Lead Materials Scientist: Innovation & Scale

Placements24; Rustenburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonuses tied to milestones

Professional development support

Access to cutting-edge equipment

Collaborative research environment

Job summary

Placements24 in South Africa seeks a distinguished Principal Scientist to lead materials science initiatives at their state-of-the-art Rustenburg facility. You will drive research directions, manage experimental programs, and translate discoveries into scalable material solutions.

The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in Materials Science and 10+ years in R&D, with deep expertise in polymer, ceramic, or composite systems, and a proven leadership record in securing grants and publishing widely.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a materials-related field.
• 10+ years in materials R&D focusing on polymers, ceramics, or composites.
• Expertise in material characterization techniques (SEM, TEM, XRD, spectroscopy).
• Proven ability to lead projects from concept to commercialization and publish in journals.

Responsibilities

• Direct and oversee advanced materials research initiatives.
• Design experiments to synthesize, characterize, and test new material compositions.
• Develop processing techniques and optimize manufacturing methods.
• Collaborate with engineering to integrate materials into products.
• Publish high-impact papers and present at conferences.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to scientists and engineers.

Skills

Materials science

Leadership

Mentoring

Project management

Education

Ph.D. in Materials Science

Tools

SEM

TEM

XRD

Spectroscopy

Job description

Placements24 in South Africa seeks a distinguished Principal Scientist to lead materials science initiatives at their state-of-the-art Rustenburg facility. You will drive research directions, manage experimental programs, and translate discoveries into scalable material solutions.

The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in Materials Science and 10+ years in R&D, with deep expertise in polymer, ceramic, or composite systems, and a proven leadership record in securing grants and publishing widely.