Process Development Engineer - API Manufacturing

Placements24; Polokwane; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Generous vacation

Modern facilities

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a skilled Process Development Engineer to join their API manufacturing team in Polokwane. You will optimize chemical synthesis, scale processes from lab to pilot and then to commercial production, ensuring safe, compliant, and cost-efficient APIs.

The ideal candidate has a chemical engineering background with 5+ years' API/process development experience, strong kinetics and thermodynamics knowledge, and familiarity with PHAs and process safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Chemical Engineering.
• 5+ years in process development or chemical engineering in pharma or fine chemicals, API manufacturing.
• Experience in process scale-up from lab to pilot and commercial.
• Strong knowledge of organic synthesis, kinetics, thermodynamics, and mass transfer.
• Familiarity with process safety concepts and hazard assessment.

Responsibilities

• Optimize API synthesis processes to improve yield, purity, safety, and costs.
• Develop and scale up API manufacturing from laboratory to pilot plant and commercial scale.
• Conduct PHAs and implement necessary safety measures.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues during process development and manufacturing.
• Characterize process intermediates and final APIs using analytical techniques.
• Collaborate with R&D chemists, analytical scientists, and manufacturing teams for seamless transfer.
• Document process descriptions and development reports for regulatory submissions.

Skills

Process development

Chemical engineering

Scale-up

PHAs

Process safety

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Chemical Engineering

Tools

Aspen Plus

HYSYS

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a skilled and innovative Process Development Engineer to join their Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing team in Polokwane . This role focuses on optimizing and scaling up chemical synthesis processes to ensure efficient, safe, and compliant production of APIs. You will work on improving existing processes and developing new manufacturing methodologies, playing a crucial part in the supply chain for vital pharmaceutical products. This position offers a fantastic opportunity to apply chemical engineering principles in a challenging industrial setting, contributing to the successful and cost-effective production of high-quality APIs within the Limpopo province.

Key Responsibilities

• Optimize existing chemical synthesis processes for APIs to improve yield, purity, safety, and reduce costs.
• Develop and scale up new API manufacturing processes from laboratory to pilot plant and commercial scale.
• Conduct process hazard analyses (PHAs) and implement necessary safety measures.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues encountered during process development and manufacturing.
• Characterize process intermediates and final APIs using appropriate analytical techniques.
• Collaborate with R&D chemists, analytical scientists, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless process transfer.
• Author process descriptions, development reports, and technical documentation for regulatory submissions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in process development or chemical engineering within the pharmaceutical or fine chemical industry, specifically with API manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of organic synthesis, reaction kinetics, thermodynamics, and mass transfer principles.
• Experience with process scale-up, pilot plant operations, and commercial manufacturing.
• Knowledge of process safety principles and hazard assessment techniques.
• Proficiency with process simulation software and statistical analysis tools is an advantage.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary and performance-related bonus.
• Comprehensive medical aid and retirement fund options.
• Generous paid vacation time and opportunities for professional growth.
• Access to state-of-the-art laboratory and pilot plant facilities.
• A collaborative and innovative work environment in Polokwane focused on continuous improvement.