% in 2023.  

However, some caution and concern remain within the sector especially within Europe where organisations struggle to manage high energy costs, plant closures and other factors. The US and Middle East are showing reasons for optimism though, thanks to lower production expenses.  

As the chemicals industry navigates these seas of change, looking for areas of growth, chemicals recruitment is increasingly focused on finding specialists in clean energy, advanced materials, and digital transformation, as companies invest in decarbonisation, AI integration, and circular economy models. McKinsey notes that demographic shifts and overcapacity are reshaping workforce needs, with a growing emphasis on innovation and operational efficiency. The demand for talent with hybrid skill sets which combine technical expertise with digital fluency, is rising sharply, but the global talent pool remains constrained, especially for mid-level and senior technical roles. 

In the UK, the chemical industry is slowly recovering from a contraction, with marked expansion reported in recent quarters. Notably, recruitment activity has been subdued due to rising employment costs, including increased National Insurance contributions and a higher national living wage. This has led many organisations to pause permanent hiring completely and favour contract-based models. Those companies who still need to hire are choosing to forgo recruitment support to save on costs, but are finding the expense of time can be hugely detrimental to progress and negatively impact productivity. 

To remain competitive as the market potentially shifts, UK chemical firms must be ready and prepared to once again invest in strategic workforce planning, upskilling, and recruitment in order to attract talent that will carry them forward and keep their business in touch and ahead of global industry changes. 

Emerging Chemicals Recruitment Trends 

Whilst the wider chemicals industry is evolving in response to global political and economic influences and demands, chemicals recruitment specifically is increasingly shaped by:  

  • Digitalisation: AI, automation, and data analytics are transforming R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain operations. 

  • Sustainability: Net-zero targets and circular economy principles are driving demand for green chemistry and environmental compliance roles. 

  • Reshoring and supply chain resilience: Post-Brexit logistics challenges have led 35% of UK chemical firms to source domestically. 

Skills in Demand: What the Chemicals Sector Needs 

The chemicals workforce is continuing to navigate challenges presented due to – in part at least – critical skill gaps that have the potential to restrict innovation and increase instability across the sector. Rapid technological advancement, an ageing workforce, and inconsistent STEM graduate pipelines have left the sector short of essential expertise, particularly in mid-level and senior roles. 

As experienced professionals retire and digitalisation transforms job requirements, organisations need to, but are often struggling to, recruit talent with both technical prowess and digital skills. The competition for such hybrid skill sets is fierce, especially as other industries seek the same capabilities. 

To address these gaps, the industry needs talent proficient in both traditional disciplines and emerging fields such as AI, automation, sustainability, and data analytics. Regulatory experts, innovation champions, and adaptable leaders are in high demand. Meanwhile, soft skills including communication and strategic thinking remain vitally important as flexible and hybrid work models make their presence felt. 

For the chemicals sector to remain resilient and competitive, it must invest in strategic workforce planning, targeted recruitment, and ongoing upskilling to ensure a steady pipeline of skilled talent ready to meet future challenges. 

Key Chemicals Sector Skills 

  • Sustainability & Net-Zero Expertise: With chemicals designated as Critical National Infrastructure, the sector is central to achieving the UK’s climate goals. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero estimates up to 725,000 new jobs in low-carbon sectors by 2030. 

  • Digital & Automation Skills: As digitalisation accelerates, roles in process optimisation, AI integration, and smart manufacturing are growing.  

  • Regulatory & Process Safety Knowledge: Compliance is increasingly complex, requiring professionals with deep understanding of UK REACH, HSE standards, and international regulations. 

  • STEM & Technical Qualifications: Chemical engineers, analytical chemists, and lab technicians remain core to operations. However, graduate pipelines are inconsistent, with seasonal availability, competition from other sectors and growing misalignment of academic curriculum and industry-specific skills. 

  • Soft Skills & Leadership: As hybrid work models become more common, communication, adaptability, and strategic thinking are essential.  

Driving scientific success: SRG’s Chemical Recruitment Specialists 

SRG’s Chemical recruitment experts work strategically with businesses to identify and meet their talent needs. From classic contingent recruitment and market mapping to tailored solutions and talent pipelining through apprenticeships, SRG is genuinely passionate about keeping the Chemical industry thriving. As proud members of Chemicals Northwest and recognised as Supplier of the Year in the Chemicals Industry for 2025 by the CIA, we are committed to excellence and industry leadership and delivering flexible services to meet the critical hiring needs of global organisations as they navigate the evolving industrial landscape.  

Our sector-specific expertise spans disciplines in R&D, quality, process manufacturing, commercial and compliance, across the entire chemical value chain, including specialities, polymers, CASE, materials, FMCG and agrochemicals. With many of our consultants coming from technical backgrounds, we understand what skills an organisation, their workforce, and their projects value and the talent they need to fill the gaps.  

SRG are ready to help you hire for niche technical roles, build future-ready teams, and enable you to innovate and grow as quickly as the chemicals sector is.