1. Introduction and Data Controller
Manchester Nanomaterials Ltd, referred to in this notice as "we", "us", or "our", is committed to safeguarding the privacy and security of your personal data. This privacy notice explains how we collect, store, and process personal data about prospective employees and job applicants during our recruitment process.

For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, Manchester Nanomaterials Ltd is the data controller. Our registered office is located in Manchester, United Kingdom, and you can contact our privacy lead by emailing info@mcrnano.com.

2. Information We Collect About You
During the application and evaluation process, we collect and process various categories of personal information. This includes

Contact details, such as your full name, telephone number, personal email address, and home address.
Application records, including your CV, employment history, educational qualifications, professional memberships, publications, and any written examples of work or project summaries submitted via our application form.
Technical screening details, including the responses provided in candidate experience checklists, coding samples, and technical task submissions.
Interview notes and assessment records, covering feedback generated during conversations with the Chief Executive Officer, technical presentations, and in-person laboratory visits.
Right-to-work verification, such as your British or Irish citizenship status, share codes, visa status, or relevant documentation confirming your legal right to work in the United Kingdom without sponsorship.
Referee details, including the names, company roles, and contact information of professional referees you supply to us, alongside any references provided by those individuals.
3. How We Collect Your Personal Data
We collect personal information directly from you when you complete our online recruitment form, upload your CV, attend interviews, or correspond with us via email.

We may also obtain information from third parties, such as professional recruitment agencies acting on your behalf, prior employers who supply references at our request, or public professional profiles including LinkedIn where relevant to technical verification.

4. Lawful Grounds for Processing Your Information
Under UK data protection law, we only process your personal data when we have an established legal basis. We rely on the following lawful bases during our recruitment activities

Taking pre-contractual steps (Article 6(1)(b) UK GDPR)
Processing your application materials is necessary to evaluate your suitability, arrange interview discussions, and determine whether to enter into an employment contract with you.

Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR)
We have a legitimate commercial interest in running a fair, rigorous, and efficient hiring process, verifying technical competency for specialist laboratory roles, and retaining accurate recruitment records in case of dispute. We ensure that our interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.

Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c) UK GDPR)
We are required by UK immigration and employment law to verify that all prospective employees possess the legal right to work in the UK before formal engagement begins.

Consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR)
Where you explicitly agree that we may keep your CV and application details on file for future employment opportunities, we process your information on the basis of your freely given consent. You may withdraw this consent at any time.

5. Special Category Data and Reasonable Adjustments
We do not typically request sensitive personal data during early-stage applications. However, if you disclose health information or a disability, we will process this information solely to make reasonable adjustments for interview attendance, technical tests, or laboratory visits.

Our lawful basis for handling this information is fulfilling our statutory obligations under UK employment and equality legislation in accordance with Article 9(2)(b) of the UK GDPR and Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018.

6. Sharing Your Data
Your application is treated with strict confidentiality. Access to your personal data is restricted to individuals who directly participate in hiring decisions, including the Chief Executive Officer, senior scientific staff, and administrative managers.

We may share your data with trusted third-party service providers who assist our operations, including

Form management and website hosting providers such as Wix.com Ltd
Secure cloud storage and document management platforms
External technical assessors or background verification providers where appropriate
We ensure that all external service providers operate under formal Data Processing Agreements and are bound by strict obligations of confidentiality and data security. We never sell your personal information or permit third parties to use it for marketing purposes.

7. International Data Transfers
The third-party digital platforms we use for website hosting, email communication, and secure cloud storage may store data on servers located outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, including the United States.

Whenever your data is transferred abroad, we ensure appropriate safeguards are implemented. These safeguards include the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, standard contractual clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office, or verified participation in approved transfer frameworks.

8. Data Retention
We retain candidate personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil recruitment purposes and satisfy legal obligations

Unsuccessful applicants
If your application is not successful on this occasion, we will securely retain your application records, interview notes, and CV for six months following the conclusion of the hiring campaign. This period allows us to respond effectively to any questions or legal claims arising from the selection process. After six months, your information is securely destroyed or anonymised.
Talent pool retention
If we wish to retain your application details for future vacancies, we will contact you to request your explicit consent. With your consent, we will retain your CV for up to twelve months.
Successful applicants
If you are offered and accept employment with Manchester Nanomaterials Ltd, your application materials will be transferred to our internal employee personnel file, which is governed by our separate Employee Privacy Notice.
9. Your Data Protection Rights
Under the UK GDPR, you have several rights regarding your personal data

Right of access, allowing you to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Right to rectification, allowing you to request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure, allowing you to request the deletion of your personal data where there is no compelling legal reason for us to continue processing it.
Right to restrict processing, allowing you to request that we pause processing your data in certain circumstances.
Right to object, allowing you to object to processing that relies upon our legitimate interests.
Right to withdraw consent, allowing you to revoke consent at any time where processing depends on your consent, without affecting prior lawful processing.
We do not use automated decision-making or profiling to make hiring determinations. Every application is reviewed directly by our scientific and management team.

10. Contact Details and Supervisory Authority
If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, or if you have any questions concerning how we manage your information, please contact us by emailing info@mcrnano.com.

If you are dissatisfied with how we handle your request or process your personal data, you have the right to lodge a formal complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office, the UK supervisory body for data protection matters. You can reach the ICO by visiting ico.org.uk or by telephoning 0303 123 1113.