Process Development Chemical Engineer

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary & bonus

Health & wellness programs

Paid time off

International travel opportunities

Innovative work environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a forward-thinking Process Development Chemical Engineer to join our client’s expanding operations in George, Western Cape. The role focuses on developing, scaling up, and validating new chemical processes from lab bench to pilot plant and eventual commercial production.

The ideal candidate will drive techno-economic evaluations, design PFDs and P&IDs, and collaborate with R&D, manufacturing, and safety teams to ensure safe, compliant implementation.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Chemical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Extensive process development and scale-up experience in specialty chemicals or pharmaceuticals.
• Expertise in reaction kinetics, separations, and process design.
• Experience with DOE and data analysis techniques.
• Strong project management and technical communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and scale-up of new chemical processes from concept to full-scale implementation.
• Design and conduct laboratory and pilot plant experiments to optimize process parameters.
• Perform techno-economic evaluations of new process designs and existing improvements.
• Develop PFDs and P&IDs.
• Collaborate with R&D, manufacturing, and safety to ensure project execution.
• Ensure all process designs comply with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Process development

Scale-up

DOE

Data analysis

Project management

Technical communication

Teamwork

Education

MSc/PhD in Chemical Engineering or related

Tools

PFD/P&ID design

Job description

Our client is seeking a forward-thinking Process Development Chemical Engineer to join their expanding operations in George . This role is crucial for developing, scaling up, and validating new chemical processes from laboratory bench to pilot plant and ultimately to commercial production. You will play a key part in evaluating new technologies and raw materials, ensuring that processes are robust, scalable, and economically viable. The ideal candidate will possess a strong aptitude for research and development, coupled with a practical understanding of chemical engineering principles, contributing to the company's innovation pipeline and competitive edge.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and scale-up of new chemical processes, from conceptualization to full-scale implementation.
• Design and conduct laboratory and pilot plant experiments to optimize process parameters.
• Perform techno-economic evaluations of new process designs and existing process improvements.
• Develop process flow diagrams (PFDs) and piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs).
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including R&D, manufacturing, and safety, to ensure successful project execution.
• Ensure all process designs comply with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Extensive experience in process development and scale-up, preferably in specialty chemicals or pharmaceuticals.
• Demonstrated expertise in reaction kinetics, separation technologies, and process design.
• Familiarity with statistical experimental design (DOE) and data analysis techniques.
• Excellent project management and technical communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a team-oriented, research-intensive environment.

Benefits

• Attractive salary and performance bonus structure.
• Comprehensive health and wellness programs.
• Generous paid time off and holidays.
• Opportunities for international collaboration and travel.
• A stimulating work environment focused on scientific advancement and innovation.