R&D Lead, Chemical Innovation & Scale-Up (Travel)

Placements24; Rustenburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive bonus

Health, life & disability insurance

R&D budget

International travel opportunities

Creative, collaborative culture

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Lead Chemical Engineer for a progressive chemical manufacturer in Rustenburg to drive R&D initiatives and bring novel products from concept to commercialization.

You will lead a team of scientists and engineers, pushing process optimization and scale-up while collaborating with marketing to align specifications with market needs. A PhD or MSc and 8+ years in R&D with leadership are required.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry.
• 8+ years of R&D experience with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record in developing and commercializing new chemical products or processes.
• Expertise in reaction engineering, process optimization, and scale-up principles.
• Strong background in analytical techniques relevant to chemical product development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of R&D engineers and chemists in project execution.
• Develop and optimize new chemical synthesis routes and formulation processes.
• Design and oversee pilot plant operations for process validation and scale-up studies.
• Conduct thorough literature reviews and patent searches to identify new opportunities.
• Collaborate with marketing and sales teams to understand market needs and define product specifications.
• Author technical reports, research papers, and patent applications.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Communication

R&D leadership

Mentoring

Team collaboration

Education

Ph.D. or Master’s in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Lead Chemical Engineer for a progressive chemical manufacturer in Rustenburg to drive R&D initiatives and bring novel products from concept to commercialization.

You will lead a team of scientists and engineers, pushing process optimization and scale-up while collaborating with marketing to align specifications with market needs. A PhD or MSc and 8+ years in R&D with leadership are required.