Chemical Process Development Engineer

Placements24; Gqeberha; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Hybrid work model

Career growth opportunities

Health & retirement benefits

Innovative team

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Chemical Process Development Engineer to join its R&D team in Port Elizabeth. This hybrid role focuses on bringing new chemical products and processes from concept to scalable production, developing efficient, safe and sustainable manufacturing methods and supporting technology transfer.

The role requires an advanced degree in Chemical Engineering and 5-7 years in process development, scale-up, and tech transfer, with DoE and statistical analysis proficiency, pilot plant

Qualifications

• 5-7 years in process development, scale-up and technology transfer in chemical sector.
• Proficiency in experimental design (DoE) and statistical analysis.
• Experience with pilot plant operations and scale-up principles.
• Strong understanding of kinetics, thermodynamics and reaction engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of new chemical processes from bench-scale to pilot plant and commercial scale-up.
• Design and execute experiments to optimize reaction conditions, yields and product quality.
• Perform process safety assessments and develop control strategies for new processes.
• Analyze data, interpret results and prepare technical reports.
• Collaborate with R&D chemists, engineers and manufacturing teams for technology transfer.
• Troubleshoot and resolve challenges during process development and scale-up.

Skills

Process development

Scale-up

DoE

Statistical analysis

Pilot plant operations

Tech transfer

Education

Master's degree in Chemical Engineering

PhD in Chemical Engineering

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a skilled Chemical Process Development Engineer to join their innovative research and development team in Port Elizabeth . This hybrid role focuses on bringing new chemical products and processes from concept to scalable production. You will be at the forefront of developing efficient, safe, and sustainable manufacturing methods. The ideal candidate will have a passion for innovation, strong analytical skills, and experience in laboratory and pilot-scale development within the chemical industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of new chemical processes, from bench-scale experimentation to pilot plant trials and commercial scale-up.
• Design and execute experiments to optimize reaction conditions, yields, and product quality.
• Perform process safety assessments and develop appropriate control strategies for new processes.
• Analyze experimental data, interpret results, and prepare comprehensive technical reports.
• Collaborate with R&D chemists, engineers, and manufacturing teams to ensure smooth technology transfer.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical challenges encountered during process development and scale-up.

Requirements

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a related field.
• 5-7 years of experience in process development, scale-up, and technology transfer within the chemical sector.
• Proficiency in experimental design (DoE) and statistical analysis.
• Experience with pilot plant operations and scale-up principles.
• Strong understanding of chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and reaction engineering.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, adaptable to a hybrid work environment.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with performance-based incentives.
• Hybrid work model offering flexibility for employees in Port Elizabeth .
• Opportunities for career growth and participation in cutting‑edge research.
• Comprehensive health, retirement, and insurance benefits.
• A collaborative and stimulating work atmosphere focused on innovation.