Balakumar Thiyagarajan

No. 17/4, First Street, New Colony, Mannarpuram, Trichy 620020, Tamil Nadu, India

Tel: +91 431 2422132; Mob: +91 94435 32239; Email: /

Seeking a senior position supporting to Lab / Quality / R&D

An accomplished Analytical Chemist with over 15 years of extensive experience in Analytical Laboratory, quality and R&D in product & method development functions proactive, dependable and target oriented with excellent administrative and management abilities and a proven track record of making a success of the job undertaken.

Core Strengths

Technical Skills

Expertise in Installation, calibration, validation, maintenance and operation of laboratory equipment:

GC-MS (purge & trap and thermal desorption system), GC-FID/ECD – Agilent Make & Varian make

Software :- Enviropro, chemstation and Workstation(Star). PTC(Stratum) – Archon and Tekmer.

Ion Chromatograph (compact / modular - with / without dialyser)

Oxygen Bomb-caloriemeter (Parr 6200 and 6510), Flash Point – taq Closed Cup.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, UV-Visible Spectroscopy and AAS (varian)

Milestone Microwave digestion & Direct Mercury analyzer. Able to Handle ICP-OES (varian)

XRF – InnovX X-50 (X-ray) for metals analysis – others sulfur.

Gerhardt – Auto Soxhlet – Soxther manager.SE416

TCLP Kit. (for TCLP analysis), Rapid Vap , Individual and multi-Parameter HACH meters.

Ultrapure water system – Branstead E-Pure and Millipore

Online instruments – Multirae – PID’s, Ionscience PID’s, Multiray Toxic gas analyzer, ECOM – J2KN-Portable (Stack) Emission Analyzer. Hydrogen and Nitrogen genertors installation and Maintenance.

Flame Photometer, Tintometer, Refractometer, Micro Processor Karl Fischer Auto Titrator (M1760), Sartorius RO module & Bornstead UPW system, Sartorius Moisture Balance and AC Impedance (m6310) , Jenway Spectro-photometer, pH, TDS, ORP, DO - meters, Hazmat id kit, Haz chem. Kit.

Skilled in titrations & extractions.

Computers: MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, ClarisWorks and CS Chemoffice. LIMS (Lab.Informn. Mgmt system) – StarLIMS.

Personal Skills

Highly organized and dedicated with a positive attitude.

Thrive on working in a challenging environment independently or with a team.

Ability to set up a Lab and to implement ISO9001:2000, ISO14001, OHSAS18001:2007 SOP, cGMP norms and Lean Manufacturing Practices.

Ability to work in an international business environment with excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.

Loyal to the employer and committed to the job which are the primary goals.

Trainings & Workshops Attended

  • 30 hours OSHA on General Industries Safety and Health (Cert. No. 900163256) and 40 hours HAZWOPER (OSHA 029CFR1910.120)
  • EMS (ISO14001) and OHSAS18001:2007- Auditor / Lead auditor Training program was successfully completed. – Det Norske Veritas AS (DNV), Chennai, India.
  • Fire fighting & Para-medics training program conducted by RMSI, AAAB fire & rescue operation, Al-Asad Air Base, Iraq.
  • ISO9001(QMS) Awareness - Internal Auditor training and Personal Effectiveness Program and cGMP – training program conducted by QMS, Chennai, India
  • Introduction to New Workplace Safety & Health Act (WSHA): an in house workshop at Hydrochem (S) Pte. Ltd., Tuas Plant, Singapore.
  • Calibration Principles and Techniques - including uncertainty of measurement, traceability and best measurement capabilities: a training program conducted by Centre for Calibration, NAGMAN, Chennai, India.
  • 5S Training: in house training conducted by SGS.

Career Profile

QA / QC / Documentation

  • Proficient in quality control functions and chemical, physicochemical, instrumental and microbiological analyses of Gaseous / Air, Water (all type), Soil, Sludge and Effluent. Parameters:- VOCs, formaldehyde, mineral matter, trace level anions using IC and APHA methods and fluorides & cyanides using ion selective electrode method.
  • Analysis of environmental samples – Gaseous (Tedlar bag/ Canister), Ambient Air, Stack, Flue gas, Wastes and assisting Plant engineers in the flocculation process. Protocols and Standard methods followed with ref. to ICH, APWA,OSHA, NIOSH, USEPA, ISO, ASTM and NAAQ.
  • Adept at calibration, validation and maintenance of instruments, equipments, glassware and thermo-electrical instruments.
  • Experienced in budgeting, procuring, maintaining inventories, conducting trend analysis and controlling usage of chemical reagents in the online and QC labs.
  • Documentation - preparing SOPs, validation / re validation reports and history cards for every instrument / equipment.

Career History

URS CORPORATION, Al-Asad Air Base, Iraq (

(The Heston Group, Dubai, UAE)

LEAD CHEMIST-Jan’2009 – May 2010

An international US based corporation deals - a range of professional planning, engineering and architectural design, environmental, construction, program and construction management services, for AFCEE, USA.

Designing of mobile laboratory, setup, installation.

Instruments installation, calibration, operation and maintenance.-GC/MS, GC-FID/ECD,Mercury analyzer, XRF, Analytical balances, pH meters, TDS meters, ORP and DO meters, Bomb calorimeter standardisation.

On-site instruments – daily checks for calibration / functional test. – PID’S (multirae, Ionscience), Chlorine, Cyanide & Arsine PID’s, combustible gas analyzer, toxic gas analyzer, Hazmat ID, haz chem. Kit and Petroflag kits. Control Panel – Honeywell.

Online process monitoring and corrective actions. Waste Profile Sheet Preparation

Analysis – Semi-volatile organic compounds, Volatile organic compounds, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (C6 – C40 JP8, Diesel Oil, Motor Oil) & PCB (Pesticides), Metal analysis.- Reporting to AFCEE (SAP and QAPP) Commodities:- Gaseous / Air, Contaminated Oil, Contaminated Water and Soil, Hazardous waste, Medical wastes and others.

Air-monitoring, Job Safety analysis, safety related monitoring and HIRA.(HSE co-ordinator).

Zero level hazard discharge (for Chrome(IV), Cyanide and Arsenite treatment).

SGS India Pvt. Ltd., Thoraipakkam, Chennai, India (

Executive – Instrumentation (Oct 2006 to Jan2009)

An MNC leader in testing, calibration, inspection and certification based in Switzerland and registered there as Societe Generale de Surveillance.

Key Responsibilities: QA & QC; Method Development & Validation; Instrument Calibration; Documentation & Reports; Inventory Control & Budgeting. Report to the Lab Manager and manage a team of 10 Chemists, 2 Senior Chemists, 2 Junior Executives and 4 Lab Assistants.

Achievements

In collaboration with Central Pollution Control Board, India and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, India the following projects were successfully completed (clients Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd.):

Method validated and developed for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) & Semi Volatile Organic compounds, Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Total Hydrocarbons (C6 – C40) in Gaseous samples, Ambient air, Stack, Water (sea, Treated and Waste), Soil, Sludges and effluents by GC-Purge & Trap / Thermal desorption systems

Determination of Formaldehyde in all commodities by acetyl acetone derivatization method, chromatrophic acid & DNPH derivatization methods and by determination of low chlorides.

Determination of Mercaptans in pharmaceutical plant ambient air, stack and other sources

Installed and full operation, maintenance calibration of Ion chromatography (Metrohm), GC/MS/FID, pH, TDS, ORP and DO meters.

Experienced by fundamental principles of quality, continual upgradation of skills in equipment handling and analysis of water, wastewater & Air monitoring to international benchmarks.

Participated in house training on Rendezvous ISO IEC 17025 implementation

All water analysis for trace / high level chlorides, Bromide, Bromates, Chlorates, Sulphate, Fluoride, Nitrate, Suphate, Nitrite, other anions and Phosphate ,TOC other Physico-chemical analysis.

Faced audits successfully by:

National Accreditation Board of Calibration and Testing Laboratories (NABL), India. Export Inspection Agency (EIA), Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Hydrochem (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Kallang Baharu, Singapore (

Senior Chemist (Jan 2006 to Mar 2006)

A Hyflux Group Company and a leader in water / waste water fluid treatment systems with proprietary membrane technology.

Reported to the Operations Manager and managed 4 Shift Chemists and 3 Shift Lab Assistants in setting up the laboratory, budgeting and controlling inventory of chemicals, coordinating with external agencies to obtain business, training the chemists in physicochemical analyses, calibration & maintenance of instruments and in preparing history cards for equipment and documentation. Analysis of Raw sea water, online water and product water (including Cooling water) – Anions and Cations analysis. Co-ordination with Plant Engineer – Chemical dosage and Flocculation process were done. Chlorine treatment mornitoring.

Wenders / Western India Cashew Co. Pvt. Ltd., Kollam, Kerala, India (

Manager - Production & Quality (Apr 2004 to Dec 2005)

A 100% EO Unitand ISO 9001:2000 certified Company

Reported to the VP - Operations with all Packing Units and Production Heads and 5 Packing Unit Quality Heads reporting.

Achievements & Activities.

Successfully implemented ISO9001 and HACCP, Sanitation & Cleanlines Practices, cGMP Systems and Lean Manufacturing Practices in all packing centers and branch factories. Production, packing and export scheduling. Clients feedback activities.

Maintaining process equipments / instruments working condition. Monitoring Daily maintanance Plan and Schedules. Inventory controls. Co-ordination with Sales / Stores, Administration ensures work is carriedout as per the schedule.

Terra Agro Technologies Ltd., Udamalpet, Coimbatore, India (

Shift In charge - QA (Jul 1997 to Apr 2004)

Reported to the QA In charge and managed 3 Lab Assistants and production operators, ensuring quality raw materials and finished products, handled R&D projects and QA / QC documentation and interacted with clients for their requirements and specifications.

Achievements

Reduced online defective processing and increased quality level to 100% EOU. Analysis of Raw water, Treater water, Boiler water and its blow down Sanitation and Cleanliness practices were implemented.

R&D trials accuracy level matched with the production capacities, trying different commodities successfully.

Central Electro-Chemical Research Institute (CECRI), Tamil Nadu, India (

Post Graduate Trainee (Aug 1995 to Aug 1997)

  • Trained in and assisted in conducting R&D projects on electrochemical conducting polymer films for capacitors. – Polymer Electrochemistry.
  • Polymeric forms were used and tried, Resorcinol – formaldehyde (paper published-macro 99), pAni (poly aniline), poly pyrrole, poly acrylamide, polyacrylonitrile.

Sangam Chemicals, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India

Sub-contracting unit of Procter & Gamble (India) Ltd., Mumbai

Chemist - QA (Aug 1994 to Mar 1995)

  • Involved in all activities of Production, Packing and Lab work for all 3 plant. Product development.

Educational & Professional Qualifications

  • M Sc. (Chemistry) from Bharathidasan University in 1994 (University 18th Rank Holder)

Project: Evaluation of Characteristics of Potable Water

  • B Sc. (Chemistry)from Bharathidasan University in 1992 (1st in Analytical Chemistry in the College)
  • DCA (Diploma in Computer Application) in Programming: 6 months course from Vikram Computers (72%)

Personal Information

Date of Birth: 19 June 1972

Languages known: English, Tamil, Malayalam- Telugu* & Hindi* *-can manage.

Passport No.:- G4690597, FIN:- G5846893U (Singapore) SSN / FIN - THIYA061972(USA- Euro mil.)

Reference:- Mr. James Pratt-CHMM (Project Manager & Engineer) –

URS Corporation, San Antonio, TX 78230-2252 – H/P: 001.225.333.0999

Place:- Trichy.Tamil Nadu. India. T. BALAKUMAR.

Résumé of Balakumar Thiyagarajan - Page 1 of 3