Senior Catalysis Research Engineer - Process Innovation

Placements24; Randburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Life insurance

Retirement fund

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Chemical Engineer with catalysis research expertise to join a Randburg-based facility. You will lead catalyst design, synthesis, testing, and optimization, guiding projects from lab to pilot scale.

The role requires a PhD in a related field and 7+ years of catalysis experience, with strength in kinetics, surface science, and advanced analytical techniques. Collaboration across disciplines and mentorship of staff are key aspects.

Qualifications

• PhD required with strong focus on catalysis.
• Significant post-doc or industrial catalysis research experience (≥7 years).
• Proven expertise in catalyst synthesis, characterization, and performance evaluation.
• Experience with diverse catalytic systems and process optimization.
• Strong background in surface science, kinetics, and thermodynamics.
• Proficient with common lab and analytical equipment for catalysis.
• Computational chemistry or modeling experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead research projects on design, synthesis, and testing of catalysts (heterogeneous & homogeneous).
• Develop and optimize catalytic processes for industrial applications.
• Conduct kinetic, mechanistic studies and deactivation analyses.
• Use spectroscopy, microscopy, and chromatography for catalyst characterization.
• Scale up promising processes from lab to pilot scale.
• Collaborate with chemists, materials scientists, and process engineers.
• Publish findings and present at international conferences.
• Contribute to patent applications and IP development.
• Mentor junior researchers and technicians.
• Ensure safety and environmental responsibilities in all activities.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Analytical thinking

Communication

Project management

Mentoring

Critical thinking

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related field

Tools

Spectroscopy

Chromatography

Microscopy

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Senior Chemical Engineer with catalysis research expertise to join a Randburg-based facility. You will lead catalyst design, synthesis, testing, and optimization, guiding projects from lab to pilot scale.

The role requires a PhD in a related field and 7+ years of catalysis experience, with strength in kinetics, surface science, and advanced analytical techniques. Collaboration across disciplines and mentorship of staff are key aspects.