Principal Chemical Engineer — Plant Optimization Lead

Placements24; Southampton; On-site; GBP 67,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Medical and retirement benefits

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly experienced Principal Chemical Engineer in Randburg, Gauteng. You will lead plant operations, drive process improvements, and mentor a team of engineers to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant production.

You will oversee safety management, troubleshoot major issues, and partner with maintenance to minimize downtime while delivering capital projects and performance improvements. Extensive leadership and analytical skills are essential.

Qualifications

• B.Eng. or B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering is required.
• Minimum 12 years in chemical plant operations with 5+ years in senior/principal role.
• Extensive experience in troubleshooting and optimizing continuous and batch chemical processes.
• Strong knowledge of HAZOP, LOPA, and SIL analysis requested.
• Experience with MOC and RCA processes.
• Proven leadership and mentoring capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior technical leadership for plant operations and process optimization.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex operational problems affecting plant performance and product quality.
• Lead RCA for significant incidents and implement preventative measures.
• Develop and execute continuous improvement strategies for efficiency, energy use, and waste reduction.
• Oversee process safety management activities including hazard identification and risk assessment.
• Collaborate with maintenance to ensure equipment integrity and minimize downtime.
• Review and approve process design changes and MOC procedures.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers to develop technical excellence.
• Prepare technical reports, operations reviews and capital proposals for senior management.

Skills

Leadership

Process optimization

Troubleshooting

Communication

Mentoring

Operational excellence

Education

B.Eng./B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering

Tools

Aspen Plus

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a highly experienced Principal Chemical Engineer in Randburg, Gauteng. You will lead plant operations, drive process improvements, and mentor a team of engineers to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant production.

You will oversee safety management, troubleshoot major issues, and partner with maintenance to minimize downtime while delivering capital projects and performance improvements. Extensive leadership and analytical skills are essential.