Chemical Process Development Engineer – Pilot Plant

Placements24; Richards Bay; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan

Retirement plan

Performance incentives

Professional development

Work-life balance

Job summary

Placements24 in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, is seeking a Chemical Engineer to join the Process Development team. The role focuses on developing and optimizing chemical processes, piloting plant trials, and translating lab results into scalable production.

The ideal candidate has a BSc or BEng in Chemical Engineering, at least 5 years of process development experience, and proficiency with Aspen Plus or ChemCAD.

Qualifications

• BSc or BEng in Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in process development/optimization in chemical or petrochemical industry.
• Proficiency with process simulation software (Aspen Plus, ChemCAD).
• Experience with pilot plant operations and scale-up principles.
• Strong understanding of reaction engineering and separation technologies.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and computational skills.
• Able to work independently and in multidisciplinary teams.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of process safety management (PSM) is advantageous.
• Willingness to reside near Richards Bay or relocate as needed.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute pilot plant studies to evaluate new process technologies.
• Develop process flow diagrams (PFDs) and piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs).
• Conduct process simulations and economic evaluations for new process designs.
• Troubleshoot and optimize existing manufacturing processes to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
• Ensure all process designs adhere to SHE standards.
• Collaborate with R&D chemists and engineers to translate lab findings into viable industrial processes.
• Prepare detailed technical reports and process documentation.
• Provide technical support to the manufacturing team during start-ups and troubleshooting.

Skills

Process simulation software

Pilot plant operations

Reaction engineering

Analytical problem-solving

Computational skills

Team collaboration

Independent working

Communication skills

Education

BSc or BEng in Chemical Engineering

Tools

Aspen Plus

ChemCAD

Job description

Placements24 in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, is seeking a Chemical Engineer to join the Process Development team. The role focuses on developing and optimizing chemical processes, piloting plant trials, and translating lab results into scalable production.

The ideal candidate has a BSc or BEng in Chemical Engineering, at least 5 years of process development experience, and proficiency with Aspen Plus or ChemCAD.