Lead Materials Scientist — R&D Leader in Advanced Materials

Placements24; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Healthcare benefits

Generous leave

Conference attendance

State-of-the-art lab

Retirement plan

Leadership opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 client seeks a Lead Materials Scientist to spearhead R&D in Centurion, Gauteng. You will drive the design, synthesis, and characterization of high‑performance materials across polymers, composites, ceramics, and metals, guiding projects from concept to commercialization.

You will mentor a team of scientists, collaborate with engineering and product teams to translate innovations into products, publish findings, and ensure laboratory safety.

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics or related field.
• Minimum 6 years of hands-on materials R&D with leadership.
• Proven expertise in synthesis and characterization techniques.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage research projects from conception to commercialization.
• Direct synthesis, processing, and characterization of advanced materials.
• Develop and implement experimental techniques and analytical methods.
• Mentor a team of materials scientists and technicians.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to translate innovations into products.
• Publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences.
• Ensure laboratory safety and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Research leadership

Materials synthesis

Characterization

Structure-property

Analytical thinking

Communication

Publications

Education

PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or related

Tools

Computational modeling

Job description

Placements24 client seeks a Lead Materials Scientist to spearhead R&D in Centurion, Gauteng. You will drive the design, synthesis, and characterization of high‑performance materials across polymers, composites, ceramics, and metals, guiding projects from concept to commercialization.

You will mentor a team of scientists, collaborate with engineering and product teams to translate innovations into products, publish findings, and ensure laboratory safety.