Fuel refineries and suppliers are the heartbeat of the UK’s energy security and everyday movement supplying 47% of all energy used in the UK. Whether it’s the diesel that powers an ambulance, the kerosene that heats a rural home, or the raw materials used to create life-saving medicines and smartphones, this sector keeps the country running.

Over 100,000 people are directly involved in refining and supplying the fuels that moves the UK every single day.

Work in a sector that powers Britain

The fuel sector is undergoing a transformation. We’re not just talking about petrol and diesel anymore; we’re talking about capturing our emissions, producing low carbon fuels and enabling growth and net zero across the economy.
Refineries are huge pieces of kit with the scale to deliver projects and products that make a difference. We are already blending millions of litres of biofuels into our road fuels to cut emissions by the equivalent of removing 3 million cars each year and we are planning to reduce our own industrial emissions by being anchors in the UK’s decarbonisation clusters.

Refineries are platforms for the future, and you could be a part of that. Refineries provide career pathways where you have the opportunity to work in a sector that delivers resilient fuel supply today and develops fuels needed for the future such as sustainable aviation fuel, renewable hydrogen, lower carbon fuels and carbon capture.
How are refined products used?
You might think of the fuel sector only when you’re at a petrol station, but its reach is everywhere. Beyond the tank, refined petroleum products are the building blocks for:

• Lubricants used in products such as wind turbines
• Electric vehicle batteries
• Smartphone parts
• Pharmaceutical products
• Chemical precursors essential for manufacturing plastics, rubbers and fertilisers
• Bitumen used on road surfaces, pavements, roofing felt, waterproofing and cladding
• Solvents used in adhesives, paints, polishes, de-greasers and inks

However, remember it’s not all lab coats!

While chemical engineers and our lab technicians are vital to some of what we do, the fuel supply sector is a massive machine that needs:

• Logistics & Supply Chain (getting fuel where it needs to be, when it's needed)
• Sustainability & Environmental Policy (ensuring we hit Net Zero and manage our sites’ environmental performance)
• Economics & Trading (navigating global energy markets)
• Project Management (building the multi-billion-pound infrastructure of the future)…and so much more!
Why Fuel Refining & Supply?

The sector offers the chance to work on projects of national importance with some of the world's most innovative energy companies.
Most major players are represented by Fuels Industry UK, the leading voice for the UK’s downstream fuels sector. They represent companies that refine, import, distribute, and market the fuels that provide the energy for over 85% of the UK's transport.


As well as the roles directly posted on Not Just Lab Coats, some of the companies listed on this page have their own portals for job postings and we would encourage applicants to access those web pages directly at the links below

Vacancies at Valero
Vacancies at ExxonMobil
Vacancies at Phillips 66