Materials Science Research Chemist

Placements24; Richards Bay; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health coverage

Professional development

Advanced lab facilities

Generous PTO

Job summary

Placements24 in Richards Bay seeks a Research Chemist with a Materials Science focus to lead material innovation from concept to testing. You will work across synthesis, characterization, and performance evaluation in a well‑equipped R&D environment.

The role emphasizes collaboration with product teams and engineers, with opportunities for professional development and a competitive compensation package.

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Science or related field.
• Minimum 3 years hands‑on experience in materials synthesis and characterization.
• Strong understanding of chemical principles governing material behavior.
• Proficiency with common analytical instruments and techniques.
• Experience with computational modeling is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Synthesize and characterize novel materials, including polymers, composites, and nanomaterials.
• Analyze material properties using spectroscopy, chromatography, and thermal analysis.
• Develop synthesis routes and processing methods for new materials.
• Evaluate material performance via mechanical and electrical testing.
• Collaborate with engineers to translate research into product applications.
• Maintain lab notebooks and prepare research reports and presentations.

Skills

Materials synthesis

Material characterization

Spectroscopy

DSC/TGA

Collaborative work

Independent work

Education

Ph.D. in Chemistry/Materials Science/Polymer Science

Tools

NMR

IR

UV-Vis

Chromatography

DSC

TGA

Computational modeling

Job description

Placements24 in Richards Bay seeks a Research Chemist with a Materials Science focus to lead material innovation from concept to testing. You will work across synthesis, characterization, and performance evaluation in a well‑equipped R&D environment.

The role emphasizes collaboration with product teams and engineers, with opportunities for professional development and a competitive compensation package.