Senior Petrochemical Process Engineer — Hybrid (Cape Town)

Placements24; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Performance bonuses

Professional development

Relocation assistance

State-of-the-art facilities

Generous annual leave

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly experienced Lead Process Engineer for a Cape Town, Western Cape role with a hybrid work model. The position focuses on conceiving, designing, and implementing advanced petrochemical processes while upholding safety, environmental responsibility, and operational excellence.

You will mentor engineers, drive process improvements, and collaborate across project teams to deliver reliable plant performance and optimization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering.
• 10+ years of relevant petrochemical/oil and gas experience.
• Proven track record in process design, scale-up, and troubleshooting of complex chemical plants.
• Proficiency with process simulation tools such as Aspen Plus or HYSYS.
• Strong knowledge of PSM and risk assessment techniques.
• Demonstrated leadership and team management abilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead detailed design of petrochemical processes, including PFDs and P&IDs.
• Oversee simulations and optimizations to improve yield and energy efficiency.
• Conduct PHAs/HAZOP studies for new and existing facilities.
• Provide technical leadership to a team of engineers and designers.
• Collaborate with project management, operations and maintenance for delivery and commissioning.
• Troubleshoot complex process issues and recommend expert solutions.
• Drive process improvement initiatives to enhance plant reliability.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.

Skills

Leadership

Process design

PFDs & P&IDs

Aspen Plus

HYSYS

PSM

HAZOP

Project management

Stakeholder communication

Education

Chemical Engineering degree

Tools

Aspen Plus

HYSYS

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a highly experienced Lead Process Engineer for a Cape Town, Western Cape role with a hybrid work model. The position focuses on conceiving, designing, and implementing advanced petrochemical processes while upholding safety, environmental responsibility, and operational excellence.

You will mentor engineers, drive process improvements, and collaborate across project teams to deliver reliable plant performance and optimization.