Field Instrument Specialist – Ethanol Plant Installation & Support

Fuel Ethanol | Plant Operations | Instrument Installation | Technical Support | Midwest USA Midwest | Daytime Hours

In 2009, a small team of physicists working with the UK Space Agency set out to answer an ambitious question: how do you analyze the atmosphere around Mars? Their answer was a ground-breaking FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectrometer, built to withstand the rigors of space travel.

Along the way, they realized the technology had enormous potential much closer to home.

In 2013, KEIT was founded to bring that technology to industry. Today our IRmadillo FTIR process analyzer delivers lab-grade data, 24/7, directly from the process line – removing the need for manual grab samples, lab delays and guesswork. It is trusted by ethanol producers across the Midwest, and by manufacturers in chemicals, pulp & paper, fats & oils and beyond.

We have now added a fermentation intelligence software platform, built and proven inside a working US ethanol plant, which combines IRmadillo data with plant control system data to give operators and managers clear, actionable insight. Well-backed, well-established and highly trusted, we are now growing our US team to bring this combined hardware and software offering to the wider industry.

Where you come in:

You have experience on an ethanol plant – perhaps in maintenance, operations or the lab. You're practical with tools, comfortable on a computer, and looking to move away from rotating shifts into a daytime, field-based role.

As our Field Instrument Specialist, you'll be the hands-on expert ensuring every IRmadillo across the Midwest is installed correctly, running reliably and delivering value for the plant. You'll install and commission systems, carry out maintenance and first-line repairs, and be a credible, approachable presence on the plant floor for operators, lab teams and plant managers.

You'll work closely with our US sales lead and Customer Solutions Engineer, and join at an early stage as we build our US operation – including a planned local base for repairs and stock that you could help establish and run.

Typical backgrounds include Maintenance Technician, Maintenance Operator, E&I Technician, Instrument Technician, Lab Technician, Plant Operator or Field Service Technician – ideally within an ethanol plant.

The Role at a Glance:

Field Instrument Specialist
Midwest USA – ideally within easy reach of Kansas City, Omaha or Des Moines (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota)
$80,000 Base Salary DOE Negotiable
Plus Benefits Including Health & Dental Insurance, and All Travel Expenses Covered (Rental Cars Included) & Equity Options

Daytime Hours – No Rotating Shifts

Reporting to: Senior Leadership Team in the UK

Values: Continuous Improvement, Teamwork, Building a Valuable Business, Developing as People, Having Fun!

Your Experience: Ethanol Plant Maintenance or Operations, Hands-On Mechanical / Electrical Skills, Following Work Instructions & Processes

Who we are:

We're a fast-growing, well-backed sci-tech company headquartered at Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, UK, with significant (and growing) sales in the US – the Midwest in particular. We're ISO 9001 certified, and our customers include fuel ethanol producers, chemical manufacturers (bulk, specialty & fine), pulp & paper mills, fats & oils processors, biofuels producers and more.

We remain a small, agile team with big ambitions. There is little red tape: everyone talks to customers, everyone contributes beyond their job title, and you will have a genuine hand in shaping how we build our US operation.

The Field Instrument Specialist Opportunity:

This is a hands-on, plant-facing role focused on making sure our installations go smoothly, our customers are supported on site, and plants get real value from the IRmadillo in day-to-day operations. You'll take some of the install and support load off our senior team, allowing us to support more customers, more effectively.

A significant part of your week will be spent driving between plants, with rental cars and expenses fully covered. If you'd rather spend your time on the road than on another night shift, this role offers exactly that.

Examples of the type of teamwork you may be involved in:

• Installing and commissioning IRmadillo systems at customer sites
• Basic troubleshooting, routine maintenance and first-line repairs
• On-site support for operators, lab teams and plant managers
• Helping customers understand and use IRmadillo data in their daily operations
• Adding technical credibility on site visits with our sales team
• Following work instructions and documenting what you do – traceability matters to us
• Helping with logistics, equipment handling and inventory as we build our US base

About you:

• Based in the Midwest (ideally within easy reach of Kansas City, Omaha or Des Moines) and happy to travel regularly
• A background in an ethanol plant – operator, lab or maintenance roles
• A practical understanding of how plants run day to day
• Comfortable working hands-on with equipment (mechanical and electrical basics) – we'll train you on the IRmadillo
• Confident with computers – our repair and service processes mean regular time on a Windows laptop
• Process-minded with great attention to detail – you follow instructions, document your work and spot when something could be done better
• Good at building relationships with plant teams – a positive, proactive attitude goes a long way
• Organized enough to plan your own week and travel
• A collaborative team player – all of our work is team-based

Where this could take you:

There is genuine scope for progression. Our Field Instrument Specialists could step up into a Customer Solutions Engineer role, or help set up and lead our future US operational base as the team expands.

Ready to trade shift work for a daytime, field-based role?

If you have hands-on ethanol plant experience and want a role with variety, full training and genuine room to grow, apply today. We're reviewing applications now, and our talent partner RR will be in touch quickly to talk you through the next steps.

Apply now?

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