Senior Chemical Engineer - Specialty Chemicals (On-Site)

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

On-site role in Gauteng

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Chemical Engineer to oversee and advance production of specialty chemicals in Tembisa, Gauteng. This senior, on-site role requires exceptional leadership and deep technical expertise to ensure safe, efficient, and sustainable operations.

You will mentor a team of engineers, drive process improvements, manage production schedules and budgets, and partner with R&D to scale up formulations for commercial production.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Chemical Engineering or equivalent.
• 10+ years in chemical manufacturing with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Specialty chemical production and scale-up expertise.
• Strong knowledge of process safety regulations (ATEX, REACH).
• Proven ability to lead and motivate technical teams.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, implementation, and optimization of chemical production processes for specialty chemicals.
• Supervise and mentor engineers and technicians, fostering continuous improvement.
• Ensure safety, environmental, and quality standards across production activities.
• Develop production schedules and allocate resources to meet demand.
• Conduct root cause analysis for deviations and implement corrective actions.
• Oversee commissioning and validation of new equipment and process modifications.
• Collaborate with R&D to scale up new formulations from lab to production.
• Manage operational budgets and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Maintain SOPs and P&IDs; represent engineering in management meetings.

Skills

Leadership

Process safety

Budget management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Stakeholder management

ISO 9001 familiarity

Team motivation

Education

Master's degree in Chemical Engineering

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Chemical Engineer to oversee and advance production of specialty chemicals in Tembisa, Gauteng. This senior, on-site role requires exceptional leadership and deep technical expertise to ensure safe, efficient, and sustainable operations.

You will mentor a team of engineers, drive process improvements, manage production schedules and budgets, and partner with R&D to scale up formulations for commercial production.