Lead Renewable Energy Scientist – Solar & Storage Innovation

Placements24; Upington; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 in Upington is seeking a Senior Research Scientist to lead research in renewable energy technologies within our R&D team. You will design, manage, and execute experimental projects focused on solar energy conversion, energy storage, or grid integration.

The role requires a Ph.D. and at least 5 years of post‑doctoral or industry experience in renewable energy, with strong data analysis, problem-solving, and collaboration skills to drive sustainable energy innovations.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering or related field with renewable energy focus.
• Minimum of 5 years post‑doctoral or industry research experience in renewable energy technologies.
• Demonstrated experience in experimental design, data analysis, and interpretation.
• Expertise in photovoltaics, electrochemistry, or materials for energy storage.

Responsibilities

• Lead research efforts in developing and optimizing novel renewable energy technologies.
• Design, execute, and analyze experiments related to solar cells, battery systems, or other clean energy solutions.
• Investigate material properties, device performance, and system efficiency for energy applications.
• Collaborate with engineers and cross‑functional teams to scale up promising technologies.
• Stay abreast of scientific advancements and market trends in the renewable energy sector.
• Author technical reports, patents, and publications to disseminate research findings.

Skills

Leadership

Experiment design

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Ph.D. in Physics / Chemistry / Materials Science / Electrical Engineering with renewable energy focus

Tools

PV systems

Electrochemistry

Materials characterization

Job description

Placements24 in Upington is seeking a Senior Research Scientist to lead research in renewable energy technologies within our R&D team. You will design, manage, and execute experimental projects focused on solar energy conversion, energy storage, or grid integration.

The role requires a Ph.D. and at least 5 years of post‑doctoral or industry experience in renewable energy, with strong data analysis, problem-solving, and collaboration skills to drive sustainable energy innovations.