Process Development Engineer - Specialty Chemicals

Placements24; Centurion; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive contract rate

Remote work with site visits

Contract extension potential

Cutting-edge chemical technologies

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a highly skilled Process Development Engineer specializing in specialty chemicals for a remote contract role with occasional site visits to Centurion. You will scale up novel synthesis routes and optimize existing processes for high-value products, translating lab breakthroughs into scalable manufacturing.

The candidate should have 5+ years in process development, expertise in reaction engineering and catalysis, proficiency with DoE, and familiarity with GMP/ISO standards.

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry.
• 5+ years of experience in process development and scale-up within the specialty chemicals sector.
• Proficiency in reaction engineering, catalysis, and separation technologies.
• Experience with process simulation software and experimental design (DoE).
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects and work independently.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute laboratory experiments to optimize reaction conditions, yield, and purity.
• Scale-up chemical processes from bench-scale to pilot plant, ensuring process robustness and safety.
• Develop detailed process descriptions, mass balances, and energy balances for new and existing processes.
• Perform risk assessments and implement appropriate safety measures for new chemical operations.
• Collaborate with R&D chemists and engineers to troubleshoot and resolve process challenges.
• Analyze process data using statistical methods to identify trends and areas for improvement.

Skills

Process development

Scale-up

Reaction engineering

Catalysis

DoE

GMP/ISO familiarity

Education

MSc or PhD in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry

Tools

Process simulation software

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a highly skilled Process Development Engineer specializing in Specialty Chemicals for a contract position, based remotely but requiring occasional site visits to Centurion . You will play a critical role in scaling up novel chemical synthesis routes and optimizing existing processes for the production of high-value chemical products. This role demands innovation, rigorous experimentation, and a strong understanding of chemical kinetics and reaction engineering to translate laboratory breakthroughs into commercially viable manufacturing processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute laboratory experiments to optimize reaction conditions, yield, and purity.
• Scale-up chemical processes from bench-scale to pilot plant, ensuring process robustness and safety.
• Develop detailed process descriptions, mass balances, and energy balances for new and existing processes.
• Perform risk assessments and implement appropriate safety measures for new chemical operations.
• Collaborate with R&D chemists and engineers to troubleshoot and resolve process challenges.
• Analyze process data using statistical methods to identify trends and areas for improvement.

Requirements

• MSc or PhD in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry.
• 5+ years of experience in process development and scale-up within the specialty chemicals sector.
• Proficiency in reaction engineering, catalysis, and separation technologies.
• Experience with process simulation software and experimental design (DoE).
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects and work independently.
• Familiarity with GMP or ISO quality standards.

Benefits

• Competitive contract rate commensurate with experience.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge chemical technologies.
• Flexible remote working arrangements with support for site visits.
• Contribution to innovative projects with significant industry impact.
• Potential for contract extension based on performance and project needs.