Process Development Engineer - Specialty Chemicals

Placements24; Rustenburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Professional development

Laboratory access

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly innovative Process Development Engineer for its client in Rustenburg. The role focuses on scaling laboratory innovations to commercial production, designing robust and cost-effective manufacturing processes.

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years in process development within specialty chemicals, expertise in reactor design, separation techniques, and DoE-driven data analysis.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Chemical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in process development, scale-up, troubleshooting in specialty chemicals.
• Experience with reactor design, separation techniques, and process control.

Responsibilities

• Translate lab processes to pilot and commercial manufacturing.
• Design, execute, and analyze experiments to optimize conditions, yields, and purity.
• Develop and validate new process technologies and equipment configurations.
• Conduct PHAs and ensure safety and environmental compliance.
• Collaborate with R&D to define process requirements.
• Generate technical documentation and validation protocols.

Skills

Reactor design

Separation techniques

Process control

DoE & data analysis

Kinetics & thermodynamics

Education

Master's or PhD in Chemical Engineering

Tools

DoE software

Process simulation

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a highly innovative Process Development Engineer to join their advanced manufacturing facility in Rustenburg . This role is crucial for the advancement of their specialty chemicals division, focusing on scaling up laboratory innovations to commercial production. You will play a key part in designing and validating new manufacturing processes, ensuring they are robust, scalable, and cost-effective. This is an exciting opportunity for a forward-thinking engineer to contribute to the creation of cutting-edge chemical products.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate laboratory-scale chemical processes into pilot and commercial-scale manufacturing operations.
• Design, execute, and analyze experiments to optimize reaction conditions, yields, and product purity.
• Develop and validate new process technologies and equipment configurations.
• Conduct process hazard analyses (PHAs) and ensure compliance with all safety and environmental regulations.
• Collaborate closely with R&D chemists and engineers to define process requirements and specifications.
• Generate comprehensive technical documentation, including experimental reports and process validation protocols.

Requirements

• Master's degree or PhD in Chemical Engineering or a related scientific field.
• 5-10 years of experience in process development, scale-up, and troubleshooting within the specialty chemicals industry.
• Proven experience with reactor design , separation techniques, and process control strategies.
• Proficiency in using statistical tools for experimental design (DoE) and data analysis.
• Strong understanding of chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and physical chemistry.
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams and manage multiple projects concurrently in Rustenburg

Benefits

• An industry-leading salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Generous support for professional development, conferences, and further education.
• Access to advanced laboratory and pilot plant facilities.
• Opportunity to work on innovative and high-impact specialty chemical products.
• A dynamic and collaborative research and development environment.