Chemical Engineer - Research & Development

Placements24; Sandton; Hybrid; ZAR 850,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Professional development allowance

Flexible remote work

Conference attendance

Job summary

Placements24 in Sandton seeks an innovative Chemical Engineer for its Research & Development team. The role focuses on conceptualizing, developing, and piloting new chemical products and processes to transform ideas into practical, scalable solutions for market demands.

You will collaborate with chemists and engineers, design experiments, and develop scale-up strategies prioritizing safety, economics and environmental factors in a dynamic Gauteng R&D environment.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Chemical Engineering with strong R&D focus.
• 5+ years in chemical R&D or process development.
• Experience in experimental design, data analysis and process modeling.

Responsibilities

• Conduct R&D activities for new chemical products from lab-scale to pilot plant.
• Design experiments to optimize reaction conditions, yields and purity.
• Develop scale-up strategies considering safety, economics and environment.
• Collaborate with chemists and engineers to move projects toward commercialization.
• Prepare technical reports and presentations summarizing findings.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies to enhance R&D capabilities.

Skills

Experimental design

Data analysis

Process modeling

Pilot plant operations

Team collaboration

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

Job description

Our client, a leader in specialty chemicals based in Sandton , is seeking an innovative Chemical Engineer for their Research & Development team. This role focuses on conceptualizing, developing, and piloting new chemical products and processes. You will contribute to groundbreaking projects, transforming novel ideas into practical, scalable solutions that meet market demands. This is an exceptional opportunity for a creative and analytical mind to drive innovation within a dynamic R&D environment, working at the cutting edge of chemical science in Gauteng .

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct research and development activities for new chemical products and processes, from lab-scale to pilot plant.
• Design and execute experiments to optimize reaction conditions, yields, and product purity.
• Develop process scale-up strategies, considering safety, economic, and environmental factors.
• Collaborate with chemists, material scientists, and other engineers to advance projects from concept to commercialization.
• Prepare technical reports, patent disclosures, and presentations summarizing research findings.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies and methodologies to enhance R&D capabilities.

Requirements

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a related field with a strong R&D focus.
• 5+ years of experience in chemical research and development or process development.
• Proven ability in experimental design, data analysis, and process modeling.
• Experience with pilot plant operations and scale-up is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of reaction kinetics, thermodynamics, and separation processes.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, particularly in a remote collaborative setting.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and research-based bonus structure.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Generous allowance for professional development and conference attendance.
• Flexible remote working arrangements to support work-life balance.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies in a stimulating R&D environment.