Lead Chemical Process Innovator: Lab to Pilot to Market

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance bonus

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Relocation assistance

Career advancement

Pension/Life insurance

Generous leave

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Chemical Process Development Engineer in Cape Town to drive process innovation from bench to pilot to commercialization. You will lead a senior team, shape manufacturing capabilities, and deliver scalable, compliant processes with a focus on quality and sustainability.

The role requires a PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering with 10+ years of experience, strong leadership, and proven cross-functional collaboration in global chemical operations.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Chemical Engineering.
• 10+ years in chemical process development.
• Leadership or lead engineer experience.
• Experience scaling lab processes to commercial scale.
• Strong knowledge of reaction engineering, separation processes, and process modeling.
• Familiarity with SPC and DOE.
• Proven project management and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and optimization of new and existing chemical processes.
• Mentor and manage a team of process development engineers.
• Oversee pilot plant operations and data analysis.
• Develop PFDs and P&IDs for new processes.
• Perform techno-economic evaluations of improvements and technologies.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Prepare technical proposals and reports for senior management.
• Collaborate with R&D, manufacturing, and engineering for technology transfer.
• Drive continuous improvement within the team.

Skills

Leadership

Process development

Project management

Team mentoring

Communication

DOE

SPC

Negotiation

Education

Master's in Chemical Engineering

PhD in Chemical Engineering

Tools

PFD/P&ID design

Process simulation

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Chemical Process Development Engineer in Cape Town to drive process innovation from bench to pilot to commercialization. You will lead a senior team, shape manufacturing capabilities, and deliver scalable, compliant processes with a focus on quality and sustainability.

The role requires a PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering with 10+ years of experience, strong leadership, and proven cross-functional collaboration in global chemical operations.