Colour Technologist

Also known as:

Dyeing Technologist
Textile Colour Technologist
Colour Scientist

Introduction

Colour technologists research, develop and manage the production and application of dyes and pigments. They work with a variety of materials, like textiles, leather, fibres and paints.

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Work Activities

Colour technologists make colorants (dyes and pigments) and apply them to products and materials.

While dyes have been used from very early times, advances over the last century have made the colour technologist's job highly technical and scientific.

Colour technologists work on paint and inks but also the development of products such as colour liquid crystal displays, dyes used in biomedical science and ink jet printers. A new development is the use of dyes to prevent fraud.

Colour technologists may work in research departments. Here, they develop new products, improve existing ones and investigate the use of cheaper raw materials. They also look for more efficient and environmentally safe processes. If time and budget permit, there may be room for more creative work.

Before a new process or product is developed, colour technologists take into account safety, cost, manufacturing techniques and marketability. Repetitive testing over a long period of time is often a feature of development work. Colour technologists have to make sure the dyes and pigments they develop are colour fast and safe for the user and the environment.

Colour technologists may work in technical sales and services departments. Here, they explain the product's uses, respond to the needs of the industry and deal with technical problems and queries.

Some colour technologists solve problems for customers. They analyse samples from customers to check why colours vary or are not colourfast.

Dyeing or printing in the textile industry is usually specialist work. In other industries, coloration is a part of the manufacturing process and colour technologists have wider responsibilities.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

Good colour vision is vital to match shades, select colorants and choose between colours. You will need an enquiring and logical mind, and a high level of scientific knowledge.

You must be well organised and have good teamworking skills.

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Pay and Opportunities

Salaries for colour technologists depend on the industry they work in, their employer and level of responsibility.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Colour technologists earn in the range of £17,000 - £20,000 a year, rising to £22,500 - £30,000. Higher earners can make around £35,000 a year.

Many technologists work a 39-hour week, Monday to Friday. Technologists working in a production environment may be required to work shift work and weekends.

Most openings for colour technologists are in industries that use colorants in their manufacturing processes, making products such as fibres, textiles, leather, paints, printing inks and foodstuffs. Other opportunities are with companies that make the colorants.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have developed laboratory skills during industrial work placements.

If you don't have the qualifications needed to enter a degree or HND course, you might be able to start one after completing an Access course, eg, Access to Science.

You don't usually need any qualifications to enter an Access course, although you should check this with the course provider.

The Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) offer a distance-learning programme to achieve Associate Membership. This includes a Preparatory Science and Mathematics option for Coloration Students.

A short-course module, Introduction to Colorants, is available for SDC students, by distance learning, from Impress at Leeds University.

University of Leeds also offers an MSc in Colour Chemistry, by distance learning.

Sponsorship for higher education study of science subjects is sometimes available from industrial organisations and private companies.

• 5% of people in occupations such as colour technology work part-time.
• 17% have flexible hours.
• 4% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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