Principal Polymer Scientist, R&D Leader in Advanced Polymers

Placements24; Richards Bay; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Bonus potential

Long-term incentives

Health coverage

Pension fund

Paid time off

Training and career progression

World-class facilities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead our Polymer Chemistry R&D in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. You will design, synthesize, and characterize novel polymers, set strategic research directions, and mentor scientists while collaborating with engineering and manufacturing to move materials from concept to commercialization.

The role requires a PhD with 8+ years in polymer R&D, expertise across polymerization techniques, and a track record of publications and patents.

Qualifications

• PhD in Polymer Chemistry or closely related field.
• 8+ years in polymer R&D with publications and patents.
• Expertise in various polymerization techniques and polymer characterization.
• Ability to translate research into commercially viable polymers.
• Strong leadership and mentoring experience.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead fundamental and applied research in polymer chemistry.
• Develop and optimize polymerization processes and scale-up.
• Characterize polymers using diverse analytical methods.
• Establish structure-property relationships for targeted performance.
• Collaborate with product development to define material requirements.
• Manage projects, resources, timelines and risk.
• Mentor scientists and technicians, promote rigor and innovation.
• Author reports, patents, and publications.
• Ensure safety and environmental best practices in the lab.

Skills

Polymer chemistry

R&D leadership

Mentoring

Analytical skills

Project management

Communication

Computational modeling

Education

PhD in Polymer Chemistry

Tools

Data analysis software

Computational modeling tools

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead our Polymer Chemistry R&D in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. You will design, synthesize, and characterize novel polymers, set strategic research directions, and mentor scientists while collaborating with engineering and manufacturing to move materials from concept to commercialization.

The role requires a PhD with 8+ years in polymer R&D, expertise across polymerization techniques, and a track record of publications and patents.