Remote Senior Chemical Engineer - Lead R&D & Scale-Up

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

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work flexibility

Home office budget

Professional development

Patent contributions

Career growth opportunities

Diversity & inclusion

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Senior Chemical Engineer for a fully remote role with global responsibilities in specialty chemicals. You will drive research, development, and scale-up of novel processes, leading cross-functional teams and coordinating with international partners.

The ideal candidate has a PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry, 8+ years in process development and scale-up, and strong expertise in reaction engineering, process design, and simulations.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry.
• 8+ years in process development and scale-up within specialty chemicals.
• Experience with organic synthesis, reaction engineering and process design.
• Proficient in process simulation software (Aspen Plus, CHEMCAD) and statistics.
• Strong analytical skills (GC, HPLC, NMR, MS) for process monitoring.
• Excellent PM skills with track record of leading complex R&D projects.
• Remote work capable with superb communication in international teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and optimization of processes for specialty chemical synthesis and manufacturing.
• Conduct research into new chemical reactions, materials, and process technologies.
• Manage projects from concept to pilot scale and commercial production.
• Perform process simulations, scale-up calculations, and techno-economic assessments.
• Develop process documentation including PFDs, P&IDs, batch records, and safety protocols.
• Oversee lab and pilot plant experiments and make data-driven recommendations.
• Collaborate with R&D, product management, and manufacturing for tech transfer.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance yield, purity, safety, and sustainability.
• Stay updated on literature, patents, and trends in specialty chemicals.
• Provide mentorship to junior engineers and chemists.

Skills

Process development

Scale-up

Organic synthesis

Reaction engineering

Process design

Process simulation

Statistical analysis

Analytical techniques

Project management

Communication

Autonomy (remote work)

Education

PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry

Tools

Aspen Plus

CHEMCAD

Job description

Placements24 is recruiting a Senior Chemical Engineer for a fully remote role with global responsibilities in specialty chemicals. You will drive research, development, and scale-up of novel processes, leading cross-functional teams and coordinating with international partners.

The ideal candidate has a PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering or Organic Chemistry, 8+ years in process development and scale-up, and strong expertise in reaction engineering, process design, and simulations.