Senior Materials Scientist — Lead Next-Gen Materials R&D

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

Job summary

Placements24 in Rustenburg is seeking a Senior Materials Scientist to lead critical research initiatives within its advanced materials division, guiding projects from conception to prototype development.

You will leverage expertise in material behavior and characterization, including SEM, TEM, XRD, and spectroscopy, to drive structure–property relationships and material design in a collaborative team. This is a high-impact role with opportunities for advanced training.

Qualifications

• PhD required or equivalent research leadership experience.
• Proven ability to lead research projects from concept to prototype.
• Strong background in materials characterization and analysis.
• Excellent communication and teamwork in cross-functional environments.
• Deep understanding of material physics, chemistry, and processing.
• Experience publishing technical reports or patents is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the research, development, and characterization of novel materials.
• Design and conduct experiments to evaluate material performance under various conditions.
• Utilize SEM, TEM, XRD and spectroscopy for material analysis.
• Develop structure-property relationships to guide material design.
• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing to transition materials to production.
• Prepare technical reports, publications, and patent applications.

Skills

Project leadership

Research planning

Communication

Material physics

Material processing

Education

PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or related discipline

Tools

SEM

TEM

XRD

Spectroscopy

Job description

Placements24 in Rustenburg is seeking a Senior Materials Scientist to lead critical research initiatives within its advanced materials division, guiding projects from conception to prototype development.

You will leverage expertise in material behavior and characterization, including SEM, TEM, XRD, and spectroscopy, to drive structure–property relationships and material design in a collaborative team. This is a high-impact role with opportunities for advanced training.