Polymer Process Engineer – Scale-Up & Innovation (Durban)

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Annual bonus

Medical aid

Provident fund

Professional development

Industry workshops

Durban location

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Durban-based Chemical Engineer to lead process development for high-performance polymers. You will translate laboratory discoveries into robust, scalable industrial processes, collaborating with R&D and production teams to drive technology transfer and manufacturing excellence.

You will optimize polymer synthesis and processing, design experiments, scale up to pilot and commercial levels, and ensure safety, environmental and quality standards.

Qualifications

• B.Eng. or B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering required; Masters advantageous.
• 3-5 years in chemical process development with a polymer focus.
• Hands-on experience with polymer processing equipment (extruders, reactors, injection moulding).
• Familiarity with process simulation software.
• Strong understanding of polymer chemistry, rheology and materials science.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize chemical processes for polymer synthesis and manufacturing.
• Design experiments to evaluate new process parameters and materials.
• Scale-up lab processes to pilot and commercial production levels.
• Use process simulation tools to model and predict process behavior.
• Troubleshoot process-related issues in manufacturing operations.
• Ensure safety, environmental and quality standards compliance.
• Collaborate with R&D and production teams for technology transfer.
• Analyze process data to identify improvements and cost reductions.
• Prepare technical reports and validation protocols.
• Stay current with polymer science and chemical engineering advances.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication

Teamwork

Polymer chemistry

Rheology

Education

B.Eng. or B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering

Tools

Process simulation software

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Durban-based Chemical Engineer to lead process development for high-performance polymers. You will translate laboratory discoveries into robust, scalable industrial processes, collaborating with R&D and production teams to drive technology transfer and manufacturing excellence.

You will optimize polymer synthesis and processing, design experiments, scale up to pilot and commercial levels, and ensure safety, environmental and quality standards.