Lead Chemical Engineer — R&D & Process Scale-Up

Placements24; Rustenburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 in Rustenburg is seeking a Lead Chemical Engineer to head our R&D efforts, guiding a team of scientists and engineers from concept to commercialization.

You will develop new synthesis routes, optimize processes, and oversee pilot plant operations for scale-up, while collaborating with marketing to align product specs with market needs.

This role demands a Ph.D. or Master's in Chemical Engineering and a passion for sustainable chemistry and innovative, market-driven solutions.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of R&D engineers and chemists in project execution.
• Develop and optimize new chemical synthesis routes and formulation processes.
• Design and oversee pilot plant operations for process validation and scale‑up studies.
• Conduct literature reviews and patent searches to identify new opportunities.
• Collaborate with marketing and sales to define product specifications.
• Author technical reports, research papers, and patent applications.

Skills

Leadership

R&D leadership

Mentoring

Education

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

M.S. in Chemical Engineering

Job description

Placements24 in Rustenburg is seeking a Lead Chemical Engineer to head our R&D efforts, guiding a team of scientists and engineers from concept to commercialization.

You will develop new synthesis routes, optimize processes, and oversee pilot plant operations for scale-up, while collaborating with marketing to align product specs with market needs.

This role demands a Ph.D. or Master's in Chemical Engineering and a passion for sustainable chemistry and innovative, market-driven solutions.